By Gatkuoth Lok,
June 19, 2023 — This book was written by Sultan Somjee, in 2020. Sultan Somjee wrote a very compelling piece of work, which centered on the indigenous perspectives on the human person or individuals/jua locals and their command and mastery over ontological, epistemological, religious, cosmological, social, economic, political developments and most importantly peacemaking. The work hence seems to be a clear reminder not only for Kenyans, East Africans, but also for Continental and diasporan Africans who appear here to have been duty-bound by the book to embrace their very own ways of life and further their worldviews. With this method, we can properly fill our space in the spectrum of scholars to make the world better.
The book has three accessible parts in the Amazon, namely: Koko Kigongo; what is peace anyway, and when dreams speak to the heart. Part One, Koko Kigongo presents the sub-topics such as: Alama the marker. This name was given to Lokoma in recognition for his brave deeds when he became a warrior; Talking aloud, which described Alama in isolation, talking alone aloud and living in fear of invisible and visible entities; Home where, Alama, experienced some rebellious moves and movements of nomads in search for greener pastures coupled with foreign invasion activities, resulting to damage; Mvua, was the second wife to Lokoma and she was said to have died from malaria and left two sons behind; Chuna who was the second wife to Alama was said to have disgraced the husband for sleeping with another man, a thing which caused her divorce; Land of the Red Brown River discussed the beautiful and peaceful environs and whereas on the seventh subtopic on Conflicts about which Elders talked told stories of the past nonetheless when the clan experienced defeat stories were told in favor of the new conquerors and rich people. The eight subtopic is on “When we lose the Jua’s language” and this follows that the loss of Jua’s language is equal to losing Jua’s identity. The ninth sub-topic poses a question, which reads; what is humiliation? One can answer the question on humiliation’s essence as the old man who conversed with Alama, succinctly narrated that loss of one’s livelihoods and dignity means loss of all things.
I think the truth of the matter here seems to suggest that waging war to restore honour and respect among Jau is real and a matter of pride. And this explicitly and implicitly implies a price of man’s life ought to be paid. In this part, Somjee presented us with what sounds like the rise of a hero and clashes of two ways of life; notably; the old way of life and the new way of life.
In Part Two on “What is peace anyway?”, one is faced with Primeval and Ancestral Homesteads as the first subtopic under which Alama expressed puzzle over the new life and new ways that displaced the locals’ cultural aspects. This enormously concerns Alarma for the loss of homesteads and language loss. On the second subtopic, Colours on goats, simply explained the sublime beauty of the environment, where Alama communed with his ancestors for good weather. Furthermore, having observed the breathtaking beauty of a few goats, Alama thought they might have been chosen by the Supreme One (God). The third subtopic is about Ua, the widow of Alama’s best friend. She owned marvelous goats and Alama sang songs remembering his time with his age mate with good memories!. Under the fourth subtopic, Porojo expert, Alama knew Ua wouldn’t return to the same spot to graze her goats. Alama observed near a lodge some market activities and visited by the constituency MP. On The New Way as the fifth subtopic, Alama struggled with the new ways and life, but put his hope in peace tree, the river, sky, land and walk. Under Feeling, holding and breaking peace as sixth subtopic, Ua, and Alama joyfully interacted. Alama felt Utu in the face of Ua who talked with smiles making Alama feel satisfactory, which actually radiated happiness in others. Seventh subtopic is “What is Peace anyway”? And in reply to that question, Alama’s conversations with Ua expressed his unhappiness at the humiliating life he began to live when he became an old man. In this respect, Ua advised him to be humble and to embrace peace and be oftentimes dreaming for it.
Part Three on “When dreams speak to the heart” discussed the first sub-topic, Kataka, under which Alama likened the urge for a woman to a love for tobacco about which he performed ritual and subsequently enjoyed time in conversation with Ua. In the watch of Alama, the Kataka market took shape in terms of development with new institutions and on the second subtopic, Guno Tumbako, Alama learned about the new market, Kataka, in which different people met to buy some goods and sell products. He was said to have joined the exchange markets. On the third subtopic about the Seer of Tobacco, Alama, looked for a seer and he tried hard to find the disguised seer given the fact that seers were banned to tell their dreams to people however, he managed to meet the seer who revealed to him the replacement of old ways with new ways by foreign invaders about whom elders learned the potential destruction of their ways of life. The fourth subtopic on Hasira kali, centered on Koko Kigongo, (a stick), which Alama studied the same way he admired Ua when together. In their interactions, Alama and Ua engaged in conversations with love and peace though Alama tended to ignore Ua’s obvious enquiries on her walking stick. He was said to have been stricken by hasira kali to avenge his enemies. Yet Ua managed to cool the warrior down. On The Oracle as fifth subtopic talked about a mysterious voice heard and expressing the word “Peace” and it was clearly heard by Alama, who again heard that voice repeating to him to make peace with the earth, which he seemed skeptical to accept for he did not know any wrongdoing against the earth. The Oracle further stated that one man’s mistake is a mistake for all. Then Alama could not continue to contend with the Oracle since it is not allowed to argue against the said short temper Oracle whom he tended to ask for mercy and forgiveness after realizing his fault.
The book, in the reviewed three parts, to a large extent, advances the notion of indigenous development and it, too, advances the indigenous perspectives not only on Jua’s notion on peace, ontology, epistemology, cosmology, religion, but also on human, social, and economic developments.
For more information, the author, Gatkuoth Lok Gatwich Diet, can be reached through email at glokgatwich@gmail.com.
