Kavirondo facts for kids

Kavirondo was an old name for a region in East Africa. It was also the name for two groups of people who lived there. This area was near the Winam Gulf and Lake Victoria. It also included the Nzoia River valley and the slopes of Mount Elgon. These people lived there during the time of British East Africa.

What Does "Kavirondo" Mean?

The name "Kavirondo" has a few possible meanings. One idea comes from how young warriors in the area sat. They would sit on their heels. In the Kiswahili language, "sit on your heels" is kaa virondo. So, the region became known as Kavirondo. The people were sometimes called wa-Kavirondo, meaning "people who sit on their heels."

Another idea for the name comes from the Buganda kingdom. It might combine two words related to kings. These words are kabaka, meaning king, and namu-londo, which is the special stool or throne used when a king is crowned.

Kavirondo People: Groups and Origins

The Kavirondo was a general name for two different groups of people. One group was the Bantu, who came from the south. The other group was the Nilotic, who came from the north. It seems the Bantu people arrived first in the area.

The Nilotic tribes might have come from the Acholi people. They probably crossed Lake Victoria to reach their homes around the Kavirondo Gulf. Today, the Bantu Kavirondo live further north than their Nilotic neighbors. Their journey north stopped when Nilotic tribes moved south. In turn, the Nilotic Kavirondo stopped moving when the Elgumi people arrived from the east.

The Bantu Kavirondo are divided into three main types. These are the Awa-Rimi, the Awa-Ware, and the Awa-Kisii. The Bantu neighbors called the Nilotic Kavirondo Ja-Mwa. The Nilotic tribes generally call themselves Ja-Luo. However, the Bantu Kavirondo called them Awa-Nyoro. Even though they came from different places, both groups shared many common ways of life.

Beliefs and Traditions

The Kavirondo people seemed to honor their ancestors. Some northern tribes believed in two gods. These were Awafwa, the spirit of good, and Ishishemi, the spirit of evil. They would offer cattle and goats to Awafwa.

The Kavirondo also believed strongly in divination. This meant they tried to predict the future by looking at the insides of a sheep. They thought that almost everything could be a sign of good or bad luck.

They did not have many old stories or myths. The antbear was the main animal in their animal legends. They also believed in witchcraft and used a method called trial by ordeal. This was a way to find out if someone was guilty or innocent.

Daily Life and Economy

The Kavirondo people were mainly farmers. Both men and women worked in the fields. They used large iron hoes to tend their crops. They grew important foods like sorghum, Eleusine (a type of millet), and maize (corn). They also grew tobacco and hemp, which they smoked. Both men and women smoked tobacco. However, only men and unmarried women used hemp. They believed it could harm women who might have children. Hemp was smoked using a special water pipe called a hubble-bubble.

The Kavirondo also grew sesamum seeds. They made oil from these seeds. This oil was used in small clay lamps, which looked like ancient saucer lamps. Some people believe this lamp style came from people living on the coast.

They kept many animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens. They also had a few dogs. Women did not eat sheep, chickens, or eggs. They were also not allowed to drink milk unless it was mixed with other things. Many tribes enjoyed eating the meat of wild cats and leopards. Among the Bantu Kavirondo, goats and sheep were suffocated. They would hold the animal's snout until it died. They also made beer from Eleusine.

The Kavirondo were brave hunters. They caught hippopotamuses using ropes and traps. They would even attack large elephants with spears. They loved fish, which they caught with lines and rods or in traps. Bee-keeping was also common. In places where there were not many trees, they would place beehives on the roofs of their huts.

The Kavirondo had several traditional crafts. They made salt by burning reeds and water plants. Then, they would pass water through the ashes. Only the Bantu tribes melted iron ore to make iron tools. They also made pottery and baskets.