HALALA NEW JERSEY CHAPTER

DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT

^{We are once again saddened to announce the sudden
death of Naboth Apichi Mukoya who passed away in Kenya on February 5th 2010 at Agakhan Hospital in Nairobi Kenya after a long
illness.He was the beloved son to the late Joel Mukoya of Kakamega
a brother to David Ong’ondo of Kakamega, Funny Minyenya of Halala New Jersey chapter, Vivian Ayoro
of Virginia, Joyce Mukabane of Virginia, Alice Mukabane of Washington DC, Esther Mulembo of Kakamega, Elina Olindo of Maragoli,
Gladys Odera of Daystar University in Nairobi, Nora Mukoya of New Jersey and Elizabeth Songa of Nairobi.Members of Halala New Jersey chapter will be meeting on 02-12-2010 at 390 Park Avenue East Orange New
Jersey to submit their contributions starting from 4pm.For additional
information please feel free to call Halala New Jersey Welfare coordinator Mama Aurelia Onyango at 978-399-8074.For those who would like to reach out to the family to express their sympathy can
do so by calling Fanny Minyenya at 484-620-5909.FYI – considering
the amount of money accumulated in hospital bills friends are invited to help in anyway possible. From Halala New Jersey Chapter Welfare
Coordinator Mama Aurelia Onyango}

FREE MEDICAL CLINIC IN KAKAMEGA KENYA 2009 A GRAET SUCCESS THANKS NEW JERSEY FOR YOUR SUPPORT

CONFERENCE 2009 MARYLAND

YES WE CAN SAYS THE CHAIRMAN OF HALALA NEW JERSEY CHAPTER MR. HENRY NABUTETE

As the chairman of Halala chapter in New Jersey and a Patron of Halala USA/ I feel it is important to affirm to you that Halala leaders in both US and state chapters believe in themselves and the mission they have undertaken in bringing a mobile medical unit to Western Kenya.Some of your worries are how to raise this large amount of money in five years as promised. True, this could be discouraging but all we need to do is to become creative thinkers. And our thinking should not go beyond our godly given skills and ideas. Let us look at ourselves and examine all the skills and ideas we can put in use (both godly, given and those acquired through out our life experience) Let’s put all these ideas together and see which one we can use to raise the funds we need.Without thinking too hard, I can give you examples of how I will contribute to the mobile medical unit using only one of many skills, my sweat and a little bit of your help. I plan to come out of retirement and run in NY city. Marathon, and two other major marathons in United States. The funds that will be raised will go to the mobile medical unit and the other will go towards 50 wells in buluhya land. Also, I plan to walk from the north most city of New Jersey to the south most city of New Jersey. I plan to take my son Sammy and Tony Maenar of CHINI YA MTI- I mentioned Tony and my son because they have a background of tolerance and endurance prepared to take on such task. With proper organization those two events can bring us much-needed funds without scratching our brains but using our skills. If we can raise just a quarter of the total package, then we can turn to various organizations and institutions and see what they can do for us. Remembers we are loaded with bright and willing Kenyans in health, legal and Education institutions that are just waiting to hear how they can help us through their field of work. We have legitimate organizations in this country who would like to see what we have done before they can think of helping us with funds or materials that we can use. So, my fellow members, before you can let those people who have not tried anything that we are doing discourage you, or before you allow those non-members who are jealous of Halala’s mission, divide us, with the intention of destroying us. Please, look at Halala’s objectives again then go back to the time when you decided that Halala was the right organization to join. I will not ask you to make up your mind again, because your first one was the best one you made. All I will ask you to do is to come up with as many ideas as you can that we could use to raise money towards the mobile medical unit. Then take the best two and send to Halala US President. We plan to compile all the ideas we came up with to be utilized in raising funds for the mobile unit.Also, I would like to caution those who are attacking Halala and its leadership, that we are members of Halala, because we believe in its objectives. Therefore we don’t want anybody to misuse the organization by creating issues that do not exist in the organization. We want to help ourselves here in United States and those we left at home the best way we can without breaking the laws, on either side. The problems people face at home are: jobs, food, health, water and Education. If there is anybody out there who is doing something in the areas I have mentioned all I can say is [thank you] and continue doing that. Or if anybody has a better way of doing it, share information with us with no strings attached better still, start an organization that can do that without involving Halala.The idea of helping ourselves here goes beyond, just helping each other incase of death and sickness. We would like to see that our children don’t forget cultural deeds of their grandmothers and grandfathers. We want our children to be proud of their mother country and understand that we are here for reasons that we cant do much about. And therefore to grow up knowing who they are, and grow up to be who they want to be without doughting themselves or feeling inferior of where their parents or grandparents came from. I want our children to understand and love everything about themselves including the food their parents and their grandparents were raised on.Halala plans to help our children by introducing cultural awareness classes, where they will learn Oluhya, Swahili, abaluhyia values including home economics. Our spiritual leaders like Pastor Esipila and a line of certified teachers are going to help us accomplish these particular objective.Halala is strong in the objectives they would like to tangle with here and home. All I am asking for is people with ideas and time to spare when asked to reach out, and help with funds to get things done.For now I will stop here, but I want our members to know that, “ Home is where you make it” our future must be invested in our children here or home. Nobody can do it by himself or herself. We can do it as a sincere group with objectives that have no strings attached. “ The Halala way” is one way we can do it.

