— On Mon, 8/4/08, felix okatch wrote:
From: felix okatch
Subject: Fw: DUOKO MON EI RIA
Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 3:19 AM
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WIDOWS APPEAL TO ELDERS TO END BIASED CULTURAL PRACTICES OF ‘WIFE INHERITANCE’
First of all according to Luo customs, ‘Jater’ a levir, a man who takes a widow in a leviratic customs has no right to anything except for food and accommodation for the day and time. ‘Jater’ has no prescriptive right, cannot be allocated anything except temporary usufruct.
But it is upon the widow to let it go farther if she wishes but she is not encouraged to do so after ‘Jater’ has appeared. Note that according to Luo customs even a widow of 80 years goes through this ritual. It is not sex as some press has put it over the years.
One asks as to why is this custom so and why can it not be discarded? It is an activity which involves two parties like marriage and you cannot just get rid of it over night.
Luos, both men and women are superstitious and fearful people. They believe in the ghost of the dead that would hound them in future if they fail to do some rituals. They also believe that the elders by birth control the magic and ghost of ancestors. This power of the elder is still vested in the quasi-religious-magical beliefs of the people. In other words the principle of being first born, i.e. primogeniture is inherent in Luo culture.
In this marital circumstance therefore, it is erroneous to look at one cultural practice and judge the whole. Culture is all around us and it is never a one event or activity. For example, for all human beings, marriage is one of the most important metamorphoses in life. It also generates more problems and joy as well. Problems are mainly due to ignorance of man and woman.
As for Luos, marriage has a host of many rituals and cultural practices that one cannot ignore and come up with one prescriptive phrase that ‘leave the widows alone…………..’ For Luos widows are part of a home. This is why among the Luos, there is no word called, divorce.
This is evidenced by Luos burying their deceased wives whom they were not cohabiting at time of death. For Luos, according to the customs, marriage is for eternity.
Now on widow care which you erroneously term as ‘wife inheritance’, the purpose is not to inherit but be on stand by for cultural fulfillment. The purpose is to take care and perpetuate the lineage of the deceased husband. The ghost of the dead ensures continuity. Also take note that there is nothing like mandatory sex unless the widow voluntarily consents to it. It symbolizes care as that done for a woman of 80 years. However if the ladies want to go the sexual way, no one discourages it. Particularly if she is young and needs more children to extend the lineage of her late husband. When this spreads AIDS and STD is upon the two like in any normal human activity.
Cultures change over time. Just as Luos have abandoned the practice of removing six lower teeth, they did not need foreign press to tell them to stop. The same can be said of male/female mutilation which is not a cultural practice among Luos. Luo customs are good and bond the community together if followed and applied respectfully in the changing environment and times
Felix Owaga Okatch
Wuod Gem Nyawara
e-mail: felixokatch@yahoo.com
Tel: 254-721-735489
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From: felix okatch
Sent: 04 August 2008 13:24
Subject: Fw: DUOKO MON EI RIA
Dear All,
What do you say?
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Felix Okatch
– On Tue, 8/5/08, Carol Ogana wrote:
From: Carol Ogana
Subject: RE: DUOKO MON EI RIA
Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 2:32 AM
Ya ya I hear you Mr. Okatch !!! Now tell that to the rest of the villagers who have no access to this facility !!!!!!!!!
P/s Kwani uli quit RAMOGI radio ?????
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— On Tue, 8/5/08, felix okatch wrote:
From: felix okatch
Subject: Fw: RE: DUOKO MON EI RIA
Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 4:48 AM
John,
Please share with MakOwiti and those talkers who pretend they are conversant with Luo customs.
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Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 05:38:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: felix okatch
Subject: DUOKO MON EI RIA/ WIDOW INHERITANCE by Felix Okatch
