The Luhyas are Western Bantus from the western region of Kenya.
They are well known and associated with the love of chicken (Ingokho) as they call it.
It has been proved that every homestead in Luhya communities must have at least four to five chicken.
Below are surprising reasons why these people value chicken so much:
1. Chicken is a special meal for visitors
It has been a tradition that every homestead in the Luhya community prepares ugali and chicken as a special meal for their visitors.
They believe that an important visitor must eat ( Ingokho) as a sign of honour and respect.
2. Solve community rituals
Most rituals and traditional ceremonies in Luhya communities are accompanied by a chicken.
A hen must be in any Luhya ceremonies like funerals.
Before the burial of a married woman in Wanga community, relatives to the deceased must be given a hen early in the morning to go with it as a cleansing practice.
3. Chicken is a special gift to grandchildren
In Luhya communities, when children visit their maternal grandparents, they must be gifted with a chicken to go with it as their present.
Similarly, when the boys are preparing for circumcision, they are given chicken by their uncles because they are not supposed to eat vegetables during the circumcision period.
4.Source of wealth
The community values chicken as their source of wealth.
Wealth is generated from hens and they even have local markets for this reason.
Since everyone values chicken in this community, their demand is high and therefore, those with many chicken are respected and honoured.
5.Source of manure
Chicken's waste products are very useful on the farm.
They have been proved to have a high quality of nutrients that crops need for nourishment.
Manure from the hens is used by this community to grow crops such as millets, sorghum among others since they are subsistent farmers.
6.Entertainment
Apart from the well-known bullfighting in the community, some sub-communities such as the Tiriki women have started the chicken fight.
They host a cockfighting day as an entertainment which surprises majority of Kenyans.