Ladies, when did you last call him honey or vice-versa? I have heard people call each other honey to insinuate how attractive or perhaps sweet their partners may be. Its true honey is sweet. And that is common knowledge. But wait, is Julius Kipturmet still awake? You wont believe what comes to the mind of typical Kalenjin men like us at the slightest mention of honey. The procedure. Yes! Honey harvesting is as adventurous as is dangerous. Dont you even try to pretend you know it. The damn procedure always makes a kalenjin man from the arid areas to click and regret why the white man ever came. Because you dont walk into a beehive and start scooping honey and run home singing! It is ceremonial. And it is never announced. It just happens. And any kalenjin woman asking her husband whether the honey is ready, gets a worse answer than what Okonkwos first wife got when she asked how long Ikemefuna would be staying with them. Things fall Apart for you should you dare ask. So, forget Kenya top Bar hive, forget whichever hive you know. Its the log hive we are talking about. I love the nostalgia. I miss the gone days. Of walking looooong distances to the ready hive. The ripe hive. The one with tililye! And not just long distance but long and hilly dangerous terrain walk. Long night distance up to 16.5km away from home. When Mr Njenga my agriculture teacher told me that it is possible to harvest modern honey during the day, I laughed. Infact I told my grandfather. He said something weird! Tukup kwirit, maame choo murene!! And he rose to go. Signing out with a click. We prepared the sisto three days earlier. I dont have the translation. You wont see it being prepared. And on the material day at around 3pm, we did the final touches. We, because of our presence and not that we were qualified to do it. We sat there on the sides. Torn shorts and no shoes. Extremely untidy. But we followed the procedure. It is serious business. If you make it earlier than 8pm to the destination. You are lucky. And the hardest part would begin. To climb up to the position. Ohh, the fire!! We first light the fire. Forget the 1m to 1.5m for the modern hive. This is something you wont even picture. It is also bad manners to say how we were dressed while climbing. Ah ah ah... We proceed. Only one guy goes up. The rest remain downstairs asking silly questions as they wait for you to announce the first sting!! Uu nee weloo?? Tokisiir?? Silly questions indeed. As you fought the bees. To give way. Opening the hive is a whole unit complete with two CATs and a main exam. But the most exciting moment is when the moonlight can allow you to see shining honey! Ptwaaai!! There is a respected stake holder in honey harvesting. A small a surprise guest you never want to meet. Kokto And if he makes it to the hive ahead of you, you just give up. Start the journey back home. And sometimes he arrives when you are busy. The comedians downstairs will flee. Sometimes the damn beast will walk away. Perhaps to the next hive 12km away. If he doesnt walk away, try to come down the hard way. I dont know how but flee!! Dont fight. He wins. But never believe the dirty rumour. It is a lie. We stop here for now. But next time you call a kalenjin from the honey producing zones, honey I dont promise he will not be amused!!! Their days of our boyhood. The sweet memories. Its just a tip. Tomorrow we do the details. Good night.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 20:23:47 +0000
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