Sleeping with the dead: Weird cultures, customs practiced by the Luo

Different communities have what others may consider “strange ways” of doing things. However, people from Nyanza seemingly have some of the most interesting and weirdest of customs and beliefs around. For instance, ever heard that back in the day customs required widows in the community to sleep in the same room with their dead husbands before burial?
Well, reportedly, this was part of a cleansing ritual to purify such women in readiness for inheritance. While at it, the widows were expected to experience an odd ‘mandatory dream’ of themselves making love to their dead husbands for one more last time, so as to be considered ‘freed’ and ready to get remarried. If the dream never came to pass, more elaborate cleansing rituals took place. This is just an example of the weird and crazy cultures that used to be practiced in Luoland. However, this, among other weird cultural practices, have since been done away with by locals due to modernisation and Christianity.

But because old habits die hard, some mild bits of these strange customs are still being practiced, especially in the interior parts of most rural outposts. No getting married before your older sibling For instance, in some parts of Luo Nyanza, a woman, however old, can’t get married before her older sister. Seeing as celibacy is frowned upon by elders and those who try it risk curses or banishment, women of age are forced into marriage. Joseph Odero, a senior chief and Elder from Suna Migori, says this idea of people being mocked or forced into marriage began long ago. He says choosy, grown up women who took their sweet time to settle down are bulldozed into arranged marriages to pave way for others.
“Forced marriages were away of easing ‘jam’ for younger ones who were ready and willing to settle down. Oddly, it’s still practiced for the same purpose,” he says. In some places in Luoland, if a younger sister, perhaps due to whatever circumstances, gets married before her older sister, her dowry can’t be paid to her father. And in case the man marrying her is ready to pay the bride price and really wants to do it without delay, then he has to pay it to her uncle (preferably her father’s brother).