Kisumu County fishermen scramble for death ropes in “Nam Lolwe”- luo for Lake Victoria to lure fish as they believe the spirit of the dead help direct fish into their nets.
When death strike upon suicide, the fishermen would steal the rope and the noose hanged at the boat edge to ‘pull’ fish aboard in Ugenya.
Tom Odhiambo, one of the fishermen at the show of Lake Victoria, “Namulolwe” explains how death upon suicide is beneficial to the fishermen of Ugenya. He says that a piece of the rope when tied to the net will attract and compel fish to their nets.
“According to African culture people believe in magic and when death strike the rope used by the deceased is tied at the edge of the boat, spirit of the dead lure fish and by the end of the day there is a profit and more catch than anticipated” Odhiambo added.
It is believed that the living acquire ancestral power of the dead through just a tiny piece of rope used by the dead could do wonders and thus the living swear by it.
The fisherman further explained that any news of a suicide will lead men to scramble over the rope used just to get a piece of it to use as a “great luck” during his harvest in the lake.
It is a well guarded secret blessed by the witch doctor and if every fisherman would get a piece of it, he would have got power to compel and lure fish.