African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African Americans 419
Political Legends
There are narratives about individuals who founded “nations” and enhanced the social
and political cohesion of ethnic groups. The narratives present distinguished personalities
as having had extraordinary qualities, which enabled them to consolidate their power and
unite their followers. The legends in this category present the culture heroes undertaking
a series of trials and risk-taking experiences in which they triumph or lose. The historical
political narratives are general recounts of the biographies of charismatic figures, with
attempts to detail their exploits or failings. These narratives present what happened and
attempt to explain what ought to have happened for the sake of individual and community
success. The narrators focus on people who feature prominently in the annals of oral
tradition. These are personages whose individual characters and achievements can be
vividly remembered by the majority of the people. They are the basic actors in their clan
and ethnic histories. Narrators, audience, and commentators focus attention on chief
events in each person’s life.
Such legends may be prominent among some subgroups of the Abaluhyia or may be
acknowledged by the entire Abaluhyia fraternity. The important personalities are
remembered through prose narratives, songs, and proverbs. The songs and proverbs are
drawn from the episodes that narrators and their audience believe are oral records of the
event. In some cases, those telling the tale may present the narrative episodes as songs
(Finnegan 1970); these are occasionally sung independent of the tale-telling. Among the
Ababukusu, for instance, Mango, son of Bwayo, of the Umukhurarwa clan, is one of the
renowned heroes remembered in this manner. His father is said to have led the
Ababukusu in earlier migration movements (Makila 1978). Mango became popular
among his because of his amicable disposition and resolute character. When he was of
age, he killed the most dreaded serpent in the village, Yebebe. The neighboring Barwa
people rewarded him with one of their daughters as a wife after he accepted circumcision.
Before Mango’s circumcision, this practice was not as common and elaborate among the
Ababukusu as it is today. His mother was scared of his circumcision and cried out to
discourage him from accepting it. The Ababukusu are said to have turned the fateful
words of Mango’s mother into an initiation song, the Sioyaye chant (Makila 1978), which
is still sung today during circumcision ceremonies.
The Ababukusu remember Mango for his brave deeds that astounded many people and
became the basis for the revival of Bukusu identity and cultural pride. He instituted
reforms in the traditional Bukusu circumcision rites to incorporate the traditions of the
Tiriki and non-Luhyia groups such as the Nandi and the Kipsigis. Among the Tiriki,
Sagwa is similarly remembered for having initiated changes in the traditional
circumcision ceremonies to Christianize them. As a result, Tiriki Christians have
composed songs, which are used today to remember his cultural and political
achievement. As cultural and political heroes, both Mango and Sagwa are known as
sources of inspiration, new identity, and unity for their people. They provided their
subethnic groups with new approaches to political and cultural issues. Legends with
political content are told to remind young and old alike of their history and the
foundations of patriotism.