Kisii people

This article is about the Abagusii people of Kenya popularly known as The Kisii (Gusii/Abagusii). For other uses, see Kisii.

Not to be confused with Kissi people or Kisi people.

Abagusii (Aba-goosie)
Mwamogusii
Mwanyagetinge
Kossova/Kossowa

Abagusii people singing and dancing while playing a native harp (aka Obokano)
Total population
2,703,235
Regions with significant populations
Kenya
Languages
Ekegusii, Kiswahili and English
Religion
Christianity, Traditional Beliefs, Islam
Related ethnic groups
Abakuria, Ameru, Embu, Kikuyu, Mbeere, Kipsigis, Maasai, Ngurimi, Zanaki,Ikoma,Rangi, Mbugwe,Simbiti, Maragoli, Jita, and Suba people (Kenya)

Gusii (Goosie)
Person	Omogusii
People	Abagusii
Language	Ekegusii
Country	Gusii

The Abagusii (also known as Kisii (Mkisii/Wakisii) in Swahili, or Gusii in Ekegusii) are a Bantu speaking ethnic group indigenous to Kisii and Nyamira counties of former Nyanza, as well as parts of Kericho and Bomet counties of the former Rift Valley province of Kenya. They speak the Ekegusii language, which is classified with the Great Lakes Bantu languages.

Etymology

The term Kisii is Swahili and originates from the colonial British administration, who used it in colonial Kenya to refer to the Abagusii people, as it was much easier to pronounce. The term Kisii, however, has no meaning in the Ekegusii language. In the Swahili language, the singular form is Mkisii and the plural form is Wakisii; the Swahili name for the Ekegusii language is Kikisii. The term is now popularly used in Kenya to refer to Abagusii people.

Among the Abagusii, the name Kisii does not refer to the people, but to a town—Kisii, also called Bosongo or Getembe by the locals, is the major native urban centre of the Abagusii people. The name Bosongo is believed to have originated from Abasongo, which means "the whites" or "the place where white people settle(d))", referring to settlers living in the town during the colonial era.

The other names used by the British in reference to Abagusii were Kosova/Kossowa which is derivative of the Ekegusii expression "Inka Sobo", meaning their home. Another possible origin of this is the Kipsigis referring to the Abagusii as "Gosobe". The endonym is Abagusii (plural), and Omogusii (singular); the language spoken by the people is Ekegusii. The term "Gusii" supposedly comes from Mogusii, the founder of the community. The term "Abagusii means people of "Mogusii"

History

Gusii woman in native attire c. 1905–1907

Gusii woman in native ornaments c. 1905–1907

Three Gusii women walking c. 1916–1938.

Main articles: History of Kenya, Loikop people, Sirikwa culture, Misri legend, South Cushitic languages, Savanna Pastoral Neolithic, and Bantu expansion

Origins

The origins of the Abagusii people have been the focus of extensive scholarly inquiry, resulting in the proposal of various hypotheses derived from linguistic, anthropological, and oral historical sources. These sources present differing perspectives on the origins of the Abagusii, leading to the articulation of several theories regarding their ancestry.

The Niger-Congo/Bantu linguistic hypothesis suggests that the Nigeria–Cameroon border region is the ancestral homeland of Bantu speakers. Proto-Bantu speaking populations migrated to the Congo Basin, diversifying into eight major sub-groups, including the Proto-Eastern (Mashariki) Bantu, relevant to the Abagusii. From there, Northeast Bantu speakers—particularly the Great Lakes Bantu—settled in the Great Lakes region, evolving into sub-groups such as the Greater Luhya and Eastern Nyanza Bantu.

These groups migrated eastward via the north of Lake Victoria to the Mt. Elgon region, eventually dispersing into their present-day territories. The Abagusii later settled in Gusiiland, with related tribes such as the Kuria and Zanaki settling in Migori county and northern Tanzania, respectively. While oral traditions link the Abagusii to the Luhya, Kikuyu, Meru, Embu, Mbeere, and Kamba, linguistic classification places the Ekegusii language within the Mara subgroup of East Nyanza Bantu speakers.

