Types of communicating
Other traditional forms of communication through signs and expression
Long before the arrival of missionaries in Luo land, the Joluo people communicated amongst themselves using time-tested methods passed down through millennia. These communication methods varied depending on the circumstances or events at the time. For example, during celebrations, funerals, or enemy attacks, drum beats and various forms of wailing and ululation were employed to convey coded messages to the community.
some of the ways of communication
Dholuo | English |
Liyo | Whistling |
Goyo bul | Drum beating |
Goyo oporo | blowing horn |
Magenga | Bonefire |
Sigweya | dirge |
The oral tradition of the Joluo people in Kenya is rich and diverse, encompassing tales, fables, myths, epics, proverbs, riddles, songs, and legends. Often, these elements of African oral communication are intricately intertwined; a storyteller may incorporate singing into the narrative, emphasizing important lessons with proverbs, and beginning the story with a riddle. In certain instances, oral communication took on a sacred dimension, embedded in mysterious rituals performed by individuals specially trained for this purpose from an early age.
Dholuo oral storytelling is a communal and participatory experience. Traditionally, everyone in the society actively engaged in both formal and informal storytelling as part of interactive oral performances. This active participation was a crucial aspect of traditional African communal life, and the foundational training in a culture's oral arts and skills was an integral part of children's indigenous education, guiding them toward initiation into full humanness.
Proverbs and Sayings: Proverbs are an important aspect of communication, often used to impart wisdom, moral lessons, and societal norms. They are a concise and effective way of conveying complex ideas and values
Dholuo | English |
Biye ojemo ni ng’wen | Termites cause death, damage, and great harm to white ants |
Wang’ mithiedho ema gawi. | An eye that you treat is the one that turns against you |
Agulu kidiedi maonge tach | A water pot cannot stand on its own without a support |