Elgeyo people

The Elgeyo (also known as Keiyo) are an ethnic group who are part of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group of Nilotic origin. They live near Eldoret, Kenya, in the highlands of the former Keiyo District, now part of the larger Elgeyo Marakwet County. The Elgeyo originally settled at the foothills of the Elgeyo escarpment, in the area between Kerio river to the east and the escarpment to the west. Due to drought and famine in the valley, the Keiyos climbed the escarpment and started to settle on the highland east of Uasin Gishu plateau. When the British came, the Keiyos were pushed to settle in clusters called reserves.

Keiyo and marakwets;subtribes
Elgeyo
Total population
451,602[1]
Regions with significant populations
Elgeyo Marakwet County and Uasin Gishu
Languages
Keiyo
Religion
Predominantly Christianity, Islam & African Traditional Religion
Related ethnic groups
Kipsigis people, Tugen people, Marakwet people, Pokot people, Nandi people, Sebeii
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Keiyo may also refer to Keiyo, a district in Kenya, Keiyo Line a railway line in Japan or Elgeyo escarpment

Economy

The Keiyo subsist mainly on grain, milk, blood, and meat provided by their cattle, sheep, and goats.

Etymology

The names Keiyo and Elgeyo have been used interchangeably. The former name is disputed as a corruption of the latter, which was coined by the Uasin Gishu Maasai, who were the neighbors of the Keiyo in the mid-19th century on the western side of the expansive Uasin Gishu plains.[2]

History

Like the rest of the Kalenjin, the Keiyo originated from a country in the north known as Emetab Burgei, which means the hot country. The people are said to have traveled southwards, passing through Mount Elgon or Tulwetab Kony in Kalenjin. The Sebeii settled around the slopes of the mountain while the others travelled on in search of better land. The Keiyo and Marakwet settled in the present Uasin Gishu plateau, Kerio Valley, and Cherangani Hills.[3] The arrival of the warring Uasin Gishu Maasai in the present day Uasin Gishu plateau forced the Elgeyo to move away into the present day Kerio Valley during the expansion of the tribe. The loss of much of their grazing lands forced them to reduce their herds and rely more on agriculture.

Due to population growth over time, the Keiyo community gradually moved and settled in urban areas to do work in major urban centers including Eldoret town, where they actively engage in businesses alongside the Marakwets, Nandis, and other non-Kalenjins.

Culture

Language & Linguistics

Elgeiyo people speak a Kalenjin/Kutiit language that falls under the Kipsigis - Nandi - Keiyo - Southern Tugen - Cherang'any' cluster.

Social groups

The Keiyo dialect has four predominant subdialects. These are Irong, Mutei, Marichor and Metkei.

Territorially, the Elgeiyo People divided their land into 21 east-west stretches to control intermarriage and displacement of a clan by other clans and a system of totems was acquired. The land was divided so that each group had access to the banks of Kerio River and thus the totems ran perpendicular to the river. From the south to the north the clans are Metkei, Kapkwoni, Maoi, Tumeiyo, Kowochi, Mwen,Choop, Morop, Samich, Kapsiro, Kenenei Kipking'wo, Sego, Epke, Chang'ach, Rokocho, Mutei, Maam, Irong', Kaptany, and Kapchemutwa.[4] The land was sub-divided to members of the same clan marked by a series of stones referred to as Koiwek.

Age-set (Ebenda)

The Elgeiyo social organization centers on the age set, or ebendo. There are eight age-sets (ebenwek) which are rotational, meaning after the end of one age set (after approximately 120 years), a new age set begins. Unlike the Nandi and the Tugen, who have only seven age sets (due to loss of an entire age set in battle), the Keiyo retained eight. The order is given below. Ebendo was given out during initiation. The age set system is organized in such a way that a father and a son cannot be of the same or sequential age sets. That is, there must be one ebendo between a father and a son. For example, a Kipkoimet cannot beget a Kaplelach. The Elgeiyo do not consider a woman to have an age set. Hence, she can marry any age set except that in which her father belongs. The age sets are:

  • Maina
  • Chumo
  • Sawe
  • Korongoro
  • Kipkoimet
  • Kaplelach
  • Kipnyigei
  • Nyongi

A member of an age set for example kipyigei, identifies himself in Keiyo as "A'ii Kipyigei", meaning he is of Kipnyigei age-set. On the other hand, a married woman identifies herself using the age-set of her husband. For example, a woman married to a kipnyigei will identify herself as "Aabo Kipyigeii", meaning she is of a kipyigeei.

Notables
  • Nicholas Biwott, businessman, politician and philanthropist
  • Henry Rotich, former cabinet secretary of the National Treasury, Head of Macroeconomics at National Treasury, Deputy Director of Economic Affairs.
  • Jackson Kiptanui, Chair of KVDA and former MP Keiyo South

Jerotich Seii Human rights activist.

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. Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Chronology for Maasai in Kenya". Refworld. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
  3. Chesaina, C. Oral Literature of the Kalenjin. Heinmann Kenya Ltd, 1991, p. 29
  4. Chebet, S; Dietz, A.J. Climbing the cliff : a history of the Keiyo. Eldoret: Moi University Press. p. 12. ISBN 9966-85415-0.
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