Oretab Talai

Oretab Talai (also Talai) is one of the ortinwek or clans of the Kalenjin, a Nilotic tribe living in East Africa. Nandi Talai elders gained particular notability during the 2022 Kenyan general elections when a blessing ritual they performed on then Deputy President William Ruto gained symbolism as an act perceived as bestowing not just community leadership but also future national leadership[1][2]. Much was made in the commentary surrounding the event of the fact that Nandi Talai elders had performed similar blessing rituals for the late Kenyan Presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and even the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga before they ascended to national leadership positions. The perception of symbolism was heightened when Gideon Moi, former president Daniel Arap Moi's son and political heir, and William Ruto's primary competitor for regional political dominance at the time, attempted to have the blessings conferred upon him but was blocked. He later had the ceremony carried out by Nandi Talai elders from the Kapsisiywo family at Kabarak, the Moi family's seat of political power, both these events made national news and were widely commented upon.[3][4]

The Talai have traditionally been noted for being the oret of the Orkoiik, most famously Koitalel and Kimnyole.

Tiondo / Totem

The totem of the Talai among the Nandi and Kipsigis is the lion. The totem of the Pokot Talai is the baboon and they trace the clan origin to Tapasiat, which is now known by its Karamojong name, Moroto.[5]

History & folklore

Before the rise of the orkoiik the Talai had traditionally not been associated with mysticsm and are in fact one of the more widespread Kalenjin clans. They are found among the Nandi, Kipigis, Pokot, Keiyo and Marakwet.

Clans are the tribes of old and they collapsed 200 years ago at the close of the Sirkwa era as evidenced not just by their dispersion and tales of dispersion but also their mentions and manner of mentions in folklore. In the Legend of the rock-fall at Kipteber, it is mentioned that the Talai and Sirikwa clans were having a ceremony together before a huge rock fell causing them to disperse in different directions. The Sirikwa were a community that occupied the Uasin Gishu plateau during the East African Pastoral Iron Age, the very term for the archaeological culture - Sirikwa - derives from this community. The Talai are also mentioned in the story of the Old Man Kipkenyo who is said to have introduced the practice of circumcision to the Nandi.

The tale of Moki tells of how a pregnant Maasai woman gave birth to two boys, Barsabotwo and Kopokoii in the Keben caves at Mogobich in Nandi. The small family was trapped in the caves following the defeat of the Maasai and also by prowling lions outside the cave. Members of the Talai family came to release them and adopted them upon learning she was from a family of laibons. This gave rise to the Orkoinotet among the Nandi and later the Kipsigis.

Role in the Nandi resistance

See; Nandi Resistance

The Talai and in particular the person and family of the Orkoiyot, Koitalel, were active participants and drivers of the Nandi Resistance. The clan suffered the brunt of the efforts to suppress the resistance.[6]

Colonial oppression & rights abuse

In 2022 a group of more than 100,000 Kenyans from the Kipsigis Talai clan wrote to Prince William to seek an apology, and his support for reparations for human rights abuses they claimed that they suffered during the British colonial settlement. A UN inquiry from 2021 had determined that gross human rights violations were committed particularly against the clan, including unlawful killing, sexual violence, torture, and arbitrary detention and displacement.[7]

Families

Nandi

Among the Nandi, noted Talai families include the Kapturgat, the Kapsogon, the Kapchesang, the Kapmararsoi and the Kapsonet.[8]

Famous Talai

References
  1. Salil, Barry (19 June 2020). "Ruto coronation: Who are the Talai clan elders?". The Star. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  2. Star Reporter (6 June 2020). "DP Ruto cleansed at dawn ritual by Talai elders". The Star. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. Nyamasege, Wycliffe (February 2021). "Kapsisiywo Talai Elders Finally Crown Gideon Moi As Kalenjin Elder". Kahawa Tungu. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  4. K'Onyango, Onyango; Kimuge, Stanley (22 June 2021). "New twist as Gideon Moi made Rift kingpin". Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  5. Robbins, Pat (March 2010). Red-Spotted Ox: a Pokot Life. Copenhagen: IWGIA. p. 77. ISBN 978-87-91563-70-6.
  6. Kareithi, Amos (February 2013). "The Talai Question: Hounded by the British, community still in shackles". The Standard. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  7. Soy, Anne (4 May 2022). "Kenya's Talai clan petitions Prince William over land eviction". BBC News. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  8. Salil, Barry (19 June 2020). "Ruto coronation: Who are the Talai clan elders?". The Star. Nairobi. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
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