Members of the Luo community are known for their rich culture, one of the factors that are used to distinguish them from the other communities.
However, a number of these traditional norms have been on the decline and are very likely to go extinct in the coming years.
Here are some of them.
1. Wife inheritance
Known in Luo as 'Tero', this is the process which involves a man taking over the wife of his departed brother, in the name of taking care of her on behalf of the dead brother.
Normal practice years back, this tradition is among the main victims of the changing times, and is, therefore, no longer as popular and largely practised as was the case back.
This is because unlike before, when the culture was a very serious issue and had to be followed to the letter, this is no longer the case, not only in Nyanza but across the country.
Women are also now free to choose who marries them, and can also decide to stay single after being rendered widows.
2. The uprooting of lower teeth
Known as 'nego' in Luo, this is a cultural practice where people had their six lower teeth uprooted as a form of initiation from childhood to adulthood.
This is no longer as commonly practised as was the case previously, and is currently only practised by specific groups like the Legio Maria religious sect.
Instead, the majority of Luos have embraced circumcision, which is more national and doesn't interfere with physical appearance.
3. Spending days home after the burial
It was a normal practice to see family members spend some time in the village of their bereaved kin after the burial of the dead relative, before heading back to their jobs or their own homes.
The idea was to help the bereaved family recover quickly from the loss, by seeing fellow members of the family close to them during such hard times.
But thanks to the current tough economic times, it has grown harder and harder for members, including sons and daughters of the mourning homestead, to spend any time home after burial.
Actually, some will come on the night of burial, at a time aboard the hearse (if the deceased died away from home), and leave with the hearse the next morning after burial.
And since the economy is likely to only worsen in the coming days, we are looking at a possible situation where some family members will not even troop back home for such events.
#hivisasaoriginal.