The Age-Set System of the Pastoral Pokot: The Sapana Initiation Ceremony

J. G. Peristiany

doi:10.2307/1156592

The Age-Set System of the Pastoral Pokot: The Sapana Initiation Ceremony

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 August 2012

J. G. Peristiany

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The society to which this paper refers is a Nilo-Hamitic tribe of north-western Kenya among whose people, the Pokot, I carried out field-work for a period of approximately 6 months in 1947. For the opportunity to do so I am indebted to the Government of Kenya.

The population of West Suk does not exceed 25,000 but is dispersed over an area of 1,810 square miles. The eastern and western sections of this tribe are composed of semi-nomadic pastoralists, the pi-pa-tich (cattle people) who live in arid and often semi-desert plains. Between the plains rise the Suk Hills, inhabited by the pi-pa-pagh (people of the grain) who, in certain areas, practise intensive irrigation agriculture and in others follow the usual ecological pattern of the mixed-economy Kipsigis and Nandi. The hill people have close cultural affinities with the Nandi group, while the pastoralists have been strongly influenced by their Karamojong and Turkana neighbours.

Résumé

LES CLASSES D'AGE DES POKOT PASTORAUX

Les Pokot, mieux connus sous le nom de Suk, sont une tribu Nilo-Hamitique du nord-ouest du Kenya. Ils sont divisés en deux groupes culturels et morphologiques. Les Pokot de l'est et de l'ouest habitent des vastes régions semi-désertiques. Ils sont pastoraux et à moitié nomades. Les Pokot du centre habitent des régions propices aussi bien à l'agriculture qu'à l'élevage.

Les sections pastorales de cette tribu sont en contact, au nord et au nord-ouest, avec les Turkana et les Karamojong et elles ont adopté les rites d'initiation de ces derniers. Les Pokot des régions centrales pratiquent la circoncision et leur nudité habituelle fait que celle-ci constitue le signe extérieur de leur majorité sociale. Par contre leurs voisins se servent pour ce même usage d'une coiffure modelée avec de la boue. Cet article traite de la cérémonie pastorale de sapana qui intègre l'initié à la section adulte et mâle de la société.

Type: Research Article
Information: Africa , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , July 1951 , pp. 188 - 206

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1156592 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © International African Institute 1951

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^{page 188 note 1} The Pokot (sing. Pechon, or Pochon) are better known as Suk, a nickname to which various origins have been attributed.

^{page 188 note 2} I should like to express my gratitude to Professor Forde for granting me leave of absence from University College, to the International African Institute for the loan of a camera, and to the University of London for a generous grant for photographic equipment.

^{page 188 note 3} West Suk is an administrative district; large areas to its east and west are occupied by pastoral Pokot.

^{page 190 note 1} M. W. H. Beech (The Suk, their Language and Folklore, 1911, p. 13) reports that the Pokot ‘claim to have copied [their head-dress] from the Karamojo’, and this in spite of the fact that Beech was living among the eastern pastoralists who have Turkana and no Karamojong neighbours.

^{page 192 note 1} Or aperit.

^{page 192 note 2} See p. 194.

^{page 193 note 1} The following are some of the more usual signs, Names are given to the intestines, for example, names of rivers: Murugn, Iyon, Chessera, Koibon, Suam, Konianga.

Every one of these intestines will be examined for signs. Black spots indicate rinderpest. They are the crows and birds of prey which hover over the dying cattle. A white line ending in a red spot is a long file of enemy warriors coming to raid the Pokot. A large round spot is a grave and is a sign of sickness among human beings. According to the ‘river’ where these signs have been found the locality of the event is ascertained.

^{page 193 note 2} They are members of the latest colour section.

^{page 195 note 1} These are the seat of the mukulogh, which directs a man's conduct.

^{page 195 note 2} The amuro is the ritually important right hind leg of the ox.

^{page 196 note 1} The Pokot use the word kor, which, in this context, means a province. The visitors who were most feared came from Baringo and Kurut, whose distance from the western pastoralists of the Suam area endowed them with geographical and politico-ritual distinctiveness.

^{page 197 note 1} Ostrich feathers are greatly appreciated as they are worn by the warriors going to a dance or to war. When feathers are scarce men have been known to exchange an ox for just enough feathers to decorate their head-dress.

^{page 197 note 2} The aeroplane is compared to sound. It flies so fast that only the marks under its wings can be seen, and these are identified with the sound of its motors, Its head is white (propeller?), it has no horns, and it too fast for the children to see it.

^{page 199 note 1} Kilomin, an envious person.

^{page 199 note 2} Many different terms are used here. The distinction between (1) and (2) is clear. In the first case we may be dealing with a person who has committed an involuntary offence. In the second the man is a professional witch.

^{page 199 note 3} Tilil. This may be better rendered by ‘blessed’. A man is tilil when he is lucky and popular. See p. 200.

^{page 201 note 1} The most prized is the kamar which has one horn pointing forward and one backward.

^{page 202 note 1} Praise name for ox with outspread horns.

^{page 202 note 2} The Pokot word for it is kiripko but it has been abandoned in favor of the karamojong equivalent akipiret.

^{page 203 note 1} See p. 200.

^{page 203 note 2} This will be discussed in a later paper.

^{page 205 note 1} This is the generic appellation of both Karamojong and Turkana. It is always used by the hill Pokot, seldom by the pastoral section of the tribe who are well aware that this derogatory term also applies to them.

^{page 205 note 2} Ceremony, really circumcision ceremony.

^{page 205 note 3} Centre of the eastern irrigation Pokot.

^{page 205 note 4} On the River Suam (Turkwell).

^{page 205 note 5} This resembles the rites of purification after the birth of twins and after serious illnesses attributed to evil spirits.

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