Grasp the Shield Firmly the Journey is Hard: A History of Luo and Bantu migrations to North Mara, (Tanzania) 1850-1950

3. Wakiroba

3 WAKIROBA Asili yao ni watoto wa Mkuria, na wao walianza kupoteana au kutengana kutokana na vita na njaa katika sehemu walizopitia, kwa hiyo kila kijana alipotea kufuata maslahi yake. Wakiroba wao waliingilia sehemu ya Machame kule Kilimanjaro na pale walitoka tena kwa sababu ya vita ya Wakwavi (Wamasai). Walikuja wakipitia mbuga na wakaingia Goronga, huko karibu Wilaya ya Tarime, na wakapanda tena Ngaramo Rusana na tena wakarudi wakapitia chini na kuja hadi Nyasoko Kowaki, huko Wilaya ya Tarime, sehemu inayokaliwa na Wajaluo kwa sasa. Na kutoka pale wakaja Kuruya, ndipo walivuka Mto Mara na wakaja wakajitumbukiza kwenye vita yao ya mwisho. Lakini kabla hawajaelekea huko Machame Moshi walikaa Kisii, na pale ndipo walitawanyika, watoto wengine wa Mkuria walitelemka hadi Migori Kenya na wakapenya wakaingia sehemu ya huko Sirari, mpaka wa Tanganyika na Kenya. Lakini kabla ya hapo wao wote na baba yao, Mkuria, walitokea huko Mbwa Mbariri huko kusini mwa Sudan. Katika mji wa Kisii bado kuna jamaa yao waliobaki huko. Jamaa wa Wakiroba 3 KIROBA The Kiroba are children of Mkuria who began to separate from and loose each other because of war and famine in the areas they passed through. Therefore each youth was lost looking after his own needs. The Kiroba arrived in the area of Machame, there in Kilimanjaro. They left there again because of wars with the Kwavi (Maasai). They passed through the wilderness and entered Goronga, there near to the Tarime District. They they went up to Ngaramo Rusana and again returned, passing below and came up to Nyasoko Kowaki, presently occupied by the Jaluo. From there they came to Kuruya, where they crossed the Mara River and came to get involved in their last wars. But before they went to Machame Moshi they settled in Kisii, and dispersed from there. Some of Mkuria’s children went down as far as Migori Kenya and penetrated into Sirari, at the Tanganyika-Kenya border. Before that all of them and their father Mukuria came from Mbwa Mbariri there in southern Sudan. Some of their relatives still remain in their settlement in Kisii. The relatives of the Kiroba who were 66 SURA YA TATU waliobaki nyuma ni Wairegi na baadhi ya Wanyamongo. Ukoo huu wa Wakiroba inasemekana waliingia Tanganyika wakitokea Kenya.1 Wakiroba wanapotambika wanataja Gosi, nchi waliotokea pamoja na Kisii. Kama wakitaka kupuliza maziwa, huwekwa kwenye kiganja cha mkono, halafu hupulizwa kwa nguvu ili matone yaelekee kule Gosi au Kisii alipo, na mpulizaji husimama akielekea huko huko walikotoka. Jambo hili ndilo linahakikisha kwamba wengi walitokea huko, kama waletuliyowatajanijamaayao,maananaohufanyahivyo.Namatambiko yao wanapenda kutamka wakisema, “Nyamhanga weigoro na Hanze,” yaani Mungu wa mbingu na chini na kusema aliyeumba Babu zetu waliotoka huko Gosi na kupitia Kisii hadi hapa. Mwisho wanataja kile wanachotaka kitimizwe. Miko ya Wakiroba ni Chui (Ingwe), kwa sababu walipokuwa wakihama, hua walikuwa wakifuata nyuma ya chui hadi anapofika. Na mara nyingi chui akishika mbuzi wakati mwanamke akichunga mbuzi, na mwanamke mchungaji akipiga kelele akisema, “Chui uniachie mbuzi wangu, huoni mimi mwanamke.” Basi chui hutupa mbuzi chini na kuondoka. Wakiroba walipitia nchi ya Wakuria huko Nyabasi Nyarero Ngaramo, Wilaya ya Tarime, wakati wakiingia Tanganyika katika safari yao ya kuingia Wilaya ya Musoma na kukaa mahali walipokaa kwa sasa Bukiroba. Safari yao ya mwisho walipambana na Wazanaki, wa sehemu ya Utuguri, na kuwasukuma nyuma. Nao Wazanaki wakajigawa, wengine waliendelea juu ya Utuguri na wengine wakaenda ng’ambo ya Wilaya ya Tarime, sehemu ya Wairienyi au Wasimbiti, ukoo unaoitwa Wamocha, ukoo wa Wambura Igina wa Kinogo, aliyekuwa Mtemi huko Usimbiti. Lakini kabla hawajavuka Mto Mara walikaa Kuruya, ng’ambo ya Mto Mara, Wilaya ya Tarime. Hapo walikaa kwa muda na ikatokea vita kati yao kutokana na milango yao mitano (koo ndogo tano): 1. Wanyigundia, ukoo mkubwa wenye matata 2. Wabuse 3. Wamiremo 4. Wanyamongwe 5. Wakigwa Wakiwa hapo walikuwa wanakaa mbalimbali kufuatana na hiyo milango yao mitano. 1 Mwita Bunduki na Bunduki wa Wambaura, naye alipata kwa Nyandwe, baba yake, na Nyandwe alitoa kwa Kithogoro, baba yake, na Kithogoro alitoa kwa Gimonge, baba yake, na Gimonge alitoa kwa Bugingo na Bugingo alitoa kwa baba yake Gibaria. CHAPTER THREE 67 left behind were the Iregi and some of the Nyamongo. This clan of the Kiroba is said to have entered Tanganyika from Kenya.1 When the Kiroba make an offering they name Gosi, the land they came from, as well as Kisii. When they cool milk, it is put on the palm of the hand...