Nabongo Cultural Centre and Shrine | |
---|---|
Native name Eshiembekho (Luyia) | |
Type | Mausoleum, cultural centre and shrine |
Location | Western Province, Kenya |
Built | 2008 |
Governing body | Nabongo Council of Elders |
The Nabongo Cultural Centre and Shrine is a shrine and cultural centre dedicated to the Wanga Kingdom of the Luhya people in Kenya. The shrine contains the tombs of Wanga kings or Nabongo are buried, including the founder of Mumias, Nabongo Mumia. Locally known as Eshiembekho, the shrine is managed by the Luhya Council of Elders. [1]
The centre was officially opened on 13 December 2008 by reigning Nabongo, Peter Shitawa Mumia II and former prime minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga. The site contains various structures on the 12-acres of land: a royal mausoleum, cultural centre, museum, library, bar and restaurant. [2]
The Mausoleum holds the tombs of past Wanga kings: Nabongo Wamukoya, Nabongo Shiundu, Nabongo Shitawa and Nabongo Mumia. The grave of Nabongo Wanga, the first leader and founding father of the Wanga kingdom, is separated from the four on a nearby burial mound dating back to the 12th century. [1] [3]
The site contains a traditional Luhya homestead utilised as a cultural and community hub. Here, traditional customs are carried out including the production of busaa, a local fermented drink. [1]
A modern building stands next to the mausoleum with a library and a museum displaying Wanga traditional artifacts including Nabongo Mumia's royal regalia, weapons and traditional farming equipment. The museum also holds the first Kenyan flag flown by Joseph Thomson in 1883. [1] [4] [5]
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb, or the tomb may be considered to be within the mausoleum.
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The Luhya are a Bantu people and the second largest ethnic group in Kenya. The Luhya belong to the larger linguistic stock known as the Bantu. The Luhya are located in western Kenya and Uganda. They are divided into 20 culturally and linguistically united clans. Once known as the Kavirondo, multiple small tribes in North Nyanza came together under the new name Baluhya between 1950 and 1960. The Bukusu are the largest Luhya subtribe and account for almost 30% of the entire Luhya population.
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Butere is a town in Kakamega County, which was formerly part of the Western Province of Kenya. According to the 2009 Kenya National Census, it has an urban population of 4,725. Until 2010, Butere served as the capital of the former Butere/Mumias District.
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Nabongo Mumia Shiundu was a prince who became 17th King of the Wanga Kingdom, a pre-colonial kingdom in Kenya and Uganda prominent for being a centralised, highly organised kingdom and the most advanced form of government in terms of politics, economy and military in pre-colonial Kenya. He later became paramount chief of an expansive region of Kenya and Uganda at the beginning of British imposition of colonial rule in East Africa.
The Wanga kingdom is a Bantu kingdom within Kenya, consisting of the Wanga (Abawanga) tribe of the Luhya people (Abaluyia). At its peak the kingdom covered an expansive area from Jinja in west to Naivasha in the East African Rift. The Wanga kingdom was a significant African empire and the most organized structure of government in pre-colonial Kenya politically, economically, and militarily.
In Islamic art, a shamsa is an intricately decorated rosette or medallion which is used in many contexts, including manuscripts, carpets, ornamental metalwork and architectural decoration such as the underside of domes. It can take a number of overall shapes, from circles to stars. The name means "little sun", as a diminutive of shams, the Arabic word meaning "sun", and the work is often stylised as a sunburst. It is characterized by the recurrent motifs present in Islamic art, such as the use of geometrical floral or vegetal forms in a repetitive design known as an arabesque. The arabesque is often used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of God, and as with other patterns and forms of Islamic art, the shamsa also has a religious significance, such as symbolizing the unity of God.
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Wabala was a Nabongo (King) who ruled the Abawanga around 1140 - 1190. His father was called Nabongo Wanga, the founding father of the famous Wanga Kingdom. It is said that Nabongo Wanga had several sons among them: Murono, Muniafu, Wabala, Namagwa and Mutende and that when his death came, there arose a succession dispute between his sons. Wanga had appointed Wabala as his successor over his elder brother, Murono. In the course of all the dispute, Wabala was assassinated in Bukhayo, and it was alleged that Murono was the one who instigated his brother's murder. Murono therefore arose to power at Matungu and enjoyed a short period of rein as the Nabongo. Later on, Wabala's son called Musui embattled Murono and Musui emerged to be the winner.
Nabongo Musui was one of the sons of Nabongo Wabala. Musuwi was possibly born in the 12th century in Matungu where the Wanga Kingdom's capital (Itookho) was located. There is no much information about his childhood. What is well known about Nabongo Musui is that when his grandfather, Wanga was about to die, he appointed Musui's father, Wabala as his successor over his elder brother, Murono. This caused a dispute among Wabala and Murono. Later, Wabala was assassinated in Bukhayo, so it was alleged that Murono was the one who had instigated his brother's murder. Murono therefore took power at Matungu and lasted a short period of rein as the Nabongo. Later on, Musui, Wabala's son engaged with his uncle, Murono in a battle and Musui emerged a winner. This made Murono to feel defeated and rejected. So, he decided to cross River Nzoia and established another kingdom at Indangalasia.