NEW JERSEY LEADERS ISSUE A STATEMENT ON POLITICS IN HALALA

Halala NJ Chapter is in agreement with the statement issued by Halala USA President dissociating the organization from individuals with political motives infiltrating the activities of the organization. Halala NJ remains committed to the welfare objectives of helping ourselves in our communities in the Diaspora, and extending our focus to the struggling communities in Western Kenya. We invite everyone with like minds to join, share and participate in our welfare activities and projects. We particularly dissociate ourselves with political utterances made by some individuals at various Halala Chapter events in NJ and wish to clarify that we are in no way represented by this kind of views. The leadership of Halala NJ is not aware of the existence of Halala International, and cautions those misleading our members to refrain from such careless pronouncements.

Signed by the President of Halala New Jersey Chapter - Henry Nabutete

People Profile

The Luhya of Kenya

Religion: Christianity and Animism

Population: 4,990,600

Location:

The Luhya (or Baluyia as they call themselves) tribal homeland is located in

western Kenya north of Lake Victoria from Kisumu to Webuye going north and

south, and from Kapsabet on the east to the Uganda border on the west. This

area of Kenya has been described as the most densely populated area of the

world, exceeding even India in population density.

There are also large pockets of Luhya in Nairobi and the surrounding area.

History: There are various migration traditions among the different Luhya groups.

Some believe they migrated from Egypt. Other Bantu peoples as well as Nilotic

peoples, have a tradition of origin in "Egypt." This is taken to mean a northern

area from the Sudan or Ethiopia farther north.

The first "white man" the Luhya had contact with was probably H. M. Stanley as

he voyaged around Lake Victoria. In 1883 Joseph Thomson was the first

European known to pass through on foot, and was influential in opening the

region to Europeans after his meeting with Chief Mumia. Afterwards, there were

bloody skirmishes mostly with the Bukusu sub-tribe which came to be known as

the War of Chetambe.

The Wanga kingdom was very similar to the Ganda kingdom and other

monarchies in Uganda, an unusual form of government for Bantu peoples.

Mumia was actually the last king in this line and was acknowledged by the British

as a "chief."

Identity:

The Luhya are classified as a Bantu people, based on their language. The name

Bantu means "human beings." It appears that over a period of centuries,

successive waves of Bantu speakers migrated into the area. There was thus a

common underlying origin and language-culture base, but with diversity over the

years.

There are 18 sub-tribes of the Luhya in Kenya, one sub-tribe in northern

Tanzania and 4 in Uganda. The Luhya call these groups "houses" of the Luhya.

