Bukusu people of western Kenya treasured the local liquor (busaa) in every cultural practice

Bukusu people of western Kenya treasured the local liquor (busaa) in every cultural practice

Written by: Timothy Makokha  

Traditionally elders had respect not only for the living but also for the dead. Before taking any drink, a little of it was poured on the ground for the ancestors to take first. The purpose of busaa in every cultural event is to create a contact between the living and the dead.

The ancestors were respected because they were the ones who were the co-founders of these cultural practices. They were respected for setting the pace in culture, a thing that is worth for commemoration for the ancestors.  It was believed that for a cultural practice to be successful the ancestors need to be invited for intervention in the event. Some of the local liquor was poured on the ground as libation.

Traditionally, elders drunk busaa with a lot of dignity and respect. The local beer was not just taken anywhere anyhow by anybody. This is contrary to what is happening currently where children and the old drink from the same pot.   

On rare occasion would elders be seen taking busaa for leisure. In such cases a person would invite friends and serve them busaa for free (kesiyotelo).  In such drinking sessions the eldest person in the group was supposed to seat near the door. The reason for this was that an elder would know each person who enters to join them; at times such a person would frequent to go out for short call so he is put near the door for easier exit.

Polygamy was highly valued in the traditional bukusu culture as it was believed for someone to be man enough; he should have more than one wife. In beer drinking parties, a person with one wife could not be taken serious and no one would listen to his advice.

 Men who were men enough used to joke that a man with one wife is like he has only one eye.  For such reasons men with many wives enjoyed the privilege of advising the rest in case of a crisis, and in beer drinking parties. Leadership positions in a clan were given to men with more than one wife as it was believed a man with one wife is under the control of the wife who stops him from marrying other wives.

Marriage negotiations were orderly if a little local liquor was sprinkled on the ground for ancestors to be invited in the ceremony.

Circumcision was the most honored practice among the traditional people, for this reason beer was sprinkled to welcome ancestral spirits in the ceremony. In fact it is believed that the courage that initiates poses during circumcision period is as a result of ancestral intervention. 

Two days before the actual circumcision day, the candidate for circumcision is supposed to bring water from a well and pour it in a pot (esachi) containing busaa in an exercise called khuchukhila. This is normally seen as covenant between the candidate and the ancestors meaning he must be circumcised under all circumstances.

One month before the circumcision season, the circumcisers normally hold a meeting and take busaa (ke khubita lukembe) to bless their knives with busaa before embarking on the cutting exercise.

After circumcision villagers put their resources together and prepare busaa (kamalwa ke kamatasi) meant for giving away clothes that initiates were using before circumcision. It was the same time that villagers would use to throw away the cut foreskin in a secret place where ill intentioned people could not find access.

Before the pass out ceremony for initiates, the elders would prepare busaa (kamalwa ke lubito) to be drunk as the initiates receive informal education on serious matters of the society. At such a time, the graduated initiates would receive ‘lubito’ as elders spit the local liquor on the ground as a kind of covenant for the initiates with elders and ancestors in the transition process from childhood to adulthood.

The busaa residue (kamasifwa) was very basic for any cultural activity. For instance, old people would spit a little busaa on the ground or floor of the house before continuing drinking the local liquor.

In celebration of a life of a departed hero in community, busaa was prepared and drank and part of it is sprinkled round the grave as a sign of last respect.

During planting season, elders would prepare busaa and bless the planting material before going to the field to plant. The same happens during harvesting where a cultural practice known as ‘khukhwesulusia’ was done involving the local liquor and some prepared charm to bless the harvested crop before they are free to continue feasting on the harvest.