The Luhya (or Abaluyia) are Bantu-speaking people who live in the Western region of Kenya between Lake Victoria, Uganda, and Mount Elgon. They form the second-largest ethnic group in Kenya, exceeding India in population density. Their area is the most densely populated in Kenya.

Luhya refers both to the people and the Luhya languages, a group of closely related languages spoken by Luhya subgroups. The group is made up of about 18 subethnic groups in Kenya, with the most dominating groups being Bukusu, Maragoli, Wanga, Banyore (who ruled over the Bunyoro Kingdom in present-day Uganda), Marama, Idakho, Kisa, Isukha, Abatsosto, Tiriki, Kabras, Abanyala Abatachoni, Abakhayo, Abamarachi, and Abasamia.

One sub-community is in northern Tanzania, and four are in Uganda. The different Luhya groups have various migration traditions. Some believe they migrated from Egypt. Other Bantu peoples, as well as Nilotic peoples, have a tradition of origin in ‘Egypt’. This is taken to mean a northern area from the Sudan or Ethiopia farther north.

The first ‘white man’ the Luhya had contact with was probably HM Stanley as he voyaged around Lake Victoria. In 1883, Joseph Thomson was the first European known to pass through on foot and was influential in opening the region to Europeans after his meeting with Chief Mumia of the Wanga. Afterwards, there were bloody skirmishes, mostly with the Bukusu sub-community, which came to be known as the War of Chetambe.

The Wanga kingdom was very similar to the Ganda kingdom and other monarchies in Uganda, which was an unusual form of government for Bantu peoples. Mumia was actually the last king in this line and was acknowledged by the British as a ‘chief’. The Luhya are classified as a Bantu people based on their language. It appears that over a period of centuries, successive waves of Bantu speakers migrated into the area.

Thus, there was a common underlying origin and language-culture base, but with diversity over the years. Throughout their early years of living in this region, they were at war with their Nilotic neighbours, the Teso, Nandi, Maasai, and Luo. Records of these wars date back to the 1990s. Despite this enmity, many Luhya families have intermarried over long periods with the neighbouring Luo, a Nilotic people.

It is common to find Luo names among Luhya, particularly the Ragooli (Maragoli). They are agricultural people living mostly off the land. The western Kenya area is rich, fertile highland soil. In recent years, many of the youth have gone to the cities in search of work and a better life. They are extremely tied to tribal traditions and superstitions. The Luhya groups do not all speak the same language.

Some speak varieties of what is called the Luyia language or ‘Oluluyia’. Others speak what are classified as the languages of Bukusu, Nyore, Hanga (Wanga), Idakho-Isukha-Tiriki, Saamia and Ragooli. There is much debate about whether there is a central Luhya language. There are Bible translations in Ragooli (Maragoli) and a standardised ‘Luyia’ language. But many have trouble reading either of these.

Swahili and English are the common languages used among the sub-communities. Each has its own traditional language and customs. The traditional language is spoken almost exclusively in the home. Several of the sub-languages are similar to the Luganda language of the Ganda (Baganda) of Uganda.

The boys are given the responsibility of seeing after the herds and keeping the fire burning at night. The girls help their mothers in the fields and in food preparation. Circumcision for males and females is practised. There was once a period of training for adult responsibilities for the youth. Circumcision is often done in hospitals now, and the traditional training has basically died out. They have extensive customs surrounding death.

There is a great celebration at the home of the deceased, hosting dozens to hundreds of people for a period of 40 days. Nowadays, there is often a shorter (1 week or so) celebration at the time of burial, then a single closing ceremony again to end the 40 days. This developed because many Luhya working in Nairobi had to return to their jobs rather than stay at home for 40 days.

The Luhya narrative is never complete without mentioning Chetambe Fort. The air around where the fort stood still resonates with the echoes of bravery that are etched deep into the stones of its walls. Long before the shadows of colonialism spread across Africa, the Luhya people had already established their legacy in the art of fort building. At this location, the Bukusu staged a last-ditch stand against their enemies in 1895. They faced a diverse British retaliatory expedition that included troops from Uganda, Sudan, Maasai warriors, and even other members of the Luhya community. An inevitable massacre ensued. According to residents, the Bukusu were all inside their walled fort at the top when the white men struck.

Despite the violence, the unwavering spirit of the Bukusu resistance against white colonialists persisted until independence. Chetambee, named after the land’s owner Chetambe Ifile, stands as a testament to courage, where the natives constructed a formidable Fort of stonewalls, known as ‘Olukoba lwa chetambe.’ This stronghold, soaring 12 feet high and deep, featured six gates—four major and two minor—symbolizing resilience and determination in the face of adversity.

When the Tachoni community built Olukoba lwa Chetambe on its four-hectare plot, it was clear they anticipated this would one day be their refuge in times of war. The pre-colonial and colonial eras provided that opportunity.