Culture Quest

The Giriama are one of the nine

groups that make up the Mijikenda tribe found in coastal Kenya, they live in fortified villages known as kayas. The kayas serve as holy shrines for offering sacrifices to appease the gods as well as sites for cleansing and purifying members of the kaya. Our six-hour journey to locate one of the kayas leads us to this deep forest in Murima Wa Ndege in Ganze constituency Kilifi county, Kenya.

As we drove deeper into the forest the paths became impossible to the point that we were forced to wade into the flooded road to confirm the depth of the potholes the drive through the terrain and the meandering roads tan tiresome we tuned to music to keep our spirits alive. We finally arrived at Kaya Godoma only to find fatigued elders almost losing hope as they patiently waited for us they warmly welcomed us, and they assured the men to sit on the traditional four-legged stools where the women were to sit on the mat before anything is done the kind elders have to make things clear by reading he kaya customs and traditions that all visitors have to abide to.

After the head of the council rate rates that the introduction of all members is compulsory, the visitors are entertained as the music department takes the stage to showcase their talent all this is done outside the kaya the location of the kaya in the deep forest is symbolic the elder says it allows the elder spiritual well-being of the community as well as preserving holy shrines the path leading into the car remains holy and at this time I come to witness firsthand the strict adherence to the customs kaya Godoma is sacred place found at mrima wa ndege in Ganze constituency the policy here is (vua viautu ndo uingie)

Swahili means everyone is expected to leave their shoes at the entrance of the kaya wearing of shoes is strictly forbidden women and not wear trousers the elders are tasked to enforce the red tape for the kaya which includes a ban on wearing shoes beyond the gate of the kaya a ban on livestock in the kaya elders must abstain from sex on the night preceding a ceremony as this could compromise their purity of all cooking and serving up dishes must be done using traditional items such as clay pots cut from coconut shells it is a taboo to bring in flames from outside the kaya, it is taboo to cut trees in the kaya without blessings of the elder’s.

Firewood in the kaya the forest is collected only to be used in the kaya collected must not have thorns they are harvested from the periphery of the village and women must use the same path to their return a shrine is erected and maintained at the kaya Godoma the shrine houses secret objects of the community associated with administering oaths and only access based spiritual elder the shrine also serve as a place of prayer where elders confide to call upon the ancestors based on blessings plea for pardoning or revelation during invasion of calamities

Kaya Godoma is run by a constitution thus two plate laws on how to handle cases within the kaya and the neighboring villages the Colts are Supreme Court or via and customer code or the Supreme Court of the kaya is made up of judges selected by the council after waiting they take the oath of office administered by a spiritual leader who is the head of gohu

Black magic

Kaya Godoma now remains a refugee center for those alleged to be practicing black magic. Since many witches are slain nowadays in the new world the question remains is society really determined to bury this act of faith tonight the preparation for a cleansing ceremony is underway before the goat is slaughtered the elders have to recite suckered prayers to call upon the spirit of the ancestors the goat has been laid to the ritual site for slaughter the elders lead this exercise but the visitors must be presented in this case my friend could not evade this as he was the elders choice.

They say this kind of ritual is meant to appease the gods in preparation for the cleansing exercise ahead all the spiritual elders will partake in

exercise must be at peace with the gods besides they have to ensure fire is lit for the overnight vigil and the meal is only served using traditional utensils, in our next episode we'll take you to the holy shrine in the kaya godoma the shrine used for cleansing purpose during this exercise fino songs are sung with oscillating the ritual remained blindfolded throughout

the entire exercise until next time bye….

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