Hello lexyb
Thank-you for asking such an interesting question.
TURKANA COSMOLOGY
The main cosmology of the Turkana is their traditional religion. Akuj
is their God who has power to send or withhold rain and is associated
with the sky and mountain tops. In periods of drought animals are
sacrificed to him, as they are when other disasters strike, in the
hope that he will stop being angry. Rain and cool air are gifts to be
thankful for and may be celebrated in song at the sacrificial
ceremonies.
The 'emuron', or dreamers, interpret Akuj's intentions and mediate
between him and the rest of the Turkana people. The emuron feel called
to their role, undergo an initiation period during which they leave
their homestead and develop an ability to dream in a new way. Then
they 'see' and 'speak' what their dreams tell them about Akuj's wishes
and act as prophets for the tribe. They also diagnose and treat
disease, and use the entrails of sacrificed animals for divination.
Dead ancestors may also help mediate between Akuj and their
descendants. Like Akuj and the other spiritual beings - Akuj Nameri
(God of the Stars) and Nipen or Ngiapan (spirits) - they are
considered to live in the sky. Sometimes they are angry and need to be
offered a sacrifice, but they may be persuaded to act on behalf of the
living.
There have been Christian missionaries working with the Turkana,
setting up much needed health centres, for instance. They have
converted some people in the settlements but the Turkana are still
predominantly believers in Akuj.
TURKANA WOMEN
While their menfolk are in charge of the all-important cattle, Turkana
women take care of the family's sheep and goats. They not only look
after the home but build the daytime and sleeping huts too. These used
to be made entirely from branches and animal skins but now tarpaulin
and plastic may be used. The homestead - called an 'awi' - is the
women's main workplace as well as their home.
Girls and women weave baskets and produce beautiful, intricate
beadwork. They wear a lot of brightly colored beads as well as
neckrings. The older girls collect firewood and fetch water. Food
preparation is a job for women and girls; they make dried milk (edodo)
by boiling fresh milk and allowing it to dry on skins. Dried meal is
made with crushed berries, which can be mixed with blood and made into
cakes. Babies are given camel milk since it is easy to digest.
Between 15 and 20 a girl will be married - the wedding ceremony is a
huge event which may last a couple of days - and when her first child
learns to walk there will be a further, smaller ceremony confirming
and finalizing the marriage. The girl's family is paid 'bridewealth'
in cattle, maybe as many as 50, plus goats and a camel or donkey too.
Men who can afford to, may take as many as 10 wives. Within the awi
there will be a separate hut for the man and his first wife. There has
been some argument amongst Western visitors about how comfortable the
wives themselves are with this arrangement. This is the view of one
travel writer:
"Among Turkana women, a wife "generally considers it an economic
advantage for her family to have additional co-wives since the women
help each other in doing domestic chores and in caring for their
animals. The cowives may also help their husband find a new bride.
They interview young women with a goal of finding one who will be
compatible with them and hard working. Their husband usually must have
their approval before going ahead with the wedding. For him, an
additional wife also has disadvantages. The co-wives may get together,
gang-up on him, and force him to do things that he does not want to
do. More wives can mean more potential domestic trouble for a
husband."
The older women are respected as a source of advice and wisdom. A few
women may be 'ngamurok', or prophets, though this is more commonly a
male role.
A useful online resource on the Turkana is the website of a
professional travel writer, Jens Finke:
The Turkana (click on menu on the left for different topics)
http://bluegecko.crosswinds.net/kenya/tribes/turkana/
FURTHER INFORMATION
You might find these helpful:
'Sacrifice and Prophecy in Turkana Cosmology', by Tony Barrett.
Pauline's Publications (1998)
"This book offers a challenge to the existing theories on sacrifice.
Although the title mentions the concept of sacrifice only, it tackles
the entire life of the Turkana. It gives an outline of the social
organisation and tries to describe the understanding the Turkana have
of God."
book catalogue including Barrett's book on Turkana Cosmology
http://www.paulinesafrica.org/catalogue/africanstudies.htm
'Kakuma, Turkana: Dueling Struggles: Africa's Forgotten Peoples', by
Daniel Cheng Yang. Pangaea (2002)
Turkana - a photographic journal
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1929165501/qid=1037192218/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-9563958-6992848?v=glance&s=books
People: Turkana
http://www.blissites.com/kenya/people/turkana.html
An article including a paragraph showing older Turkana women's
knowledge and authority:
Changing Customary Land Use in Turkana
http://www.monitorinternational.org/Turkana.htm
Notes on a film 'A Wife among Wives'
http://www.therai.org.uk/film/catalogue_2/80_wives.html
I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to ask for clarification if
anything needs explanation.
Regards - Leli
Much material on the internet has a medical or missionary perspective,
see this search on 'Turkana women':
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=turkana+women&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Also "Turkana religion OR beliefs"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=turkana+religion+OR+beliefs&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Search on "turkana cosmology"
://www.google.com/search?q=turkana+cosmology&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta= |
