My Childhood hobby: Watching bull fighting
I always looked forward to Sunday mornings. My mother would always remind me on Saturday night to prepare to attend Holy Mass in the Catholic Church situated four kilometers away. I obeyed her until I discovered the fun in a local weekly excitement which culminates into an annual event: Bull fighting competitions in my village – Bwichina, Shikhuli located in Khayega; a place inhabitated mostly by the Abaluhya sub tribe called the ‘Isukha.’ Bull fighting starts at 6.00 p.m. and I started braving the cold and dark mornings to be among the first to arrive at the site for the event. My first encounter made me look forward to my weekends. Soon my young brother and sister would tug along with me. My mother had to learn to live with the reality that her children preferred fun to church at times. In my village, this is a must watch for all ages, gender and people of different status; children, the elderly, boys and girls, men and women. Local leaders and business men are not left behind!
I guess you will enjoy reading this short
narration of the bull fighting event in Western Kenya:
Set near the beautiful Kakamega Forest,
the bull fighting events of Kakamega are a curious aspect of Luhya culture that
happens several times a year, forming a crucial aspect of Luhya culture. Deep
in the kakamega rain forest, the calls of primates are heard. Snakes slither by
in sauntering slyness, while butterflies make their journeys beneath the forest
roof in droves, forming beautiful clouds of multiple colors.
The bull fighting events of kakamega happen in Sigalagala, which the local Luhya people call home. A roar of noise is heard from the gathering crowd of locals as they jeer and blow traditional horns. Two different villages are leading their bulls to an open field, with an Efi kuti bullfighting dance – drums and singers egg the bulls on down a dusty road to the open field where they will meet in battle. The two bulls, each representing a village, are fed traditional beer before being pitted against each other to battle it out for the pride of the two opposing villages. The bulls are provoked by the crowd and lock horns in fierce battle to the cries and of the jeers of the Luhya, until one finally flees and the victorious village is brought together in a victory lap of heightened celebration.
The owner of the winning bull takes the
prize money. Lasting anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, the bull fighting events in
Kakamega occur several times a year and form a crucial aspect of the Luhya
culture, reinforcing clan loyalty and communal pride. It is an age-old
tradition. Bulls are a vital aspect of Luhya culture, and prize-fighters are
highly respected in the village, pampered and showered with adoration and
affection by the locals in preparation for the all-important show-down. The
bullfights are followed by communal celebrations. This unusual activity is an
extremely vibrant and interesting cultural spectacle that anyone will enjoy.
By Evelyn
