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Describe the political organisation of the Kalenjin community upto 1870s:

Describe the political organisation of the Kalenjin community upto 1870s:

Answers

Gregory
- Kalenjin political system was based on semi-independent territorial units called bororosiet (Bororiet –singular).
- Each bororiet was controlled by council of elders who members were chosen due to their wisdom and military skill.
- Elders maintained law and order in the community, settled major disputes, made important decisions affecting the community. Their court was the final court in the land.
- Each bororiet was further divided into smaller political units under smaller council of elders.
- They defined grazing grounds and settled minor disputes.
- In the 19th century the office of the Orkoiyot was introduced to the Nandi and Kipsigis. The Orkoiyot was a diviner and was skilled in foretelling the future, interpreting omens and in averting ill luck
- The institution of the Orkoiyot brought a high degree of centralisation in the Kalenjin political structure e.g co-ordinated all the activities throughout the land. The office of the Orkoiyot brought together all the different Kipsigis groups into one strong community.
- Boys of the same age group joined a named age- set e.g Maina, Chuma, Sawe, Korongoro, Kipkoiimet, Kiplelach, Kimnyige and Nyongi.
- Boys also qualified after circumcision to join bororiets junior warriors, a permanent warrior group that conquered new lands and defendant the community against external attacks.
- Age-sets was maintained by changing of age-set names through the “Sageet ap eito” ceremony marking the official hand –over of power from one age-set to the next. It was performed every 10 to 15 years
- Complete cycle of age-set names took between 50 and 100 yrs.
Gregorymasila1 answered the question on March 2, 2018 at 20:43

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