The Gusii language demonstrates a closer affinity with the Kuria, Zanaki, and Ngoreme languages, according to Schoenbrun (1998), as quoted in Akama 2017 ...

The Bantu-speaking ancestors of the Abagusii interacted with diverse pre-Bantu populations in the Great Lakes region of East Africa, including speakers of Central Sudanic, East Sahelian, and Southern Cushitic languages. This is evidenced by loanwords in Great Lakes Bantu languages such as Ekegusii.

As Schoenbrun (1998) notes, as quoted in Akama (2017), Bantu languages acted like 'sponges and soaked up or retained the knowledge of preceding and neighboring communities ...

Archaeological, anthropological, and linguistic research indicates that pre-Bantu settlers in present-day Kenya included Neolithic hunter-gatherers akin to the Ogiek and Khoisan, and agropastoralists related to Southern Cushitic and Nilotic groups. Their interaction with Bantu-speaking migrants contributed to the emergence of the Abagusii, whose heritage is multifaceted and rooted in diverse ancestral backgrounds.

In addition to these academic perspectives, Abagusii oral tradition recounts a legendary migration from a location referred to as Misiri, situated north of Mt Elgon, that some identify with present-day Egypt and Sudan. These earlier ancestors are credited as the founders of the six principal Gusii clans: the Abagetutu, Abanyaribari, Abagirango, Abanchari, Abamachoge, and Ababasi, and closely related tribes.

Settlement in Gusiiland

Present-day Gusiiland, along with Kenya and East Africa at large, has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. As a result, its settlers have diverse origins. The first settlers were likely hunter/gathers similar to the Khoisan and Ogiek, which were followed by the Nyanza/Rift Cushites who replaced these hunters-gatherers, assimilating them, and settled during the Savanna Pastoral Neolithic period (c. 3200–1300 BC).The next group of settlers were Nilotic pastoralists from present-day South Sudan that settled in the area circa 500 BC. The last group to settle in the area are Bantu speakers, whose migration to the area began in 1 AD. Several southern Nilotics and southern Cushitics were assimilated into the Abagusii, whom are likely responsible for the Gusii practice of circumcision and other practices due to cultural diffusion.

Colonial era

Otenyo Nyamaterere, a Gusii warrior, c. 1905–1907.

The Abagusii were seen as warlike and fierce fighters by other ethnic groups, along with the Ameru, Abakuria and Maasai. This perception is evident in excerpts from the East African Protectorate Commissioner Sir Charles Eliot in early 1900s expeditions of Gusiiland and surrounding areas:

To the north of the (Uganda) railway the Lake shore rises up into the Nandi country and Uasin Gishu plateau. To the south is a little-known region lying between the Mau range and the Lake, various parts of which bear the name Ugaya, Kossova and Lumbwa. Ugaya is the part nearest to the Lake, thickly inhabited by the Kavirondo and rich in cattle. Kossova or Kisii is a hilly district behind Ugaya, and is one of the least known parts of the Protectorate. The inhabitants appear to be Bantu-speaking, and have a bad reputation for ferocity, but this may merely mean that they have a hereditary feud with their neighbours, who are not Bantu, and does not necessarily imply that they will be hostile to Europeans...

Their warlike nature was deemed a threat to British rule, particularly the cattle camps ("Ebisarate") frequented by warriors, prompting punitive expeditions that raided cattle and suppressed warrior activity. This gradually ended the pastoral and war-based lifestyle of most Abagusii.

