Kenya is a land of great ethnic diversity. All communities practice their own cultural heritage and beliefs, the Kalenjin community is not an exception. The Kalenjins mostly reside in Rift valley region.
The community practice farming which mainly depends on rain but when there is a severe drought in the community, the Kalenjin women partake some rituals which they believe it triggers their gods' thoughts and feelings thus bless them with rain.
We sunk to Kapkoria village, a rural area in Uasin Gishu county to establish the authenticity of this ritual to the community.
Jeptoet, a 65-year-old resident of the area said the women perform a song dance called 'Kut teret' which translates to 'stir the pot' to plead for rain from gods. They perform the dance at night because it is done with no clothes.
"The song is sung in rhythmic steps as the women sway their bodies is style with cooking sticks in their hands," said Jeptoet adding that the song-dance is done as women danced towards the river.
An old woman, Consolata, says the dance has borne fruits on numerous occasions as the gods hear their pleads and grants them rain.
"For many years that we have been performing the ritual, it has been successful as it rains after a day or two," she said.
The Kalenjins believe that women have divine power to plead for rain. Men and children are not allowed to join nor see the rituals. They are required to stay indoors and if anyone peeps at the women, it is believed that he goes blind.
"We are not allowed to join our women in performing rituals because the gods will not hear our cries and the most unfortunate is that one can go blind," said Ng'etich.
The Christian believers, however, differs with this cultural beliefs. Mary, a faithful Christian of the Anglican church (ACK) says the custom is outdated and should no longer be performed because God is the only one who can give rain.
"We should all pray to God because He is the one who blesses us with the rain," she said.
The ritual is still performed in some parts of the Kalenjin community.
#bizarre #hivisasaoriginal