Samia tribe (Luhya)

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Samia speaking people live in Western Kenya and Eastern Uganda. They are composed of several clans and their ancient economic activities include fishing (in Lake Victoria and other rivers like River Sio), crop farming (ovurimi), and animal farming (ovutuki).

Culture

Samia speaking people love music which is played in their various ceremonies, which include marriage (Obugole/ Obweya), funeral (amasika), veneration of ancestors (ebikuda mukutu and Enga'nyo), and wrestling (amalengo). Their musical instruments include; Adungu (a large violin-like wooden instrument), Engalabe (a drum covered at one end with a monitor ?!lizard skin), Erere (flute) and sikudi. The major traditional dances are owaro, ekworo, eboodi and esikudi. The eboodi and ekworo are love dances. Owaro and esikudi are performed when people are happy. The Samia speaking people as widely known by other tribes predominantly leave in Busia districts (Both in Kenya and Uganda) and speak a dialect similar to the Luhya tribe in Kenya. However on the Ugandan side there is a slight variation in the dialect spoken by the Samia of Southern Busia on the fringe of Lake Victoria and those of North Busia district closer to Tororo District. The former speak Olusamia while the latter speak Olugwe. The two dialects are difficult to differentiate by non samia speaking people but easily discernible by the natives. Years before modern government, Samia people used to live in villages called Engongo which are separated by valleys and within Engongo they had Engoba - many or Olukoba if one and one needed a ladder-like contraption to access or leave Olukoba but the also had specific gates. Up to today, the daily lives of Samia people are dictated by customs and traditions. For instance, a woman who loses her husband should be remarried to a brother of the deceased so that should this widow wish to bear more children, they should resemble their kin. Their diet consists of a brown bread made of sorghum / millet often mixed with fermented cassava also called obusuma and sometimes white stiff porridge made out of maize flour both of which are eaten with vegetables, meat, chicken or ?milk. They also largely consume gruel, rice and bananas. Samia speaking people are known to be very clever people due to frequent consumption of fresh fish. In fact non Samia speaking people often refer to them as "obusuma ne'ngeni bicha speed" meaning brown stiff porridge and fish role down the throat very fast. Among the most prominent Samia Bagwe are Justice Odoki (Chief Justice of Uganda and Chairman constituent Assembly which prepared Uganda's constitution), Justice James Ogoola (Chairman Judicial Service Commission and head of the commission of inquiry into the Global fund mismanagement, Opio Gabriel (Ex minister of Education and Member of parliament on various occasions), Late Alex Wejuli (Managing director of several large corporate institutions and First Member of Parliament Wilson Okwenje during the past governments and another minister from Samia Bugwe under the NRM regime), Late Jacob Riada (renowned teacher and graduate of Oxford University), Dr. Nawangwe (Head of Faculty of Technology, Makerere University, Kevina Taaka (Member of Parliament) and Rose Munyira (Ex Member of Parliament).Principal Justice James Ogoola - of Uganda High Court, Nyangweso, There are many important people who originated from Samia such as Yosiya Gusinja the first Makererian from Samia Bugwe. Late Nimulodi Masiga, one of the brilliant students from Samia Bugwe during colonial days to go to these famous Universities in the World (Oxbridge),Nora Natabona the wife of Sawulo Namuyenga, the first Reverend in Samia Bugwe. The Reverend who introduced Christianity in Samia Bugwe under the British Rule and Beti Masiga, well known around the world as Elizabeth Kakembo currently handling all Kwame Nkrumah, the First Prime Minister and the First President of Ghana's published and unpublished work etc

Engongo are areas separated by valleys and do still exist. Olukoba is the one you need a ladder to climb if you choose not to use the main gate.

Clans

People used to live according to their relations or clans. The chiefs (Abaami)ruled all the clans. The most famed chiefs include Mukudi wa Namwonja, Achibo wa Ondwasi, Ogoha Mwami, Kadima, Daniel Namagwa Bwire, Awili Apwoyo,Maiga Ogwomi and Abamba Odinga,ochiengi Mulindo. Samia speaking people include, but are not limited to, the following clans

  • Abahulo
  • Abakangala
  • Abangale
  • Abanyanga
  • Ababuri
  • Abahone
  • Abamurembo
  • Abatabona
  • Abalyali
  • Abaleke
  • Abamanyi
  • Abahehe
  • Abagwe
  • Abadongo

abalindo

References

    Abanyadeti Abadongo Abachuwedo Abahehe Abamaali Abadidi Ababuri Abaholo Abachaki Abang'are Abatabona Abakangala Abakimo Abalundu Abakori Ababukaki Abamanyi Abakangu Abasuhune Abaliira Abamiripo Abakati Abanyibomi Abahawu Abasubo Abasisungwa Abasibika Abanyihodo Ababiangu Abawanga

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