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

6. Wategi

6 WATEGI Mtegi ni mtoto wa Girango, na walitoka Uganda sehemu ya Kitgum na walikuwa wakitembea majini kandokando ya nchi kavu na walikuwa maranyinginewakipandaabuoronamwishowalifikaUmaKarachuonyo. Na hapo walikaa kwa muda mrefu na wakahama tena wakaenda Wire Koyugi (Oyugis) na baadaye wakapanda juu hadi wakafika Sigis, nchi ya Wakipsigis, mpaka wao na Wamasai.1 Na hapo jina la Rumbazi, mtoto wa Murara, liligeuzwa akawa anaitwa Mthegi, maana yake ni mtegaji wa wanyama, samaki na ndege. Na huyo Rumbazi alikuwa mtegaji hodari alipokuwa huko Kipsigis na kutokana na kazi yake hiyo akaitwa Mtehegi, badala ya Rumbazi. Na hapo walikaa sana, ndipo Rumbazi au Tegi alipotengana na wenzake wakina Ongombe na Muruga. Sababu ya kutengana ilikuwa kwamba yeye Rumbazi alipokuwa akitoka kutega na akifika nyumbani, alikuwa akinyang’anya ndugu zake maziwa na pia kuwavuruga bila sababu. Na kwa sababu yeye ndiye aliyekuwa mkubwa kwa kuzaliwa kati yao watatu, basi mara nyingi walikuwa 1 Wengine wanaamini kwamba Warumbazi ndiyo ni ndugu wa Wategi. 6 TEGI Mtegi was the son of Girango. They came from Uganda, in the area of Kitgum. They travelled along the water near the coastline, sometimes using a kind of boat called an “abuoro”. Finally they arrived at Uma Karachuonyo where they stayed for a long time and then moved to Wire Koyungi (Oyugis). Later they went up and reached Sigis, the land of the Kipsigis, at their border with the Maasai.1 It was there that the name of Rumbazi, the son of Murara, was changed to “Mthegi” meaning the trapper of animals, fish and birds. This Rumbazi was a powerful trapper and when he was in Kipsigis, due to this work, they renamed him “Mtegaji” instead of Rumbazi. They stayed here for a long time, then Rumbazi or Tegi separated from the others of his family, Ongombe and Muruga. The reason for this disagreement was that when Rumbazi returned from trapping he would take his brothers milk and upset them without cause. Since he was the eldest in the family of three, they respected him most of the time. But they were now tired of his 1 Others believe that the Rumbazi are brothers of the Tegi. 112 SURA YA SITA wakimuheshimu, lakini walichoka na vitendo vyake viouvu kwa wenzake. Na walianza kusemeshana wakisema, “Huyu anatutesa na hasa wewe, Muruga, wewe ndiye unayechunga ndiyo maana tunapata maziwa na mimi Ongombe ndiye ninayelima, na yeye kazi yake ni kutega na akitoka huko hataki kutupa kile anachotega, ni heri tumuache hapa peke yake.” Basi hapo ndipo Ongombe na Maruga wakaondoka wakamuacha huyo Tegi au Rumbazi, ingawaje wote walikuwa watoto wa mama moja. Na hapo ndipo Ongombe akahamia huko Kamagambo, ambapo hata hivi sasa bado wengi wao wanaishi huko na wanajulikana kama Wategi, ukoo wa Kamagambo au Kanyingombe. Na Maruga na dada yake mdogo wao walikwenda huko Lango, kati ya wa Thoroni, mlango unaoitwa Alburugo. Na ndiyo maana hadi leo hii mara nyingine Wategi wanaitwa ni wa Lango, ni kwa sababu ya ndugu yao huyo na dada yake. Na yeye Rumbazi au Tegi alibaki Sigis, na alikaa pale na akazaa watu wake: Thunya, Singurath, Beri na Sebe. Na ndugu za Rumbazi, ambayo ni baba moja ila mama tofauti, walikuwa: Kiyenche na Ngoya, ingawaje siku hizi wanaoana lakini baba yao alikuwa ni mmoja. Naye alikuwa akiitwa Mrara, yeye ndiye aliyezaa Kiyenche na Ngoya. Watoto wa huyo Thuwyarumba na Ongombe walikuwa wanapenda kuja kuwatembelea wenzao wa hapa Butegi wa Tanzania, hasa aliyekuwa akija sana ni Nyangi, Muombo, Ogola na wengine. Ila tangia hao wafe sasa ndiyo watoto wao hawaji na mwisho wao wa kuja kutembea huko ni mwaka 1950. Na bado wanakaa huko sehemu ya juu ya nchi ya Awendo. Wategi walianza kutelemka hadi wakafikia Kanyamkago na pale wakakaa kwa muda mrefu. Na kutokana na vita vya makabila walifukuzwa wakaja hadi Kanyamwa. Na mzee mmoja na watu wake alikuwa akiitwa Nyiratho, baba yake Olambo, yeye ndiye aliingia Nyandiwa. Yeye alikwenda na akapatana na Wagasi na wakawapiga watu wa Kaksingiri na wakakimbilia kwenye milima wanayokaa hadi sasa wa Kaksingiri. Na Wakakseru wao wakaja hadi Kadem na hapo Wategi hao wachache, walianza kukaa hapo kandokando ya ziwa na Wagasi wakakaa sehemu ya milimani. Wategi walizidi kuja wengi kutoka huko nyuma walipokuwa wanabaki baki na wakajaa Nyandiwa na kuenea Mataro hadi Rasira Nyatambe. Na watu wa Waganjo na Karungu ndiyo walikuwa jirani wa Wategi. Wategi walikuwa hawana undugu na Waganjo, ila Waganjo ni wajukuu wa Wagasi, maana mama yao alitoka Wagasi. Na yeye akawa na urafiki...