Along the way on Luhya land

Some of you may have asked what have happening since there has been a while since my last post. No worries! Mácio Simyiu Mzungu is alive, safe and sound and keeps "along the way."

So, here I am back reporting a little about what happened during the last few weeks after a lot of traveling, exploring and photographing. 

Stone pickers in the Kibisi river. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

Whether in the cabin of a lorry loaded with stones, on the carrier of a pikipiki (Kiswahili for motorbike taxi) or squeezed in a matatu (Kiswahili for small bus) I've been roaming around the western region of Kenya visiting a number of cities and villages.

From the shores of the Victoria lake, through the stony landscapes by the river Kibisi, up to Kipsikrok at 2600 m height on the Mount Kenya I've been diving deep into the Kenyan countryside, into the local traditions, getting to know the people and learning what to live in those vicinities is about.

Around here one doesn't have to cover long distances to experience the extreme differences on the scenario, people and traditions. During a short excursion to the land of the Sabaot on the Mount Elgon I've visited their bamboo and mud houses, a perfect combination of the locally available resources and climate adapted constructions. In Kisumu, at the Victoria lake, I tasted the clay stones eaten by the Luo people as a source of iron. Yes! They eat earth! In Chwele, the place I currently call home, I started greeting the locals in their local language, Kibukusu, a language I first got to know it existed two years, ago. 

Meanwhile I also got used to the variety of the Kenyan cuisine. I became a huge fan of Ugali, a kind of porridge or polenta prepared with maize flour and considered the Kenyan national dish. There is also Gidheri, originally a Kikuyu meal, an simple mixture of boiled beans and maize. But my favorite till now is Pilau, brought to the East African coast by the Arabs, it consists of rice prepared with meat and spiced with cinnamon and cloves. That's tasty!

I can not try to describe my hosts without mentioning their hospitality. I was received Chwele, land of the Bukusu, with open arms and after a short while accepted as one of the them. They expressed their wish to have me as a member of their community by giving me a seasonal name as all other members of this community have. So, lately I've been called by the name Simyiu, which in Kibukusu means "drought" and is related to the fact that I was born during the drought period.

As a proud new member of this community it's my duty to know it, its traditions, its people, language and its environment. As if my inherent curiosity wasn't enough! Here I am now, exploring villages and cities, mountains and rivers, getting to know the different tribes and sub-tribes, languages and dialects and contributing for the development of it through my volunteering work (stuff for a future post ;)).

To dive in this new and fascinating world with its contrast-full nuances has been overwhelming. It's been inspiring to see this people tackling everyday life with determination and simplicity on these scarce neighborhoods. Fact is, this immersion is kinda pushing through a sobering process after so many years living in European standards and showing me how life in most, emphasis in "most", countries in the world really looks like. This feels like stepping the ground bare feet again after a long time.

'm learning the lessons and welcoming all the changes inspired by this unique experience. This is how it's supposed to be when you're "along the way" and the main reason why I decided to be on it.

For the great moments I've had and for those still to come for they are worth living.

Bying it on!

Cheers everyone!

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