Tachoni People
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The Tachoni (meaning "we shall be back" in
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 ...
are Kalenjin people assimilated by
Luhya people The Luhya (also known as ''Abaluhyia'' or Luhyia) are a Bantu people and the second largest ethnic group in Kenya. The Luhya belong to the larger linguistic stock known as the Bantu. The Luhya are located in Western Province (Kenya), western Ken ...
of western Kenya) is one of the tribes that occupy
Bungoma County Bungoma County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya with its capital in Bungoma town. It has a population of 1,670,570 of which 812,146 are males and 858,389 are females as per the 2019 census. The county has an area of 2,069& ...
,
Kakamega County Kakamega County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya. It borders Vihiga County to the South, Siaya County to the West, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties to the North and Nandi, and Uasin Gishu counties to the East. Its capita ...
,
Trans Nzoia County Trans-Nzoia County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya, located between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon, 380 km northwest of Nairobi. At its centre is the town of Kitale which is the county capital and largest town. It i ...
, and
Uasin Gishu County Uasin Gishu County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in the former Rift Valley Province. Eldoret city has the county's largest population centre as well as its administrative and commercial centre. It is bordered by Elgeyo-Marakwet to t ...
in the western part of
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, . Tachoni people were masters at building forts such as Chetambe, Lumboka, and Kiliboti. It was their defiance of colonialism that led to the colonial government to put the entire region occupied by the Tachoni under administration of paramount chiefs drawn from Bunyala and Wanga communities. The Tachoni share land with the Abanyala, the Kabras, Nandi, and Bukusu tribe (Luhya), Bukusu tribe. They live mainly in
Webuye Webuye, previously named Broderick Falls, is an industrial town in western region of Kenya and home to the Tachoni people. It is located within Webuye West sub county in Bungoma County, at the slopes of chetambe hill Kenya. Located on th ...
, Chetambe Hills, Ndivisi (of
Bungoma County Bungoma County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya with its capital in Bungoma town. It has a population of 1,670,570 of which 812,146 are males and 858,389 are females as per the 2019 census. The county has an area of 2,069& ...
) Matete sub-county-Lwandeti, Maturu, Mayoyo, Lukhokho, Kiliboti, Kivaywa, Chepsai, and Lugari sub-county in
Kakamega County Kakamega County is a county in the former Western Province of Kenya. It borders Vihiga County to the South, Siaya County to the West, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties to the North and Nandi, and Uasin Gishu counties to the East. Its capita ...
. Most Tachoni clans living in
Bungoma Bungoma town is the capital of Bungoma County in Kenya. It was established as a trading centre in the early 20th century. It is located in Kenya's fertile Western region and at the foot of Mount Elgon, Kenya's second-highest mountain. The tow ...
speak the ' Olutachoni dialect, a hybrid of the luhyia language of the luhyia people. They lost their original dialect during the
divide and rule The term divide and conquer in politics refers to an entity gaining and maintaining political power by using divisive measures. This includes the exploitation of existing divisions within a political group by its political opponents, and also ...
system used by white colonialists to disperse resistance, and were thus required to find a way to interact with their new neighbors, which is why they are often mistaken for Bukusus. They spread from Kakamega county to
Trans-Nzoia County Trans-Nzoia County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya, located between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon, 380 km northwest of Nairobi. At its centre is the town of Kitale which is the county capital and largest town. I ...
,
webuye Webuye, previously named Broderick Falls, is an industrial town in western region of Kenya and home to the Tachoni people. It is located within Webuye West sub county in Bungoma County, at the slopes of chetambe hill Kenya. Located on th ...
especially around
Kitale Kitale is a town in the north west of Kenya, in the former Rift Valley province, between Mount Elgon and the Cherangany Hills. It has an elevation of around . Its population was as of 2019. It is the location of Kitale Airport. The National ...
, Tambach in
Iten Iten is a town in Elgeyo-Marakwet County in the Republic of Kenya and serves as the capital and is the largest town in the county. International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) awarded the town with a plaque recognising Iten as a Wo ...
Nandi in areas like kabiyet and kapsisiwa,
kericho Kericho is the largest town in Kericho County, located in the highlands west of the Kenyan Rift Valley. Positioned on the edge of the Mau Forest, Kericho benefits from a warm and temperate climate, making it good for agriculture, especially l ...
and to Uasin Gishu County near Turbo, Eldoret.


Clans and origins

Among the Tachoni clans are Abachikha -further divided into Abakobolo, Abamuongo, Abachambai, Abamakhanga, Abacharia, and Abakabini, Abamarakalu, Abangachi -who are further divided into: Abawaila, Abakhumaya and Abawele, Abasang'alo, Abasamo, Abayumbu (mostly around Webuye), Abaluu, Abarefu, Abanyangali, Abamuchembi, Abamakhuli, Abasioya, Abaabichu, Abacheo, Abamachina, Abaengele, Abamutama, Abakafusi, Abasonge, Abasaniaka, Abaabiya also known as Abakatumi (Abamuumbwa, Abachikolati and Abamuruli), Abakubwayi, Abakamutebi, Abakamukong, Abamweya, Abalukulu, Abawande, Abatukiika, Abachimuluku. Note that the morpheme 'aba' means 'people'. The Abakhusia/abasamo of Kabras are also Tachonis who speak Kikabras. Abayumbu and Abaluu are twin brothers, hence do not inter marry. The community members trace their origin to a place called El-Matruh, Egypt (Misri), From Egypt, the followed the Nile river down into their present day region Kenya. Important areas on the Tachoni migration route include Sirikwa, which is referred to most by scholars to link the Tachoni and the Kalenjins ethnic groups. Histiorically, the Tachoni people were known by different names. Some of the names include the Kitoki, Kitosh, Evekwe-those from the East, Sirikwa, and Tashone.


