Oretab Talai (also Talai) is one of the ortinwek or clans of the

Kalenjin Kalenjin may refer to: * Kalenjin people of Kenya ** Elgeyo people (Keiyo people) ** Kipsigis people ** Marakwet people ** Nandi people ** Pokot people ** Terik people ** Tugen people ** Sebei people * Kalenjin language Kalenjin may refer t ...

, a

Nilotic The Nilotic peoples are peoples Indigenous people of Africa, indigenous to South Sudan and the Nile Valley who speak Nilotic languages. They inhabit South Sudan and the Gambela Region of Ethiopia, while also being a large minority in Kenya, Uga ...

tribe living in

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...

Talai elders gained particular notability during the 2022 Kenyan general elections when a blessing ritual they performed on then Deputy President

William Ruto William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto (born 21 January 1967) is a Kenyan politician who is the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the first elected Deputy President of Kenya, ...

gained symbolism as an act perceived as bestowing not just community leadership but also future national leadership. Much was made in the commentary surrounding the event of the fact that Nandi Talai elders had performed similar blessing rituals for the late Kenyan Presidents

Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta (22 August 1978) was a Kenyan anti-colonial activist and politician who governed Kenya as its Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and then as its first President from 1964 to his death in 1978. He played a significant role in the ...

Daniel Arap Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He is the country's longest-serving president to date. Moi previously served as the thi ...

Mwai Kibaki Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013. He served in various leadership positions in Kenya's government including ...

and even the former Prime Minister

Raila Odinga Raila Amolo Odinga (born 7 January 1945) is a Kenyan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He was the Member of Parliament (Kenya), Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013 and has ...

before they ascended to national leadership positions. The perception of symbolism was heightened when

Gideon Moi Gideon Kipsielei Towett Moi (born 22 October 1963) is a Kenyan politician and former senator of Baringo County, from 2013 to 2022. He was elected with a landslide win of over 80%, trouncing his opponent Jackson Kosgei. He is also the party leade ...

, former president Daniel Arap Moi's son and political heir, and William Ruto's primary competitor for regional political dominance at the time, attempted to have the blessings conferred upon him but was blocked. He later had the ceremony carried out by Nandi Talai elders from the Kapsisiywo family at Kabarak, the Moi family's seat of political power, both these events made national news and were widely commented upon. The Nandi Talai have traditionally been noted for being the oret of the Orkoiik, most famously Koitalel and

Kimnyole Kimnyole Arap Turkat (c.1840s -1890) was the Nandi Orkoiyot who predicted the arrival of Europeans ("the white tribe") and the railways ("the Iron Snake"); two events that were to forever alter the history of the Nandi. He is noted for the proph ...

. The family later gave rise to the Kipsigis Orkoinotet which was established by Kipeles Arap Kipchomber, son of Kimnyole.

Tiondo / Totem

The totem of the Talai among the Nandi and Kipsigis is the lion.

The Pokot Talai

There are two Pokot Talai clans. One has the White Necked Raven as their totem. This group trace their roots to Teyoi hill commonly known as Patar hill in Cherangani ranges and is believed to have had the Lion originally as their totem. The other Talai clan has baboon as their totem. They usually write their clan name as Talay and they trace the clan origin to Tapasiat, which is now known by its Karamojong name, Moroto.

Role in the Nandi resistance

See;

Nandi Resistance The Nandi Resistance was a military conflict that took place in present-day Kenya between 1890 and 1906. It involved members of the Kalenjin ethnic group, mainly from the Nandi section, and the British colonial administration. The close of the 19 ...

The Talai and in particular the person and family of the Orkoiyot, Koitalel, were active participants and drivers of the Nandi Resistance. The clan suffered the brunt of the efforts to suppress the resistance.

Colonial oppression & rights abuse

In 2022 a group of more than 100,000 Kenyans from the Kipsigis Talai clan wrote to Prince William to seek an apology, and his support for reparations for human rights abuses they claimed that they suffered during the British colonial settlement. A UN inquiry from 2021 had determined that gross human rights violations were committed particularly against the clan, including unlawful killing, sexual violence, torture, and arbitrary detention and displacement.

Families

Nandi

Among the Nandi, noted Talai families include the Kapturgat, the Kapsogon, the Kapchesang, the Kapmararsoi and the Kapsonet.

Famous Talai

* Kimnyole arap Turukat *

Koitalel arap Samoei Koitalel arap Samoei (c.1860 – 19 October 1905) was an Orkoiyot who led the Nandi people from 1890 until his assassination in 1905. The Orkoiyot occupied a sacred and special role within the Nandi and Kipsigis people of Kenya. He held the ...

* Barsirian arap Manyei *

Eliud Kipchoge Eliud Kipchoge (born 5 November 1984) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized in the 5000 metres. Kipchoge is the Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon, 2016 and Athletics at th ...

* Luke kibiwott arapjapan

References

{{Reflist Tribes of Africa Kalenjin Nilotic peoples