Bunyore Hills: Where locals ‘freely mingle with leopards’
A man takes a walk on the granite rocks that make up the Bunyore Hills. The hills, which stretch for 30 kilometres, are sacred to locals, who believe that they were the original home of their ancestor, Anyole. PHOTO | JACOB OWITI |
What you need to know:
- Elders say the hills, which attract hundreds of tourists every year, are sacred since a lot of the community’s history and traditions can be traced to them.
- It is said that the descendants of Anyole made the hills their home as the caves and forests were good for shelter and hunting, while the rocks were ideal watchtowers in an era of bloody tribal conflicts.
- Locals say people from allover Luhya land would converge on the hilltops every end of the year to chase away the evil spirits in a nightlong frenzy of drum beating.
Just five kilometres to the right of Luanda Township on the Kisumu-Busia highway, are magnificent hills that mark the border of Vihiga and Kisumu counties.
And below the Bunyore Hills is Kima Township, made famous by Bunyore Girls High School and the Church of God, Kenya and African headquarters.
Outside the township is a countryside with huge granite rocks, springs, mashes and bushy valleys.
Interestingly, some of Kima’s business premises such as the Stone Hill Resort are built atop the granite rocks.
Bunyore Hills join Maragoli Hills to the far east and stretch for about 30 kilometres.
They are believed to be the original home of Anyole, the ancestor of the Banyore sub- tribe of the Luhya nation.
Indeed, ‘vihiga’ is a Luhya word meaning “a collection of stones”.
SACRED HILLS
Elders say the hills, which attract hundreds of tourists every year, are sacred since a lot of the community’s history and traditions can be traced to them.
It is said that the descendants of Anyole made the hills their home as the caves and forests were good for shelter and hunting, while the rocks were ideal watchtowers in an era of bloody tribal conflicts.
Locals say people from allover Luhya land would converge on the hilltops every end of the year to chase away the evil spirits in a nightlong frenzy of drum beating.
Mr Alfred Angote, a retired teacher and elder says Luhyas believed that evil spirits dwelt in Lake Victoria, which can be seen from the summit of the hills.
That is why locals congregated on the hills to drive away demons that could have strayed into the land.
As strange as it might sound, residents of these hills freely mingle with leopards that often find refuge in the natural environment.
According to the locals, the animals rarely attack humans or livestock.
AFC LEOPARDS
Mr Angote adds that Luhyas have always had a special relationship with leopards, a fact that can kind of explains the name of a leading Kenya Premier League football team.
AFC Leopards Football Club draws the majority of its fans from western Kenya.
He says the ancestors of the Luhya could control and tame the spotted cat.
“We teach youngsters how to behave whenever they encounter a leopard. It is a very friendly animal,’’ the elder says.
However, environmentalists have decried the massive destruction of the hills by ballast harvesters.
