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.

The green twig: A national symbol of mourning

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 okumba, 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.

Tero Buru: A leader's farewell

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.

The term translates to 'driving of the bull,' and the ceremony is a dramatic and meaningful act of farewell.

The ritual involves elders leading a procession, often with a bull, around the homestead accompanied by traditional chants, songs, and drumming.

The rationale is twofold.

Firstly, it is a cleansing rite, intended to symbolically sweep away the shadow of death from the home and ensure the spirit of the deceased transitions peacefully.

Secondly, and especially for a leader, it is a celebration of their life and legacy.

The bull represents strength, leadership, and the spirit of the departed.

Driving it through the community is a final, powerful acknowledgement of the deceased's status and contributions.

The dust raised in the process, the 'buru', is symbolic of the commotion and significance of the life that was lived.

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

Understanding 'Tero Yuok'

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

This is distinct from Tero Buru and typically occurs much earlier in the mourning process.

'Yuak' means wailing or crying, and 'tero yuok' refers to the formal announcement and spreading of the news of a death.

Traditionally, this task falls to the women of the homestead, who use a specific, high-pitched wail to communicate the loss to the surrounding community.

It is the act that officially begins the communal mourning period, calling relatives and neighbours to the home of the bereaved.

While modern communication has changed how news travels, this ceremonial wailing was the traditional starting point of the funeral rites.

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.