In the 1930s, the British introduced new immigrants to Kisii County and other regions of Kenya to serve as interpreters, soldiers, porters, and farmers. These included the Baganda, the Maragoli, the Nubi, and the Olusuba-speaking Suba people (Kenya) from Rusinga Island, Mfangano Island, and parts of Homa Bay County. The Nubians were settled in present-day Kisii town and served as soldiers, while the Bantu-speaking Maragoli and Baganda worked as porters and labourers on white-owned farms and tea plantations. The Suba served as interpreters for the British administration. Some of these groups have been assimilated into Gusii society, while others, notably the Nubi, have retained distinct cultural identities and continue to reside in their original settlements in Kisii town.

Post-colonial

In the post-colonial age, the Abagusii have expanded out of their traditional range, settling in the major towns of the Luo-Nyanza counties, like Homa Bay, Migori, Kisumu and Siaya as well as other Kenyan towns and cities. There is also a significant diaspora population in the United States (particularly Minnesota), the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.

Relationship with other peoples

Relationship with Nilotic speakers and East African Bantu speakers

Main articles: History of Kenya, Sirikwa culture, Loikop people, South Cushitic languages, Savanna Pastoral Neolithic, and Bantu expansion

During the pre-colonial period, the Abagusii primarily interacted with neighboring Nilotic-speaking communities, including the Maasai, Nandi, Kipsigis, and Luo. These interactions contributed to limited contact with other Bantu-speaking populations, a factor reflected in the cultural influences and linguistic characteristics of Ekegusii.

Despite this, the Abagusii maintained contact with some closely related Bantu-speaking groups before colonization, including the Kuria, Zanaki, Ikoma, Rangi, Mbugwe, Ngurimi, Simbiti, certain Suba clans, and the Maragoli. In the post-colonial era, interaction with other Bantu-speaking communities increased significantly, influenced by British population resettlement policies and improvements in transportation infrastructure.

Prior to colonization, the Abagusii engaged in barter trade with neighboring groups, notably the Luo, and occasionally formed alliances to counter threats such as cattle raiding. Relations with Nilotic communities were generally peaceful, with occasional conflicts over cattle and grazing land. Gusii oral traditions and some scholarly sources indicate historical ties with Nilotic-speaking groups, particularly the Kipsigis, including shared clan affiliations.

Etymology of Bantu and relevance to Abagusii

The modern usage of the term "Bantu" was only developed in the 19th century with the advent of European colonization; prior to colonization, no such division existed in Africa. This categorization of Africa's people into distinct, internally homogeneous groups is seen as generalizing and, in some cases, inaccurate. In the context of the Abagusii together with Kuria, Zanaki, Ikoma, Rangi, Mbugwe, Ngurimi, and Simbiti, some linguistic and cultural evidence indicate that they may be more influenced by Nilotic and Cushitic communities than other Bantu groups.

Economic activities

Agriculture and herding

During the pre-colonial era, the Abagusii cultivated finger millet, sorgum, barley, pumpkin, and other native crops; ox-drawn plows and iron hoes were used for cultivating crops. However, the Abagusii were mainly pastoralists and hunter-gatherers who primarily relied on their cattle, goats, sheep, and to a lesser extent, poultry for food. In the 19th century, Europeans introduced tea, coffee, bananas/plantains, and most importantly, maize. By the 1920s, maize quickly replaced finger millet and sorghum as a staple and cash crop. By the 1930s, tea and coffee had become major cash crops.

Today, the Abagusii still continue to keep livestock and poultry alongside farming, along with old agricultural practices; some crops they cultivate today include: cassava, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, beans, onions, tropical fruits, and peas among others. Farming remains a dominant activity in Gusiiland due to high population density.

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  Gusii women grinding millet while other natives watch c. 1916–1938
• 
  Gusii women thrashing corn with children watching c. 1916–1938.
• 
  Gusii women grinding millet c. 1916–1938

Industrial activities

During the pre-colonial period, Abagusii produced iron tools, weapons, decorations, wooden implements, pottery, and baskets. The Abagusii also imported pottery from the neighbouring Luo community. Blacksmiths and other occupations that worked with iron and iron ore were highly respected and influential members of Abagusii society, despite not forming a distinct societal caste; smithing was largely carried out by men.

