Luo traditions shaping Raila Odinga's final journey

While a state funeral incorporates official protocol, it is the cultural rites, visible on the streets and at his ancestral home, that tell a deeper story.

These are symbolic acts that carry significant weight, guiding the community through the process of grieving a respected Luo elder and leader.

Almost immediately upon the announcement of his death, green twigs began to appear across the country.

Tucked into the grilles of matatus, waved from the windows of private cars, and carried by mourners on foot, the twig, known in Dholuo as yien, has become the most visible, grassroots symbol of this national loss.

This is not a random gesture.

In Luo tradition, the waving or displaying of green branches is a powerful and long-standing method of signalling that a community is in mourning.

It is a public declaration of grief, a way of collectively shouldering the sorrow.

The act of carrying the twig is also seen as walking with the spirit of the deceased in a final, shared journey.

At his home in Bondo, Siaya County, elders have already performed the tero buru ceremony, a significant ritual reserved for a respected male elder or leader.

Tero buru, which translates to 'chasing the dust,' is one of the most significant and dramatic rituals in a Luo funeral, reserved specifically for a respected male elder or leader.

This ceremony, traditionally performed by men, involves driving a bull (or a herd of cattle) around the homestead, grave, and sometimes to a nearby river or former battlefield.

The ritual has a powerful dual purpose: it is a final, militant salute to honor the deceased's status and celebrate his life, and it is a potent cleansing rite.

The 'buru' (dust) raised by the cattle's hooves is believed to symbolically sweep away the shadow of death and chase away any lingering evil spirits (jok), ensuring the spirit of the deceased transitions peacefully and the homestead is restored to balance.

It is less a sorrowful dirge and more a final, powerful salute.

Afterwards, the animals are led to the nearest water body, where it's believed the evil spirits would be destined.

Following the formal announcement of death, the Luo community begins the practice of Budho, a communal vigil that lasts for several nights until the burial.

This ritual is a crucial period of collective mourning, where close relatives are required to stay within the deceased's homestead to comfort the bereaved and honour the departed.

Traditionally, Budho involved watching over the body, but today it continues as a way to mourn together even if the body is at a mortuary.

The nights are filled with dirges, storytelling, and reflections on the deceased's life.

Another important custom mentioned in discussions around Luo funerals is tero yuak.

This is distinct from tero buru and typically occurs much earlier in the mourning process.

'Yuak' means wailing or crying, and 'tero' means to drive, or to push.

'Tero yuak' literally translates to 'driving (or leading) the tears'.

Tero yuak is the first wail, a specific, high-pitched cry traditionally performed by the women of the homestead, led by the first wife (mikayi).

This sound served as the official signal to the surrounding community that a death had occurred.

Its primary purpose was to 'spread the news' and formally summon relatives and neighbors to the home to begin the communal vigil (budho), thereby initiating the entire funeral process.

The climax of the Luo funeral is the burial ceremony itself, known as Iko.

This rite is traditionally held in the afternoon.

It is not merely a disposal of the body but a profound, symbolic act of returning the deceased to their ancestral land, which is why burials are mandated to occur at the family homestead, never in a public cemetery.

The specific location of the grave is precise and significant, determined by the deceased's status (for example, a male elder is typically buried within his compound).

Before the body is finally interred, the iko ceremony involves final eulogies, prayers, and speeches from family and community leaders, formally committing the body to the earth and the spirit to the ancestors.

Sigweya is a traditional Luo mourning elegy, a powerful and emotional declamatory chant performed at the funeral of a respected or elderly person.

It is not a simple song but a solo performance in free rhythm, where the performer, often a man of status or someone with close ties to the deceased, chants in a lofty style.

The purpose of sigweya is to extol the virtues and celebrate the life and achievements of the departed.

The performer will often recall shared memories, praise the deceased's character (real or imagined), and describe the community's profound sense of loss, all while helping to usher the spirit of the dead into immortality.

It is a unique form of eulogy that is considered a high honor, famously performed by great Luo leaders like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Raila Odinga himself, such as at the funeral of Prof. George Magoha in 2023, where the former PM appeared in full traditional mourning regalia (including a headdress, shield, and spear).

A few days after the burial, the immediate family undergoes a crucial purification rite known as Liedo, which involves the shaving of hair.

This ceremony, traditionally held four days after a man's burial and three after a woman's, is performed on the close relatives of the deceased, especially the surviving spouse and children.

Liedo is a powerful symbol of transition and cleansing.

It marks the official end of the first and most intense period of mourning, ritually severing the direct tie with the departed and washing away the impurity of death.

This act represents a 'new beginning,' allowing the bereaved family to re-integrate into the community and resume normal life.

Following the burial (iko) and the subsequent ritual shaving (liedo), the Luo funeral rites conclude with Kee, which is the formal and orderly departure of relatives and mourners from the bereaved homestead.

This is not a casual exit but a structured event that signifies the end of the most intense mourning period.

The departure is conducted in strict order of seniority; the firstborn relative leaves the homestead first, followed by the secondborn, and so on.

This procession marks the formal return of the extended family to their own homes and the beginning of a new, post-funeral life for the immediate family of the deceased.

As the nation observes the official state ceremonies, these cultural practices provide a vital, parallel process.

They are the threads of tradition that connect the past with the present, allowing a community and a nation to navigate a profound loss through shared rituals.