The Wanga Clans

The Wanga (AbaWanga) are a nation of the Luhya people and a historical Kingdom within present day Kenya. They mainly occupy Kakamega County, one of the most densely populated counties in Kenya. The Wanga Clans. The Wanga Kingdom was the most highly developed and centralised kingdom in Kenya’s entire history before the advent of British colonialism in the early 1900s. Today the AbaWanga number around 732,000 and retain the Nabongo as their cultural monarch. The current Nabongo is Peter Mumia II

The Wanga ancestors were part of the migration that settled in the Kampala area and formed the Buganda Kingdom. In their culture, a king’s brother or cousin from the paternal line is eligible for succession to the throne and thus poses a threat to the reigning monarch. Accordingly, a Baganda omulangira (prince) called Kaminyi, a son of Mawanda of Buganda fled to the Tiriki area in the current Western Province area in the upheaval that followed the murder of his father by a group of Ganda princes led by his cousin Mwanga I of Buganda. There Kaminyi became a ruler and was succeeded by his son Wanga, who took the title Nabongo and established the Wanga Kingdom in the 18th Century.

The formation of the Wànga Kingdom led to rapid territorial and political expansion especially in the latter years of the 18th century. Earlier on and throughout its history, the Wanga Kingdom was prone to succession feuds the most notable resulting in the splitting of the the kingdom when the sons of Nabongo Osundwa rivalled each other over the throne. The eldest son, Kweyu was outwitted by a younger one called Wamukoya Netia, who then succeeded Osundwa. In protest, Kweyu seceded and founded Wanga Mukulu (Upper Wanga). Wamukoya Netia ruled Wanga Elureko (Lower Wanga). The two states co-existed but Wanga Elureko rightfully remains the Wanga Kingdom (it retained the royal regalia of the great Nabongo Wanga), was larger, more prominent and better organised. During his reign, Nabongo Wamukoya Netia employed the Uasin Gishu Maasai to raid neighbours for cattle and his successors did the same. Nabongo Wamukoya Netia was a notorious trickster who enjoyed killing people especially his Maasai mercenaries. The treachery of Nabongo Wamukoya Netia was designed to eliminate the Maasai as an alternate power source at his court as well as designed to strengthen his personal power.When the mercenaries discovered his treachery they revolted. Nabongo Shiundu,(1841—1882) Wamukoya Netia’s son and heir, established effective and respectable authority and it was during his reign that the Wanga Kingdom reached its greatest extent.

The kingdom was visited by Arab and Swahili slave traders which explains the high incidence of Islamic presence amongst the Wanga compared to other Luhya. The slave traders operated from Elureko (future Mumias) against the fragmented Bukusu in the north and the Jo-Ugenya in the south from 1878 from whom they captured a lot of slaves and exported. The most notorious slave-raiders were Sudi of Pangani and Abdulla bin Hamid of Mombasa.

The Wanga also developed an advanced military system consisting of clan regiments who went to war in distinct full war regalia made of the colobus monkey skin, a spear and shield (ingabo) and headgear identifying clan and age-set. Leisure and entertainment normally went hand in hand amongst the Wanga. Traditional smoke pipes and bao (olukho) would go together after a hard day’s work as men chatted away while women prepared meals.

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Also traditionally, the extended family and the clan were at the center of the Wanga culture. AbaWanga practiced polygamy, and a man was given more respect depending on the number of wives he had. This is because only a very wealthy man could afford to pay the dowry (bride price) for several wives. The dowry was paid in the form of cattle, sheep, or goats. Today, polygamy is no longer widely practiced, but dowry payment is still revered in amongst the Wanga. Instead of giving cattle, sheep, or goats as the bride price, one may pay a dowry in the form of money. However, marrying a person from one’s own clan is considered taboo, because of this every Wanga is descended from a Nabongo and through common descent, to Nabongo Wanga. Traditional male circumcision is an important ritual amongst the AbaWanga. It marks the initiation from boyhood to manhood. The modern and educated AbaWanga continue to choose to circumcise their sons in hospitals in the traditional circumcision years every August and December.

Ugali, known as obusuma in LuWanga, is the traditional food of the Wanga. Ugali is made from either maize flour or cassava, or millet flour. It is usually served with chicken. While the AbaWanga eat many other foods, a meal is never complete without some ugali.

The following are the Tsihanga (clans) of AbaWanga with the reference to female given in brackets: 1. Abashitsetse (Bwibo); 2. Abakolwe (Nabakolwe); 3. Abaleka (Nabaleka); 4. Abachero (Njero); 5. Abashikawa (Nashikawa); 6. Abamurono (Oronda); 7. Abashieni (Shieni); 8. Abamwima (Namwima); 9. Abamuniafu (Ngakhwa); 10. Abambatsa (Luleti); 11. Abashibe (Nashibe); 12. Ababere (Nebere); 13. Abamwende (Luchimbo); 14. Abakhami (Nabakhami); 15. Abakulubi (Akwanyi); 16. Abang’ale (Namang’ale); 17. Ababonwe (Nbonwe); 18. Abatsoye (Nabatsoye); 19. Abalibo (Namwasi); 20. Abang’ayo (Nang’ayo); 21. Ababule (Nabule); 22. Abamulembwa (Namulembwa).

Here is a List of The Wanga Clans

The Wanga speak Oluwanga and occupy Mumias and Matungu Districts. The 22 Wanga clans are

1. Abashitsetse (Bwibo)
2. Abakolwe (Nabakolwe)
3. Abaleka (Nabaleka)
4. Abachero (Njero)
5. Abashikawa (Nashikawa)
6. Abamurono (Oronda)
7. Abashieni (Shieni)
8. Abamwima (Namwima)
9. Abamuniafu (Ngakhwa)
10. Abambatsa (Luleti)
11. Abashibe (Nashibe)
12. Ababere (Nebere)
13. Abamwende (Luchimbo)
14. Abakhami (Nabakhami)
15. Abakulubi (Akwanyi)
16. Abang’ale (Namang’ale)
17. Ababonwe (Nbonwe)
18. Abatsoye (Nabatsoye)
19. Abalibo (Namwasi)
20. Abang’ayo (Nang’ayo)
21. Ababule (Nabule)
22. Abamulembwa (Namulembwa)