Trade

The primary form of trade carried out in pre-colonial times was barter, and mostly took place within homesteads, as well as with neighbouring communities, especially the Luo; tools, weapons, crafts, livestock, and agricultural products were commonly exchanged. Cattle were an important form of currency, and goats served a lower valued currency. Barter trade between the Abagusii and the Luo took place at border markets and Abagusii farms, and was mainly carried out by women.

In the modern age, the Abagusii have established shopping centers, shops, and markets, further connecting them to the rest of Kenya, as opposed to their comparatively isolated pre-colonial economies.

Division of labor

Traditionally, Abagusii society divided labor between men and women. Women were expected to cook, brew, clean, cultivate and process crops, and fetch water and firewood; men were expected to herd, build houses and fences, clear crop fields, among other duties. Men were less involved in crop cultivation compared to women. Herding was primarily carried out by boys and unmarried men, and girls and unmarried women helped with crop cultivation. This division of labor has broken down over time, and women have gradually taken over many of the men's traditional duties.

Culture

Gusii woman with a baby and a load of firewood c. 1916–1938

Gusii woman sitting in front of a hut c. 1916–1938

Coming-of-age rituals

Among the Abagusii, circumcising boys without anesthesia around 10 is an important rite of passage. Traditionally, the Abagusii did not marry into tribes that did not practice circumcision, though this practice has declined in recent generations. The ritual typically takes place every year in the months of November and December, followed by a period of seclusion where boys are led in different activities by older boys. During this period, only older circumcised boys are allowed to visit the initiates. It is considered taboo for anyone else to visit during this time. In this period of isolation, the male initiates are taught their roles as young men in the community, and the code of conduct of a circumcised man. Initiated boys were also taught the rules of shame ("chinsoni") and respect ("ogosika"). This is a time of celebration for families and the community at large. Family, friends, and neighbours are invited days in advance by the candidates to join the family in celebration.

Music

The Abagusii traditionally play a large bass lyre called obokano, alongside drums and flutes. Some of the notable musicians from the Abagusii community include: Mwalimu Arisi O'sababu, Christopher Monyoncho, Sungusia, Sagero, Riakimai '91 Jazz, Bonyakoni Kirwanda junior band, Mr Ong'eng'o, Grandmaster Masese, and to new-age musicians like Deepac Braxx (The Heavyweight Mc), Nyashinski, Omae Lion, Rajiv Okemwa Raj, Ringtone, Jiggy, Mr. Bloom, Virusi, Babu Gee,Vickyoung Ensanako, Brax Rnb, Sabby Okengo, Machoge One Jazz,Dela among others.

Art

The Abagusii are also known for their world-famous soapstone sculptures, called "chigware", which are mostly concentrated in the southern parts of Kisii County, around Tabaka town.

Religion

Prior to the introduction of Christianity and Islam to Africa, the Abagusii were monotheistic, believing in a supreme God called "Engoro"; this God is also popularly called "Nyasae", a loanword from the Dholuo language, among Abagusii. The Abagusii believe that Engoro created the Universe, and was the source of all life. The sun ("Risase") and stars are both important in the Abagusii religion. Death, disease, and destruction of crops and livestock were considered unnatural events brought on by evil spirits, bad luck, witchcraft, or the displeasure of ancestor spirits. The Abagusii also revered medicine men and practiced ancestor worship, calling the ancestor spirits "Ebirecha."

Today, most Abagusii practice Christianity, with the four major denominations being Catholicism, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Swedish Lutheranism, and Pentecostal Assemblies of God. A minority of Abagusii still adhere to their traditional religion, and others observe a syncretic form of their traditional religion and Christianity. Many still go to visit a diviner ("omoragori") who can point out displeased spirits of the dead and prescribe solutions for placating them.

