Luos have remained loyal to most of their cultural rules named chike mag joluo (Luo rules).
A contravention of these is considered an attraction of curses (chira) which are said to be so bad to an extent that they can at times lead to mysterious deaths.
Though men have their own set of rules to follow, here are the ones specifically for women, and what they are barred from doing.
1.Speaking on land matters
A Luo woman losses her voice on matters land back at her home where she was born once she is married off.
Such a person is referred to as ‘migogo’ and is supposed to instead concentrate on her husband’s property and not her own family’s.
She cannot speak on matters land as it is illegal culturally.
2.Step into married child’s house
According to the culture, married women were not allowed inside the houses of their married children, both male or female.
Actually, they are not allowed to even open the door in the first place, and should stand at the door and call out if they cannot find someone else to send.
However, this only applies in the villages (mier or gweng’) and not in town rentals which are referred to as ‘kapango’ as these are considered temporary destinations with people from mixed communities and therefore have no curses or taboos.
3.Sleeping in their mother’s house
A woman who has been married off cannot come back to sleep in her biological mother’s house even if the father is dead.
This is because when she gets married, she takes ‘manyasi’ (traditional herbs) marking the end of her stay in the homestead and so does the mother.
Therefore, she is barred from even accessing her mother’s bedroom in the first place.
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