12/02/2023
So far what I can say about Kalenjin migration story:
My hypothesis is based on forklore, historical Artefacts and contemporary researches that have attempted to define world history, most are connections to history that no one has ever documented nor thought of; my base nonetheless will be the tribe I understand (The Nandi).
Our history is a long and a painful one, one with intrigues, deceptions, curses, heavy sibling fightings, pride, hate, struggle for survival, economic development and quest for knowledge.
It's a mix of many aspects, perspectives, points of views, cultures(original and acquired),myths,etc..
I focused primarily on how to connect the local forklore (The Nandi, Kalenjin, Maa, Cush*tes, Ethiopian and other niloteics) and written evidences from the ancient near-east studies (Sumerian, Hebrew, Egyptian, Persian,Roman et. Al)..
I can summarily conclude that the anciently written tablets from sumerian, Hebrew, assyrian etc were indeed our very own history..
My hypothesis connects to say-- Sumerians were an aboriginal tribe of Nandi, while Hebrews constitutes Nandi and other larger Kalenjin tribes, assyrians included the karamojong and other plain nilotes.
Our closest relatives though (as Kalenjins) are the Maa, to whom together with received the gift of leadership from God(Orkoynotet) that's why Talai is shared between the two tribal clusters.
If you want to know, how we split from one family to another i.e from one Family to various tribes i.e Nandi, Kipsikis, Tugen, Keiyo etc then you will have to study how each subgroup believes is the connection i.e Kipsikis think Nandi are closest relatives and know less about Terik and Kony..
So..(the story).
The first Kalenjin (Kungit) was a Dorobo(Okiek) from Toth(Located in East-Africa) , he had two sons and several daughters (never mentioned).
The two sons were olchingwal and Maa.
Maa grew up to sire Masai, Samburu etc..and were animal keepers.
Olchingwal was the smartest of all and the most witty..he gave birth to several children and were farmers and cattle rearers who dwelt on mountains and hills..they lived in sing'ala(Sangalo) until they were overcrowded in their fathers homestead, chaos and pandemics rocked the family of olchingwal until it was nolonger tenable and as their father aged his son's began migrating outside their homestead in search for better life.
One of the sons followed the Nile to the north and settled in Egypt, then later after they realized their brother was becoming successful followed the Nile to the north into Egypt, one son was left behind because he couldn't move and was old (Probably Okiek).
When the other brothers arrived in Egypt and realized their brother was successful, they crossed the Mediterranean (Metiip-terren) into Asia where they found a beautiful land similar to their home in Toth, the brothers allocated themselves regions where they called their homes..they went on later to be tribes that we all know today.
At around 1000 BC, Greeks, Persians and to a lesser extent indians began fighting the sons of olchingwal, there was war all over and the sons of olchingwal were defeated in the land of kesumet..they pondered on how they would survive and endeavourerd to return home, desolate,weakened and drained..
They came back to Egypt hoping that their brother was to give them assylum..but shock fell on them that, even Egypt had been conquered... that's was the beginning of the maiden journey back to our motherland in the mountain of moons(Mt Elgon) and the source of Nile in western Kenya and eastern Uganda.
They began their journey as a big family in Egypt but ended up here in small groups, culture was compromised, ties were lost, brothers lost contacts between themselves resulting to creation of more and more tribes.
The Karamojong (Ancient assyrians) were left behind on the way by Nandi(Ancient Hebrews and sumerians)..and was the first major group to split in Khartoum, then on arrival at Mt Elgon, the Nandi group parted ways with suk(Elgoni tribes and Pokoot) as they moved forward to Sangalo in bungoma county.. where they settled for many years there before the karamojong again started invading Chemg'al..this culminated a series of combat expeditions that forced the Nandi group southwards into Kakamega forest and eventually landed to Terik Hill in Aldai, Nandi county and called it their first home.
It's here in Terik Hill that groups began expanding in all directions as they expanded their area of jurisdiction.
The Nandi (Inherited the home) and remained in their original place of dwelling towards the North, Kipsikis expanded southwards, Marakwet to north east, Keiyo to east, Tugen to south east and Terik who are closest to Nandi remained at home..
As groups moved away from home, Many things changed activities, vocabularies, ways of life, new neighbors etc. this triggered linguistic variations to what we see today.
You will also note that every group ensured that they moved towards the EAST as they moved further away then expanded either northwards or southwards...there is NO tribe that migrated WEST wards..
So in conclusion, I would say that it all began here as a big family, then expanded in Asia and later exploded in Kenya..
That's the Kalenjin migration story.
NB: citations and evidences will come inform of a a book.
Whats your opinion?
Paul Kipkemei