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  A Christian Gusii man accompanied with other Gusii tribesmen c. 1916–1938
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  Gusii native students at the Adventist school c. 1916–1938

Marriage

Traditionally, marriage was arranged by the parents, who used intermediaries called "chisigani"; these intermediaries acted as referees for the future bride and groom. After the parents negotiated the dowry, the wedding would be organized. The wedding ceremony involved a mentor, called an "omoimari", who could provide continuing support to the newly married couple. Marriage between members of the same clan was traditionally forbidden. Marriage was officially established through the payment of dowry in the form of cattle to the wife's family. Afterwards, the man and woman are officially considered husband and wife. Divorce is customarily not allowed among Abagusii, as marriage is considered a permanent union that is only disrupted by death. Currently, civil and Christian marriages are recognized among the Abagusii.

Household

The typical Gusii family unit is composed of a man, his wives, and their children, living on the same land. This was divided into two components: the homestead ("Omochie") and the cattle camps ("Ebisarate"). The married man, his wives, and their unmarried daughters and uncircumcised boys lived in the omochie. The ebisarate, situated in the grazing fields, was protected by the male warriors to defend against theft by cattle rustlers and raiders.

Architecture

A typical Gusii house has conical grass thatched roofs, and is typically round, though sometimes rectangular, in shape. Today, Gusii houses are still similar, though corrugated iron sheets and stone is sometimes used for the roofs and walls.

The traditional Gusii compound had elevated granaries for storing crops, such as millet and other crops. The Abagusii customarily built fortified walls and dug trenches around their homesteads and villages to protect against cattle rustling and raids by neighbouring communities. However, in 1913, the cattle camps were abolished by the British, forcing Abagusii to live in dispersed homesteads.

Cuisine

The original diet of Abagusii prior to colonization consisted of meat, milk, and blood from livestock, cereals from millet and sorghum, as well as fruits, vegetables, birds, edible insects ("chintuga"), and wild meat obtained through hunting and gathering. The post-colonial diet of Abagusii and other African tribes has been transformed and influenced by interactions with the European colonists that introduced new crops and farming methods to Gusiiland and Africa.

The staple meal is obokima, which is a dish of millet flour or sorghum flour cooked with water to a hardened dough-like consistency. It is often served with rinagu, chinsaga, rikuneni, enderema, emboga, omotere, risosa, egesare, among other local green leaves consumed as vegetables. It's served with milk, particularly sour milk from livestock; it can also be served with any other stew. The Ekegusii word for "having a meal" ('ragera') usually connotes a meal involving obokima at the centre. By 1920s, maize was introduced to Gusiiland and had overtaken finger millet and sorghum as staple crops and cash crops. As a result, maize is now largely used to prepare obokima. Ritoke (plural: "amatoke"), a dish of cooked and flavoured bananas, is a popular snack, but is considered a supplemental food, and not a proper meal.

Social organization

Gusii spearmen with shields and spears, c. 1916–1938

The social organization of Abagusii is clan-based and decentralized in nature. The Abagusii society is less based on social/caste stratifications than other societies, and there was little hierarchical strata based on caste or social status. For instance, certain professions like iron smiths ("oboturi") and warriors ("oborwani"/"chinkororo") were generally respected, but did not form a distinct caste.

Political organization

Traditional Gusii leaders c. 1916–1938.

The Abagusii had a decentralized and clan-based form of government. Each clan had their own independent government and leader; the clan leader ("omorwoti/omogambi") was the highest leadership rank for all clans and was equivalent to a king/chief role. It is common for the Abagusii men refer to their peers within the community as "erwoti" or "omogambi" when talking. There were also lower leadership ranks unique to individual clans. Warriors held an important role as the defenders of the community and their shared wealth in the form of cows.

