Interesting Things
There are many interesting things about every culture. Every day we discover new things about the Kageno Kids in Kenya. Check back often because as we discover new things, you can too..
Please don’t forget to let us know about any other interesting discoveries you make about Kageno. We would love to share them with everyone!
SOCCER...
In Africa is called “Foot-ball” makes sense doesn’t it? The kids all LOVE playing Football..girls love it as much as boys. Kids hardly have any possessions and seldom have a real ball, so they cleverly save bits of plastic, fabric and string then lovingly over time, build their own footballs. These are prized possessions.
Girls Playing Football. Some even play without shoes!
The Kageno Kids Logo.....
came out of a drawing from the ”My environment “ drawing activity, Kageno Kids Kenya. The artist is Felix Otieno, 5 yrs old, from the Mission School. Notice how he drew the pants on the people.
n Violet Wambi’s drawing of a girl carrying buckets of water, you can see that she used a "3" for the mouth, a "6" for the nose, a "1" for the forehead, and a "10" for the eye. Now you can clearly see that Felix used the number 3 to help him draw his pants!
Drawings of faces.........
When we first received drawings from Africa, we noticed a lot of very cute but different looking faces. Then when we received photographs of the children who drew them, we understood why the kids in the drawings had such big ears! All the boys and girls have shaved heads, so when they look at each other to draw, they see a round head with ears.
Carrying Stuff On Your Head......
All the girls start to learn at a really early age how to carry things on their heads. As they get older and stronger they become very skilled at balancing and can walk with out having to hold on to it! Most of the things they carry are very heavy. Some of the things that they carry are buckets filled with water from the lake, clothes and dishes to wash in the lake, and fire wood for cooking.
Carrying things on your head is not easy.......
Some of us from New York tried it !! This bucket is filled to the top with clean water from Kageno’s clean drinking water program.
VERY INTERESTING NAMES........
The Luo have a special way of naming their children. The last names mean something about the time at which they were born. So brothers, sisters and even twins can have completely different last names!
NAME
TIME/ PLACE OF BIRTH
Ochieng/ Achieng
12 noon – 2pm
Okinyi/Akinyi
6am – 9am
Onyango/Anyango
9am – 11am
Otieno/Atieno
Night
Okoth/Akoth
Rainy season
Apoya / Opoya
sudden onset of labor
Odoch/Adoch
breech birth
Opiyo/ Apiyo
Firts born of twins
Odongo/Adongo
the second born of Twins
Odundo / Adundo
born short, is tall but just named after a
short person
Oliech / Aliech
pulled out
Ouma /Auma
Born upside down
Oyoo/Ayoo
Born along the path (born on the way)
Okelo/Akelo
Follower of twins
Owino/Awino
When maize is flowering
Okeyo/Akeyo
Harvesting season
Odoyo/Adoyo
Weeding season
Okomo/Akomo
Planting season
Omogo/Amogo
Born when flour is plentiful
Kisia
Second follower of twins
Odhiambo/Adhiambo
2pm – 6pm
Apuodho
Born at the shamba or garden
Onam/Anam
Born at the seashore or lakeshore
Maira
Born after the incidence of fire
Opolo
Born immediately after thunderstorm
Odero/Adero
Born at the granary
Marienga
Born during first planting season
Oluoch/Aluoch
Cloudy day
Bungu/Abungu
Born in the bush
Chiro/Achiro
Born at the market place.
Ogweno/ Agweno
Dawn 3am-6am
Oketch/Aketch
Born during famine
Obiero/Abiero
Born together with after birth or placenta.
Okongo/Akongo
Born when people are drinking beer.
Alaro
Born in front of the varandah
Oburu
Born during traditional ceremony done after the death of
old man.
Atonga/Odheru
Born the mother has lost the first born have been passing
away when they are still young
Obura
Born when people are from a meeting or case.
Obora
Born when cattle are being transfused
Ooko/Aoko
Born outside the homestead
Ogolla/Agolla
Born after the death of his/her father to a second father
Ogutu/Agutu
A child born outside the fence behind the home
Ogwella
Born during new harvest
Wasonga
Person named after his mother or father
Oloo/Aloo
Person born when land case is being handled
Ooro/Aoro
Born during drought
Aora
Born along the river bank
Odipo/Adipo
Born at a place where cattle sleep
Ocholla/Acholla
Born after the death of his/her father to a second father
Ojwang’/Ajwang’
Child who’s his mother or father has died and left when
still very young.
Nyangweso
Child born when the crops are invaded by locusts