Luos have a special attachment to the great Lake Victoria, known to them as 'Nam Lolwe' in Dholuo.
With the lake being shared among Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Kenya braggs of having the smallest portion, they believe that they are entitled to the piece owned by the country.
However, the lake has its own dark and horrific side, the most popular one being the story told about 'Nyawawa', spirits believed to belong to the dead, specifically those who died in the lake.
According to my grandfather Onguko K'Owino who is now on his 80th year, these spirits come from the lake once in a while to tour the dry lands, especially regions closer to the lake, before going back at dawn.
Though invisible, he says that one can can clearly hear the voice of one or several of their departed family members in the group, as they pass by, singing in unison and happily dancing.
To keep them off from camping in one's homestead, one has to create noise, with the easiest and most effective method being hitting kitchen utensils or tins.
The good part, however, is that they have no negative effects and do not cause accidents or misfortunes to the immortals in any way.
At times, he says, they can accompany a person who is walking out late in the night for a long distance without his knowledge.
The person who will be thinking that they are just another group minding its own businesses several metres behind, will only realize they were Nyawawa when they slowly fade away and he is suddenly alone.
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