ORIGINS OF THE VARIOUS LUO SUB-COMMUNITIES

I take this opportunity to applaud the forum of like minded people from the same root - Luo who have contributed to the success of the Jaluo.com to date. For quite a while I have observed with concern that many Luos of Kenya are unaware of their genealogies or roots. This is even made worse when we talk of the 50+ year old Luo men and women who are not even aware of their clan origins.

I know that several scholars in the country have developed some literature material concerning this but not exhaustively. It would be great knowledge to the contemporary Jaluo to know where his clan or sub-community came from and how it is related to the larger Luo community. May look like a tall order but we need to preserve such knowledge for progeny. I want to know for example, "Who are the Kano people?", "How many clans or major groupings make the Kano people?", "How are they related to each other as Jokano?". What about the Karachuonyo people? What about the Alego people, the Ugenya people, the Gem people, the Nyakach people, the Seme people, the Kajulu people, the Kanyada people and all other Luo communities. What are the unique attributes of each group?

It would really be good to have such information as we often hear of our grand-parents telling us about some of these but in scanty pieces. Lastly, is it true that amongst the 42+ Kenya tribes, it is only the Luos who are proud when they say that they do not fully understand the Luo language! That is really something negative! I overheard some Luo girls (over 25 years of age) discussing, when one told her friends that, "Imagine I feel odd going to shaggs as I don't understand Luo properly and feel at pains following up discussions" . The others too quipped that they have the same problems and usually converse in English or Kiswahili. They even went ahead and said that, "Watu wa shaggs are so old-fashioned and expect us to speak Luo as well as they do. They should understand that we speak English from the day we are born, even at home with Mbuyu and Masa". I thought it was an advantage to speak your local language first and then add the other languages! Why can't we insist on speaking Luo to our children when at home? Advantage or disadvantage? Help me here.

Otherwise, continue with the debates and information as they broaden our knowledge based on information.

Thank you

Herbert Dola