Tugen people

The Tugen are a sub tribe of the Kalenjin people alongside the Nandi, Kipsigis, Keiyo, Pokot, Marakwet, Sabaot, Ogiek, Lembus and Sengwer sub-tribes. They occupy Baringo County and some parts of Nakuru County and Elgeyo Marakwet County in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya. Daniel arap Moi, the second president of Kenya (1978–2002), came from the Tugen sub-tribe. The Tugen people speak the Tugen language. The Tugen population was 197,556 in 2019.[1]

Tugen may also refer to Tugen Hills in Kenya.

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History

Unlike other Kalenjin sub tribes, Tugen is more diverse in culture and language. Aror and Samor follows Tugen circumcision rites. In terms of language, Aror is more isolated. They have strong connection with Marakwet people.

Origins

The oral traditions of the Tugen indicate three areas of origin located north, west and east of the present Tugen homelands. The bulk of the population originated from the west, from a place known as Sumo which is located between Mount Elgon and Cherangany Hills. The northern and eastern migrations came from Suguta (Lake Turkana) and Koilegen (Mount Kenya) and brought with them non-Kalenjin speaking people from northern Kenya and the highlands to the East of the Rift Valley respectively.[2][3]

Demographics

The Tugen are further subdivided into six subgroups or sections :

  • Arror live in the Highlands of Kabartonjo and the lowlands of Kerio Valley (Barwessa) and Lake Baringo of North Baringo District.[4]
  • Samors who live in the wider Kabarnet in Central Baringo district. This is the group from which the second president of Kenya, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi comes.<ref>"Tugen people". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-05-24.</ref<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tugen people|url=https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/tugen-people/m048b4t%7Cwebsite=Google Arts & Culture|language=en|access.
  • Endorois who come from the Marigat and Mogotio Districts.<ref>"Tugen people". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-05-24.</ref.

Culture

Religion

Traditionally, like other Kalenjin people, the Tugen prayed to a God called Asis (which means 'sun'.) There are also gods namely Chepapkoyo(god of harvest), Cheptengeryan (god of love). Most have converted to Christianity. Islam has flourished in the major towns and it was these towns that some Tugens convert into Islam and adopted Islamic names.

Age-sets

The Tugen social organisation centres on the age set, or ibindo. There are seven age-sets (ibinwek) which are rotational, meaning at the end of one ageset new members of that generation are born. The order is roughly as given below.

Among the some Kalenjin peoples, an age-set called Maina exists. However, among the Tugen, this ageset is extinct. Legend has it that the members of this ibindo were wiped out by the Keiyo, in skirmish between the two tribes near present day Cheploch gorge. For fear of a recurrence, the community decided to retire the age-set.

Ibindo was given out at initiation and by simple arrangements, there ought to be one ibindo between a father and a son. For example, a korongoro cannot beget a kipkoimet. The Tugen don't consider a woman to have an ageset, hence she can marry any ageset except that in which her father belongs. The Tugen say "ma tinyei ibin Kirkoswald meaning they can any age set but they have their own ageset like chesiran, masinya, chepigwek Mary " .

  1. Chumo
  2. Sawe
  3. Korongoro
  4. Kipkoimet
  5. Kaplelach
  6. Kipnyigei
  7. Nyongi

Age sub-set (siritie)

In each age-set, the initiates were bundled into siritie or what can be understood as a 'team'. There are three 'teams' or siritoik in an age-set (ibindo) namely:

  • Chongin
  • kapchepsuei
  • Barnot (literally youth)

Notable people

References
  1. "2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics". Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  2. Kandagor, D. R, The Economic Transformation of the Tugen of Kenya, University of Nairobi, p.15 online
  3. Kiptala, S. J, The Origins of the Tugen of Baringo County and their practice of Indigenous Education; A historical perspective, Kabarak University, online
  4. "Tugen people". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
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