Notable Abagusii people

• George Anyona, Member of Parliament for Kitutu East/Masaba
• David Kenani Maraga, former president of the Supreme Court of Kenya
• Fred Matiang'i, former Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Security
• Simeon Nyachae, former Cabinet Minister
• John Nyagarama, former governor of Nyamira County
• Sam Ongeri, former Senator for Kisii County
• James Ongwae, former governor of Kisii County
• Zachary Onyonka, Minister of Education, then of Foreign Affairs
• Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley, Minnesota House of Representatives since 2025. The first Kenyan-American to win a state assembly seat in Minnesota.
• Hellen Obiri , long and middle distance runner. Two time olympic 500m silver medallist.
• Mary Moraa , Athlete who specialises on 800m. She has a gold medal at the 2023 world athletics championship.
• Nyantika Maiyoro, Former long distance runner.

Further reading

• Greenberg, J. (October 1963). "[Review] Contributions to the History of Bantu Linguistics: Papers Contributed 1935–1960". C. M. Doke, D. T. Cole. American Anthropologist (New Series), 65(5):1193–1194. JSTOR 668635.
• LeVine, Robert A., Sarah LeVine, P. Herbert Leiberman, T. Betty Brazelton, Suzanne Dixon, Amy Richman, and Constance H. Keefer (1994). Child Care and Culture: Lessons from Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• LeVine, Robert A. (1982). “Gusii Funerals: Meanings of Life and Death in an African Community.” Ethos 10:26-65.
• LeVine, Robert A. (December 1959). "Gusii Sex Offenses: A Study in Social Control". American Anthropologist 61(6):965–990. JSTOR 666776.
• LeVine, Robert A., and Barbara B. LeVine (1966). Nyansongo: A Gusii Community in Kenya. Six Cultures Series vol. 2. New York: John Wiley & Sons. OCLC 1441981865.
• LeVine, Sarah (1979). Mothers and Wives: Gusii Women of East Africa. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• LeVine, Sarah, and Robert A. LeVine (forthcoming). Stability and Stress: The Psychosocial History of an African Community.
• Mayer, Philip (1950). "Gusii Bridewealth Law and Custom". The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, no. 18. London: Oxford University Press.
• Mayer, Philip (1949). "The Lineage Principle in Gusii Society". International African Institute Memorandum no. 24. London: Oxford University Press.
• Hakansson, N. Thomas (1988). Bridewealth, Women, and Land: Social Change among the Gusii of Kenya. Uppsala Studies in Cultural Anthropology, no. 9. Stockholm: Almkvist & Wiksell International.
• Hakansson, N. Thomas (1994a). “Detachable Women: Gender and Kinship in Process of Socioeconomic Change among the Gusii of Kenya.” American Ethnologist 21:516-538.
• Hakansson, N. Thomas (1994b). “Grain, Cattle, and Power: The Social Processes of Intensive Cultivation and Exchange in Precolonial Western Kenya.” Journal of Anthropological Research 50:249-276.
• Hakansson, N. Thomas, and Robert A. LeVine (1995). “Contradiction and Change: Gender and Divergent Life-Course Strategies among the Gusii.” In African Families and the Crisis of Social Change, edited by Thomas Weisner, Candice Bradley, and Philip kilbride. New York: Greenwood Press. In press.
• Akama, J. S. (2017). The Gusii of Kenya: Social, Economic, Cultural, Political & Judicial Perspectives. Kenya: Nsemia Incorporated Publishers.
• Akama, J. S. (2019). The Untold Story: Gusii Survival Techniques and Resistance to the British Colonial Rule. Kenya: Nsemia Incorporated Publishers.
• Akama, J. S., Araka, J. N., Kiriama, H. O. (2024). The Vanishing Indigenous Heritage of the Abagusii of Kenya. Portugal: Nsemia Incorporated.
• Ethnography of the Gusii of Western Kenya: A Vanishing Cultural Heritage. (2006). United Kingdom: Edwin Mellen Press.

External links

• The Gusii blog
• The Gusii at the Cambridge University Kenya Project
• Kisii-English English-Kisii Language Dictionary
• Gusii language dictionary