A COLLECTION OF 100 SAMBURU (KENYA) PROVERBS AND WISE SAYINGS BY MARGARET WAMBERE IRERI African Proverbs Working Group Nairobi, Kenya FEBRUARY 2016 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I thank the Almighty God for enabling me to complete this project. I also wish to thank Father Joseph Healey of the Maryknoll Society for the financial support, Cephas Agbemenu for the illustrations and technical support, and the African Proverbs Working Group Committee, for their guidance and moral support. I also thank my dear friend Gabriel Odhiambo, who devoted himself to helping me to link with the collaborators, and with compiling of this collection of proverbs and wise sayings from the Samburu ethnic community. Special thanks to my husband Peter Murithi and daughter Patricia Muthoni, for their moral support and interest in my work. Thank you all for encouraging and enabling me to complete this project. DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my collaborators: JAMES OLEIPERE And JOHNSTONE LEKUYE Two members of this wonderful Samburu community. Thank you for your inspiration. INTRODUCTION The Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya and live north of the equator . They are a Maa-speaking group and very similar to the Maasai ethnic group. They speak Samburu, which is a Nilo-Saharan language. The neighbors of the Samburu people include the pastoral Turkana, Rendille and Borana ethnic groups. The ethnographical location of the Samburu people of Kenya The ethnographical location of the ethnic groups of Kenya, and the Samburu Samburu history is intertwined with that of Kenya's other Nilotic ethnic groups. They are known to have originated from Sudan, settling north of Mount Kenya and south of Lake Turkana in Kenya's Rift Valley area. Upon their arrival in Kenya in the 15th century, they parted ways with their Maasai cousins, who moved further south while the Samburu moved north. The name Samburu was given to them by other ethnic groups, and directly translates as ‘Butterflies.’ Previously they knew themselves as the Loikop. The name ‘Samburu’ is also of Maasai origin, ‘Samburr’ meaning a traditional leather bag specific to them, which is used for carrying mean and honey on their backs. Traditionally the Samburu economy was purely pastoral. They are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd mainly cattle, but also keep cows, sheep, goats and camels. Their cattle are their life; their wealth; their livelihood and the symbol of status and success within the community. Like the true Maasai, the Samburu believe that all cattle belong to them, raiding of other ethnic groups has always been a major pre-occupation of the warriors. Samburu women wearing traditional jewelry Both Samburu men and women dress in brightly colored traditional shukas, which they wrap loosely around their bodies. Samburu men also dye their hair with red ochre, while the women adorn themselves in beautiful, multi-beaded necklaces and other traditional jewelry. Samburu warriors, or morans, keep their long hair in braids and dress in more colorful attire than other members of the ethnic group. Samburu warriors/morans adorned in traditional regalia. Samburu practice polygamy and a man may have multiple wives as long as he can pay dowry. A Samburu settlement is known as a nkang, consisting of one family, composed of a man and his wife or wives. Each wife has her own house, which she builds with the help of other women out of local materials, such as sticks, mud and cow dung. The houses are surrounded by an acacia thorn bush fence and the center of the village has the animal pens away from predators. They have a strong oral tradition, passing down their history and customs, through the use of proverbs, wise sayings, riddles, folktales, songs and dance. These fascinating tales are given to the children of the tribe around crackling fires inside the Manyattas, or under moonlit skies in the arid plains around the villages. Emphasis on the use of proverbs and wise sayings helps them to remember and use them in ordinary daily conversation. Dancing is very important in the Samburu culture. Men dance in a circle, jumping very high from a standing position. The Samburu have traditionally not used any instruments to accompany their singing and dancing. Men and women do not dance in the same circles, but they do coordinate their dances. The Samburu dancers performing their jumping butterfly dance. Circumcision for both boys and girls has always been one of the most important rituals among the Samburu. For girls, it signifies becoming a woman. Once circumcised, a girl/woman can be given away in an arranged marriage to start her own family. Sadly, this practice has seen girls as young as 12 years old get married to men old enough to be their grandfathers. Circumcision for boys marks the initiation into moran (warrior) life. The moran have the duty to defend the community and the livestock. This promotes values such as self-respect, perseverance, courage, fellowship and also a strong sense of responsibility. The moran-hood remains the basis of Samburu pride, building a bridge between the present and their heroic past. The Samburu believe that God (Nkai) is the source of all protection from the hazards of their existence. The Samburu have ritual diviners who divine the causes of individual illnesses and misfortune, and