The Legend Of Karachuo

One week had pa.s.sed since the child was born . He had not been given name because everyone was waiting for communications from the ancestors .

On the fifth day, a few days to the end of the dry season, many arrived at the chief"s compound to come up with suitable names . Adero Akello, the chief"s sister-in-law and the wife to his younger brother was the first one to give a suggestion after many had sat enjoying the efficacy of the community liquor .

"Chief Ong"am, last moon, just a few days before the great son of Osindi clan was born, I had a dream . . . the dream came from my great grandmother Nyakam . . . "

"You are talking about Nyakam? The woman who single handedly annihilated the soldiers from the Omeke tribe? " Ok.u.mu, one of Nyakam"s fun interjected .

Legend has it that Omeke tribe was one of the strongest tribes that surrounded the Lu tribe . According to the legend, the Omeke warriors" bodies were as hard as steel . Whenever there was battle, they could walk into the battlefield without "ok.u.mba" (shields) and could kill their opponents without having any casualties .

Nyakam was a young woman who came from a very humble Okuan clan . She was never known until the day Omeke tribe attacked the Lu tribe on the Okuan side . The Lu warriors were never prepared and most of them died in that one sided battle . Nyakam wanted to join the battle but no male warrior could allow her, most of them were even furious seeing her, a woman get closer to the battlefield . She was forced to hide in the nearby bushes .

In the bushes, Nyakam saw what made her the Lu tribe heroin . As their warriors were being annihilated, she saw her youngest brother fighting tooth and nail to an Omeke warrior . She held her hands tightly and with eyes closed she recited a prayer to "Were", the G.o.d of the lands . When she opened her eyes, her brother was no more .

From the bush she flew, her body was covered with flames, her eyes were red like blood . Her muscles became extremely hard, the aura she emanated made it difficult for anyone to approach her . When she reached the battleground, she s.n.a.t.c.hed a spear from one of the remaing few Lu warriors . She then slaughtered all the Omeke warriors . After that, she flew to the Omeke tribe and destroyed the whole tribe using her breath, the Omeke tribe ceased to exist since then .

"That"s right . . . " confirmed Akello .

"What name did she give you? " This time it was the chief who asked .

" Ochieng" Lwanda . . . She said he"ll be a great warrior . "

"I will take no more names, the one given by Nyakam will do . . . let"s celebrate the naming of Ochieng" Lwanda! " The chief declared .

Just like that, the child was named Ochieng" Lwanda and celebrations begun . Cattle, sheep and goats were killed . Their blood were poured everywhere for appeasing of the ancestors and for performing other spiritual activities .

Ancestors were greatly respected in the ancient African societies . These ancestors had great power in the communities and no one could veto the decisions they made as that could bring a lot of calamity to the society . They communicated with the people through dreams .

During that child naming ceremony however, no ancestor seemed displeased with the child"s name as most of them sent their good wishes to the child .