The Luhya are culturally and linguistically related to neighboring Bantu peoples,

but exhibit differences.

Despite the tradition of origin in "Egypt," the Luhya culture and language show

relationship to the Ganda and similar Bantu in Uganda, whose traditions indicate

they came from central Africa. These contradictory traditions are indicative of the

mixed origin of the group of peoples now called Luhya.

Tradition and linguistic characteristics of the various sub-groups indicate that

various small groups of Bantu-speaking peoples settled over a period in these

areas. They developed a political unity during the latter stages of the colonial

period.

Throughout the early years of living in this region, they were at war with their

Nilotic neighbors, the Teso, Nandi, Maasai and Luo. Records of these wars date

back to the 1750s. Despite this enmity, many Luhya families have intermarried

over long periods with the neighboring Luo, a Nilotic people. It is common to find

Luo names among Luhya, particularly the Ragooli (Maragoli).

They are agricultural people living mostly off the land. The western Kenya area is

rich, fertile highland soil. In recent years many of the youth have gone to the

cities in search of work and a better life. They are extremely tied to tribal

traditions and superstitions.

Language:

The Luhya groups do not all speak the same language. Some speak varieties of

what is called the Luyia language ("Oluluyia" in the language itself). Others speak

what are classified as the languages of Bukusu, Nyore, Hanga (Wanga), Idakho-

Isukha-Tiriki, Saamia and Ragooli. There is much debate about where there is a

central Luhya language. There are Bible translations in Ragooli (Maragoli) and a

standardized "Luyia" language. But many have trouble reading either of these.

The common languages used among the sub-tribes are Swahili and English. (In

linguistic reference, the spelling Luhya refers to the people and Luyi a refers to

the language.)

Each sub-tribe has its own traditional language and customs. The traditional

language is spoken in the home almost exclusively. There is similarity between

several of the sub-languages and the Luganda language of the Ganda

(Baganda) of Uganda.

Bibliography

Ayot, Henry Okello. History Texts of the Lake Region of East Africa. Nairobi,

Kenya: Kenya Literature Bureau, 1977.

Barker, Eric E. The Short History of Nyanza. Nairobi, Kenya: East African

Literature Bureau, 1975.

Makila, F. E. An Outline History of Babukusu of Western Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya:

Kenya Literature Bureau, 1978.

Were, Gideon S. A History of the Abaluyia of Western Kenya: c. 1500-1930.

Nairobi, Kenya: East African Publishing House, 1967.

Western Kenya Historical Texts. Nairobi, Kenya: East African Literature

Bureau, 1967.

^{Halala USA
takes innovative healthcare plan to Western Kenya}

^{Halala members in US met in Towson, Maryland the last weekend of August
to collectively endorse the implementation of a mobile clinic in Western Kenya.
They all came from as far as Massachusetts,
New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kansas City. Their hosts Maryland Chapter through their chairlady
Pracksidies Ilamaha who proudly embraced the mobile clinic by saying that it is a blessing and many lives will be saved warmly
welcomed the group. In his opening remarks the president of Halala Mr. Pius Mwemba Thanked the hosts for providing a forum
to discuss issues that affect the luhya community.}

^{The President also called upon all luhya in the USA and around
the world to affiliate themselves with Halala and support the mobile clinic project for the region. "People are dying
in our villages from diseases that are preventable and curable. We need to have better health care services for healthier
and more productive lives. Lets stand up and support our mobile clinic," he said}

^{Busia, Bungoma,
Vihiga, Kakamega to get free clinics}

^{Halala plans to run four free medical clinics in Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga
and Kakamega in the month of December to assist in the project development. The assessment will be test to see and hear from
the beneficiaries. Alongside the clinics, students who have excelled in mathematics and science subjects in the region from
poor families are encouraged to submit their requests to Halala officials who will be onsite then. Nurses and Doctors within
those centers are requested to volunteer their services during this trial. The Kakamega conference is scheduled for the 20th
of December while the clinics may run on 18th and 19th respectively at different locations. The President applauded the move
taken by Dr. Isaac Thikhutsu who traveled all the way from Kenya and Charles Wambulwa (M.D) from Pennsylvania for their move
to assist the Halala Clinic that is going to benefit the Luhya Community in Western Kenya. Kenyans have welcomed the idea
of togetherness and are already forming Halala chapters in Nairobi and Kakamega the president said.}

