Kisii Tribe
The Kisii tribe (also understood as Abagusii (Mkisii/Wakisii) in Swahili, or Gusii in Ekegusii) are a Bantu ethnic group indigenous to Kisii and Nyamira counties of one-time Nyanza, as well as parts of Kericho and Bomet counties of the former Rift Valley province of Kenya.
The Abagusii traditionally occupy Kisii and Nyamira counties, as well as sections of Kericho and Bomet counties, all of which were within the one-time Nyanza and Rift Valley provinces of Kenya.
Kisii Tribe – Origin and History
Founded on linguistic and anthropological proof, the Abagusii emanated from the neolithic agropastoralist occupants of present-day Kenya, especially from the one-time Nyanza and Rift Valley provinces. The competing view by some scholars that the Abagusii relocated from Uganda is lacking, as there’s no historical proof the Abagusii settled in Uganda and have been known to only settle on the eastern slopes of the Kenyan side of Mt. Elgon.
The oral tradition of the Abagusii holds that their ancestors relocated from a place called Misiri, north of Mt. Elgon, perhaps in present-day Egypt. These ancestors were the inventors of the six major Gusii clans: the Abagetutu, Abanyaribari, Abagirango, Abanchari, Abamachoge, and Ababasi. This initial group subsequently absorbed a group of settlers from west of Lake Victoria, what is nowadays present-day Buganda and Busoga; these settlers may have been incorporated from the Luhya and Olusuba-speaking Suba people.
Kisii People and Sports
Gusii is a fond reference to their homeland and Mogusii is culturally identified as their founder and patriarch. Kisii town – known as Bosongo or Getembe by the locals – is located in Nyanza Province to the southwest of Kenya and is home to the Gusii people. The name Bosongo is believed to have originated from Abasongo meaning the Whites or the place where white people settled who lived in the town during colonial times.
Football (soccer) of national league status is played at Gusii Stadium and other surrounding grounds. Shabana Football Club is based in Kisii town; it has been a popular soccer club in Gusii land and has featured in the Kenya national premier league for many years. Formed by V. Dogo Khan, the proprietor of Shabana Hardware Stores as an incentive to his store employees in the mid-1980s, it grew to be a strong football team which in its successful run, attracted and recruited star players from local high schools and talented individual players living or working in the municipality.
However, its team performance has lately been relegated down to the national 2nd Division league after losing most of its star players to other local and international teams for economic reasons.
Kisii Men
Among the Abagusii, circumcising boys without anesthesia about 10 is an essential ceremony of passage. Traditionally, the Abagusii did not wed into tribes that did not practice circumcision, though this practice has fallen in current generations. The ceremony typically takes place every year in November and December, tracked by a period of isolation where boys are led in different activities by older boys.
During this period, only older circumcised boys are permitted to visit the initiates. It is regarded taboo for anyone else to visit during this time. During this period of isolation, the male initiates are prepared for their roles as young men in the community, and the code of conduct of a circumcised man. Initiated boys were furthermore taught the rules of shame (“chinsoni”) and respect (“ogosika”). This is a time of celebration for families and the community at large. Family, friends, and neighbors are invited days in advance by the candidates to join the family in celebration.
Kisii men have certain traits and abilities that should naturally endear them to all women predisposed to marriage. And good enough, these traits are so ingrained in their DNA, that only a few Kisii men tend to veer off the set communal tangent. And this is why, For starters, the most cherished possession of a Kisii man is a house. In Kisii, more than anywhere else in the world, a man’s worth is measured by the house he has built. And the family he raises in it.
Kisii Language and Names
The Kisii language (also known as Gusii or Ekegusii) is a Bantu language spoken in the Kisii district in western Kenya, whose headquarters is Kisii town, (between the Kavirondo Gulf of Lake Victoria and the border with Tanzania). It is spoken by the Gusii people. A few Gusii people are bilingual in Luo.
Ekegusii is endangered, and there are/Swahili-tribe reasons for this. Increasing globalization means that business is now generally conducted in Swahili or English. Ekegusii is also used less frequently at home, at church, and at school. Individuals who still use Ekegusii tend to be the elderly
Kisii Culture – Kisii Names
Here are some typical Kisii names which are not borrowed: These names are predominantly Kisii.
Name Pronunciation Meaning
Kwamboka KWAHM-boh-kah Born while crossing a river
Makori mah-KOH-ree Born on the way
Mongina MOHN-ngee-nah My mother
Moraa MOH-rah Fun loving
Kisii Culture – Lifestyle of The Kisii People
The Kisii family typically consists of a man, his wives, and their married sons, all living together in a single compound. Large families serve two purposes: with high infant mortality rates the survival of the family is assured, and the large numbers facilitate defense of the family enclosure. Initiation ceremonies are performed for both boys and girls, and rituals accompany all important events.
Death is considered not to be natural but the work of ‘witchcraft’. Traditionally, the Kisii were mostly farmers, growing crops such as finger millet, sorghum, beans, sweet potatoes, and bananas. The Kisii also made soapstone carvings, basketry and pottery. They traded with their neighboring communities for tools, weapons, crafts, livestock, and agricultural products.