Circumcision

The tribe is rich in beliefs and taboos. The most elaborate cultural practice they have is circumcision. The Tachoni practice
circumcision Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. T ...
in August of every even year. When the boys are circumcised, they go hunting in the village's forest for birds and
guineafowl Guinea fowl () (or guineahen) are birds of the family Numididae in the order Galliformes. They are endemic to Africa and rank among the oldest of the gallinaceous birds. Phylogenetically, they branched off from the core Galliformes after the C ...
(likhanga), and a meal is prepared for them when they return in the evening. Most meals for initiates are rich in protein and
Ugali Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn or ''mahindi'' flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabw ...
(a staple-food across Kenya, which is called ' Ovusuma' in Tachoni) in order to replace blood lost during the circumcision. The Tachoni tribe believe in 'okhulicha' (
rites of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
he training of initiates in adult roles before they are considered to be adults. The boys are taken to 'Esitabicha' where they are taught adult behavior. They are told secrets of the community which they are not to reveal to anyone. This is done by elderly members of the Tachoni community who have undergone the same ritual. They are taught Tachoni beliefs, philosophy, values and practices. After the rite of passage, Okhulicha, the initiates are assigned an age set, which follow a particular order, based on the year of circumcision. The Tachoni age sets are as follows(taking into account the year of circumcision and the name of the age set): Vakolongolov1900-1910; Vakikwameti 1912–1922; Vakananachi 1924–1934; Vakinyikeu 1936–1946; Vanyange 1948–1958; Vamaina 1960–1970; Vachuma 1972–1986; Vasawa1988-1998; Vakolongolo 2000–2010; and Vakikwameti 2012–2022. For instance, during circumcision, Tachoni boys face towards the East as they are circumcised as a sign of respect to their god El who is believed to be dwelling at the East.


Economy

The Tachoni practice farming as well as the rearing of cattle. A few engage in business.


Politics

Notable politicians among the Tachoni include John Chikati, Nabii Nabwera- current MP for Lugari Constituency, Martin Wanyonyi Pepel- current MP for Webuye East Constituency, Alfred Wekesa Sambu of Webuye, Dr. Noah Wekesa of Kwanza in Trans Nzoia, long-serving Councillor & Webuye Mayor and Current Minority Leader Kakamega County Assembly - John Mweyi Ngome, Amos Kaburu ducationist Nabii Nabwera (Council of Governors) and John Weyusia Nanyakha (the first Mihuu Ward Member of County Assembly). Those who have died include: Johnstone Welangai - former Malava large constituency and former high commissioner of Kenya to Uganda; ''Joshua Mulanda Angatia'', former minister for health and member of parliament for Malava constituency; Munialo Matianyi, the first Chief of Mawe Tatu and a close confidant of Alfred Wekesa Sambu; former minister of state and secretary general of KANU Burudi Nabwera, Dr Noah Wekesa - former minister for tourism and wildlife and chairman of Jubilee Party; and Professor Everret Standa - a former vice chancellor of Kenyatta University and chairman of the commission of higher education. Peter Buruti Sifuma Namisi, Jonathan Welangai Masinde- former member of parliament for Lurambi North, & Burudi Nabwera are the legends of Tachoni politics. Don't forget Wasike Binyenya (omumwalie)as well. Wasilwa se-Wekesa, chairman of Tachoni Cultural Society (TACUSO) is also a notable figure in Tachoni community.


Dialects

Tachoni tribe stands as an independent tribe in Kenya. Mostly people mistaken it to a luhyia group since most of its occupants live in areas around Webuye in Bungoma county thus sharing a land with the luhyia groups especially the Bukusu and Kabras. Tachonis' are believed to have originated from El-Matru a region in Misri
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
and migrated downwards following the Nile river due to a deadly attack that happened by their neighbors which lead to a great bloodshed. On their way they met the kalenjin subtribes which they interacted and moved together via Ethiopia into Kenya. Upon reaching Kenya, they divided into groups which lead them to occupy lower western region as the Sabaots, Teuregs and some groups went at the slopes of mount Elgon while the other kalenjin subtribes went further to the regions of Uasin gishu which was by then occupied by the Maasai people. Later on, other tribes begun occupying the unoccupied regions in western region e.g the Tesos. During the onset of colonialism, they had gathered and multiplied further. So when the whites begun their rules, the Tachonis' resisted together with the Nandi tribe and some other tribes which lead to an intense fight. The fight lead to capture of some leaders e.g Koitalel arap Samoei of the Nandi, while the Tachonis' were subjected to a total brutal workforce. Their greeneries were burnt down, while some were killed. Leaders we're drawn as far as kisumu and other tribes like Kabras and wanga to rule over them. That was not enough. Their lands were taken by force and we're forced to flee and find refuge from other tribes. This means of divide and rule lead to the lose of their dialect and their lands to date. Most of the settlement schemes and forest reserves in the wide western region of Kenya were once the Tachoni lands. After independence, the government took all those white settlements and made them government properties thus leading to a total disettlment of the Tachoni people. That's why they lack their official lands as many other tribes in Kenya


References

* * {{Authority control Luhya Tribes of Africa