^{From Kansas}

^{Prof. Fanson
Kidwaro a member of a newly founded Halala Chapter in Kansas State was one of our motivational speakers for the day. Prof.
Kidwaro brought the message of unity and emphasized on the need to remain Halala in order to help rebuild our region.
The
occasion also remembered the late Barnabas Ochunyi who was until his death was the secretary of Halala Virginia Chapter. In
her remarks to the conference the chairlady of Halala Virginia chapter Selina Amakabane described him as a young man who died
in the line of duty trying to unit his people at the age of 21. She invited all to attend his memorial service scheduled for
October 24th in Virginia. Mr. Henry Nabutete the Patron of Halala USA and also the chairman of Halala New Jersey Chapter was
proud of the progress Halala has made since its establishment. Its time to start implementing our objectives with the once
we have on board the rest will join us later. Chini Ya Mti DJs played music for the occasion} while Mrs Jakie Odanga from Massachusetts presented the luhya cultural music.

Village elder attacked by widow inheritor

Posted Wednesday, September 16 2009 at 15:13

A village elder is nursing severe wounds after he was attacked by a man who had inherited a widow.

The 52-year-old elder is reported to have been in the woman’s house at Atili village in Western Kenya when the alleged inheritor, aged 47 years, arrived.

The enraged man broke down the door and pounced on the elder, cutting him on the face and stabbing him several times.

He was later arrested at a chang’aa den.

LIFE IN A TRADITIONAL LUHYA VILLAGE

By John Osogo
A long time ago, the Luhya used to live in small communities. For administrative purposes the smallest unit was the village (litala) and several villages formed olukongo which had about 500 people in it with some more populated than others.

A village (litala) was often surrounded by a fence of euphorbia trees. In some parts of Luhyaland where enemy raids were common, the villages were surrounded by a wall of clay and a ditch (olukoba) running all round.

This made it difficult for the enemies to attack a village, and easy for the inmates to defend themselves. Naturally, walled villages were very large because building the wall and digging the ditch was difficult work and needed many men to work together on it. All the men who cooperated in the work got a space inside the wall to build a hut or huts for their families. Those who did not help were not allowed in.

Village leadership: The leader of each olukongo, the Omwami, was usually a man of influence. He was expected to make sure that there was sufficient rain to nourish the crops grown on that olukongo each year. Very often such a leader was either a rainmaker (omukimba) or someone who had influence over another rainmaker

Great Community Spirit: Community spirit was great in each olukongo. All the families knew one another, so that a stranger was always noticeable. The people helped each other in most things for example if someone had a hut or a granary to build, all the other men came to help; if he could, he made some food and possibly some beer for them. If someone's son or daughter was going to be married, all members of olukongo brought fitting presents - usually food - to his or her parents to be used in the celebration. Each death was mourned by all villagers.

People helped each other in sickness and suffering and celebrated happy occasions like marriage together. This communal feeling is still prevalent to some extent although urbanisation is slowly clipping away what was orthodoxy traditional.

Activities of each season were started officially, and with a little ceremony, by the chief landowner of the olukongo. This was a man recognized by everyone as the heir to the original owners of that part of the land. He started the cultivation, the sowing, the weeding and the harvesting.

CLICK HERE FOR A HALALA MEMBERSHIP FORM

MEMBER HALALA USA

HALALA VIRGINIA CHAPTER

HALALA MARYLAND CHAPTER

HALALA USA

Kenya Embassy in Washington DC

CHINI YA MTI WEBSITE

Halala New Jersey Email