Kisii Tribe – Kisii Food
This community of mostly farmers. They have a variety of traditional foods. Kisii usually escorts their meals with sour milk( Marurano) and vegetables. Kisii is well known for producing bananas and for that case, bananas turn out to be the most eaten in Kisii. The best bananas in Kenya are from the Kisii area. Kisii’s traditional Ugali( Obokima) is made from millet flour or Sorghum flour.
Kisii People – Faith and Religion
Before Christianity was introduced to the Gusii, they believed in one supreme god who created the world but did not interfere directly in human affairs. Instead, interference was caused by ancestor spirits (ebirecha), witches, and impersonal forces. The Gusii believed that displeased ancestor spirits were responsible for disease, the death of people and livestock, and the destruction of crops.
Today, most Kisii people claim to be followers of some form of Christianity. A Roman Catholic mission was first established in 1911 and a Seventh Day Adventist mission in 1913. There are four major denominations in Gusiiland: Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, Swedish Lutheran, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of God.
Kisii Witchcraft
Although churches are very active, some non-Christian beliefs continue to influence the lives of most Kisii people. If afflicted by misfortune, many Gusii visit a diviner (abaragori) who may point to displeased spirits of the dead and prescribe sacrifice. In addition to abaragori, who are usually women, various healers also exist. Abanyamoriogi (herbalists) use a variety of plant mixtures for medicines.
Indigenous surgeons (ababari) set fractures and treat backaches and headaches through trepanation (needles). Professional sorcerers (abanyamosira) protect against witchcraft and retaliate against witches. Omoriori, the witch smeller, finds witchcraft articles hidden in a house. Witches (omorogi) can be men or women but are usually women. They are believed to dig up recently buried corpses to eat the inner organs and use body parts for magic. Among the Gusii culture, witchcraft is believed to be a learned art handed down from parent to child.
Kisii People – Economic Activities
About 51% Kenyans are living below the poverty line in Kisii County. Therefore, the poverty level of Kisii county population is: 51%. The major economic activities or industries in the county are: Subsistence agriculture, vegetable farming, small-scale trade, dairy farming, tea and coffee growing, commercial businesses, and soapstone carvings.
Other economic statistics and information available for Kenya’s Kisii County are listed below:
- Age Dependency Ratio: 100:94
- Resources: Soapstone, Arable land
- Financial Services: More than 8 commercial banks, over 6 micro-finance institutions
- Agricultural products: Tea, coffee, bananas, tomatoes, vegetables, dairy products, maize, sugarcane.
- CRA Allocation: 3,581,287,040
Kisii Tribe – Social Problems
Alcoholism and violence toward women are the most severe social problems. Traditionally, only older people were allowed to drink large amounts of locally brewed beer (amarua). Today, social control over drinking has broken down, and traditional beer and home-distilled spirits are served in huts all over the district. Probably close to 50 percent of young and middle-aged Kisii men are regular drinkers, with a larger proportion of men than women.
This heavy drinking leads to violence, neglect of children, and poverty. The Gusii also have high murder rates compared to the rest of Kenya. Although violence toward women (such as rape and beatings) has been part of Gusii culture since earlier in this century, alcohol is probably a factor in its increase.
Kisii Women-Kisii Ladies
The exploitation of women in Gusii society is a serious human rights problem. According to customary law, which is usually followed in the countryside, women cannot inherit or own land, cattle, or other resources. This makes Kisii women completely dependent on men for survival and attainment of any future security.
Until a Kisii woman has adult sons, she is under the authority of her husband and has to ask permission from him to leave the homestead. In addition, the Kisii tribe practice female genital mutilation, which is practiced regularly even though it is prohibited by law. Sometimes called female circumcision, this surgery robs girls of the possibility of sexual satisfaction. The practice is intended to keep girls and women “in line,” and it has attracted the attention of human rights advocates around the world.
Kisii Tribe Population
The Kisii tribe is calculated to have a population of 2,703,325 people as of September 2024, and they are known for their rich cultural heritage, special traditions, and a strong sense of community.
Taboos in Kisii community
- Mothers setting feet and dining in their married daughters’ houses
- Circumcised boys entering the bedroom of their parents
- Father going into their son’s house
- Men visiting their mothers-in-law far too often
- Girls wearing trousers, short, and revealing clothing
- Women climbing trees and thatching on rooftops
- Women eating chicken gizzard meant for family heads
- Disrespecting elders, last wishes of the dead, and ancestors
- A pregnant woman setting eyes on the dead
- A freshly circumcised young man facing their mother
Kisii Myths
Kisii myths include the belief in a supreme god, the evil eye, and the legend of Misri.
Kisii Culture Marriage
Kisii marriage traditions include paying the bride’s wealth, selecting a bride, and celebrating the marriage. Traditional marriage was established through the payment of bride wealth in the form of livestock and money. Bride wealth was paid by the husband to the wife’s family. This act established a socially approved marriage. Traditionally, divorces were rare and required the return of the bride wealth.
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