guide warriors. The Samburu calendar is important to determine the seasons, times of drought, rituals and rains. Elders of the tribe have a mystical knowledge of these seasons and, without calendars, can determine the correct time for every activity.. In recent decades missionaries have succeeded in converting more Samburu to predominantly Catholic, and Protestant forms of Christianity. Nevertheless, the majority of Samburu continue to observe most traditional ritual practices. The Samburu live in a very beautiful, sparsely populated part of Kenya with abundant wildlife. Much of the land is now protected and community development initiatives have extended to eco- friendly lodges jointly run by the Samburu. The combination of a significant growth in population over the past 60 years and a decline in their cattle holdings has forced them to seek other supplemental forms of livelihood. Some have attempted to grow crops, while many young men have migrated for at least short periods to cities to seek wage work. Today Samburu National Reserve, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust are natural habitats for elephants, which generate income through tourism. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement ……………………………………………………………. i Dedication …………………………………………………………………….. ii Introduction …………………………………………………………………... iii Images: Samburu women wearing traditional jewelry ……………………………... iv Samburu warriors/moransin traditional regalia …………………………… v The Samburu dancers performing their jumping butterfly dance. ………. vi A Collection Of 100 Samburu Proverbs And Wise Sayings 1. Ebunga amu meeny heye. English: Never lose hope about advising people against their wrong doing. ……………………………………………………………… 1 2. Edugo enkuo gejuk negua emusana. English: A young person may die but an old man lives. ……………………….. 1 3. Enkongu Naipuyo geny. English: Someone who is roaming around is the bravest. ……………………… 1 4. Entolimu pee kitum alshamishama. English: Give your idea and see if it will be useful. ……………………………. 1 5. Hoi olganaylol lamabaiki. English: You may desire something, but you may be unable to access it. ……… 2 6. Iyiolo nijo nimiolo nikijokini English:You know how to speak, but you don’t know how you can be told. ……………………………………………………………………… 2 7. Keder enkerai omenye. English: A young person can have an idea that can help even the elderly. ……………………………………………………………………… 2 8. Kedorop a kenya. English: Our days are very short so we should make good use of them. ………. 3 9. Keer enkiok ndoot. English: Your behaviour will eventually be revealed. …………………………. 3 10. Keeta oldie enkolong enye. English: Even a poor person has his day. ……………………………………… 3 11. Keeta entim nkiyiaa. English: You should not reveal your secrets to everyone. ……………………... 3 12. Kekwenie olchata ochuma olopejo English: Don`t laugh at somebody who is suffering. You should help him. ………………………………………………………………… 4 13. Kekur lala olgejep. English: Members of the same family are open to each other and can discuss anything. ...................................................................................... 4 14. Kemodooni olemeyilo enkorop. English: A visitor who does not know where to pass is blind. …………………. 4 15. Kepir dukieya along siade English: The first person will get first things. ………………………………….. 4 16. Kerek enkwe olee odonyo. English: A man`s idea is so powerful that it can move a mountain. ……………. 5 17. Kerek namuruae tome. English: Strong person can be defeated by a weak person. …………………….. 5 18. Keripo emaal edaa. English: You should be watchful all the time. ………………………………….. 5 19. Kore ememeshula enkikwei meshula enkigwana. English: When you don`t live in unity even your ideas will be different. ……………………………………………………………………… 5 20. Kore enkiok mingani meeny heye English: A disobedient person may die. ………………………………………… 6 21. Kore mali engare naok ntare. English: Richness one day will vanish. ………………………………………….. 6 22. Kore nemeshula nkikul memeshula nkiguana. English: People who don’t stay together have different ideas. ………………… 6 23. Kore nkiok natua meny enigisho English: A deaf ear is followed by death, and an ear that listens is followed by blessings. ……………………………………………………………………… 7 24. Kore pee egolu tama enemakon English:When you get yourself into trouble you have to rescue yourself. …………………………………………………………………… 7 25. Layielai nchooki nkiyok. English: Listen to me and also listen when advised by someone. ……………..... 7 26. Lburro osiapa liangitie. English: You should keep secrets of your family and also yours. ………………. 8 27. Marajo ketwa olee etunukaa. English: Never count on what you don’t have. 28. Meaku nkang nacham larrabel English: War is not good for anyone. …………………………………………… 8 29. Mebungai enepik enkutok. English: Something that you have doubted you will continue doing. …………… 8 30. Medol enkongu enedol enkae. English: When you are making decisions think of how you will benefit from your ideas. …………………………………………………….. 9 31. Meek oltome lala lenyena. English: A husband as the head of the family should provide for his family. ……………………………………………………………………. 9 32. Meek osikiria olola lenye. English: You cannot get tired of solving your own problems. ………………….. 9 33. Meeta damata nalal kewon English: No one can prove himself wrong. ……………………………………… 9 34. Meeta naimutie kiret. English: All that comes late cannot help when emergency occurs. ……………... 10