This archive report was first published on 17 May 2020.
The Modern Luo Lady: A Complex Reality ¶
Published on May 17, 2020
George Ramogi's golden piece, 'Kanyako osomo', and Ochieng Nelly's 'Sabina ya Nelly', are just a few examples of the rich musical heritage of the Luo community. However, in recent times, many young Luo men have taken to crossing boundaries and marrying outside their community, leading to accusations and counter-accusations.
Perhaps the feeling was best captured by Wendy Walking, who quipped, 'Kata idhi mana Rwanda..ma idog Uganda..chuny puodho en mana puoth nyar luo… puodho ma nwang ma mokore… modong go to otimo pi lilo' (get a translator).
While the jury is still out, we came across some of the reasons why some people believe the modern Luo lady is not marriageable. Be the judge.
- A feminist activist in her own marriage. Everyday is a court case, with the modern Luo lady often on the war path like the Taliban. 'Kelele kila siku Ndani ya nyumba yetu mamaa.'
- Maria Carey of Nyanza: the modern Luo lady is so lady she would send a child to get her a spoon which is just arm length away from her. 'Ayi Nya Chula umekaa tu kazi ni kutuma mtoto kila saa, hata mguu wake utakata.'
- Promiscuous with no known limit. The modern Luo lady will sleep around with your friends, neighbours, friends' friends, including her best friends' husband up to your male relatives up to the fourth generation.
- Ohangla and Disco Matanga is part of their Genealogical relatedness. The modern Luo lady walks with Ohangla time table and CD in her handbag and would even lie to her husband she has gone to visit her parents, Kumbe she is just Somewhere in Sori dancing way to Ohanga beats.
- Drinks like fish with no economic mind. The modern Luo lady smokes old Lolwe Steamship and would want the husband to buy same furniture like the ones in some steamy strip clubs in Westlands.
- A girlfriend in Marriage. The modern Luo girl behaves the same inside out. She likes good things, traveling, slaying, posting photos and captioning them, 'Kusumu here I come.'
- Zero Culinary Skills. The modern Luo lady only knows how to wiggle her waist to Ohangla beats but has zilch knowledge on proper cooking, and would feed her husband to Tusky ready made junkies.
- Money, money, money but no effort to sweat for it. Many young Luos say they cannot keep up with the demands of their female kind. The modern Luo girl is just too expensive with zero returns but kichwa ngumu, kwanza who has gone as far as Nairobi Aviation College.
The above may not contain all the claims and should not be taken to mean the views of the writer towards the modern Luo lady, but a discourse worth taking part in to help the future generations of the Luo community build stable homes, like we were taught by our parents and grandparents.
If they are true, how can we then help steer our girls on the right path, if not how can we disabuse this notion and bring the two sides together, without name calling?
I remain @CaneCutter
