The Sebei: Children were named using sticks, fruits

From this tribe have global athletes risen and gold medalists on the track at the Olympics, from Moses Ndiema Kipsiro in 2007 to Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei and Oscar Chelimo.

Let us take a peek into the culture of these national legends.

What inspired such a belief?

Back in the day, the Sebei prophets locally called Workoyonytet, revered the sun because they considered it the prime god. They also held the belief that bad spirits punished people and good ones rewarded and protected.

Sebei elders Pulse

However, their concept of life after death declared that when a man dies, their personality or soul would come back in a newborn baby. For this reason, they named children after the dead as recognition of the reincarnate person.

Therefore, they never named their children after those who were bad when alive. In a scenario where a child is named after a known witch, thief or alcoholic, the same character traits would be present in the child.

Sebei cultural ensemble Pulse

To correct such a situation, a name-giving ceremony would be held to rename the child. Although it is not just the name, the worrisome character and conduct would warrant the ceremony to give the child a new name.

The ceremony

In order to determine the right name for their child, the mother and father would pick out a fruit of their choosing. The fruit would then be put on a stick. Now to determine the right name, the parents had to sometimes mention quite a few.

Because if they mentioned an ancestor's name and the fruit fell off the stick, then it's not a good ancestor and therefore, not a good name. Sometimes after a few tries, or for others who got it right the first time, if the fruit stayed on the stick, viola! The parents had a good name.

Today, the ceremony is part of many tourist expeditions in Kapchorwa.