Suba (Kenya)
Encyclopedia
The Suba are a people in Kenya
who speak the Suba language
. Their population is estimated at under 30,000, making them one of the country's smallest tribes. They migrated to Kenya from Uganda
and settled on the two Lake Victoria
islands of Rusinga and Mfangano
, and are believed to be the last tribe to have settled in Kenya. Linguistically, the Suba are highly influenced by the neighbouring Luo, to the point of a language shift
having taken place among large portions of the mainland Suba. As a result, their own language has been classified as endangered. Despite this language shift, the Suba have kept a distinct ethnic identity.
There are also people in Tanzania
(Tarime District, Mara Region
) who call themselves Suba, but it is unclear as to whether or not they are part of the same ethnic group. Their language is very similar.
The Suba people originally migrated from Uganda across Lake Victoria and settled in the islands of Rusinga and Mfangano. Other subgroups migrated and settled on the shores of Lake Victoria in the early 18th Century. The Suba people who settled in the islands of Mfangano and Rusinga include a sub clam called the 'Chula'- meaning the people of the islands. Other people are called the Fangano. The Suba people who settled across the shore settled in islands called Uregi, Gwassi and Kaksingri. The Kaksingri live in a small fishing village called Mbita, and they are closed related with Uregi who live in the Uregi Hills. Another suba sub clan is the Gwasii people who live in the Gwasii Highlands. Gwasii are the biggest group of the Suba people living close to lake. Today many people in the islands and the highlands subsequent to the Victoria still retain the suba dialect that is closely related to the Ganda language although it is heavily influenced by the bigger Luo Language.
Other suba speakers are found in the Southern shores of the Lake in Muhuru Bay. They are generally called Muhuhuru People and they also speak the Suba Language.Some pockets of Uregi, Gwassi, and Kaksingri are also found in Muhuru Bay.
Even though the greater Suna people usually identify themselves as Suba. They are not originally Suba. In real sense, the term Suba refers to a group of people who migrated form Uganda escaping the expansion of the Buganda Kingdom. They settled in Kenya as refugees and they had a well formed and a very organized language, political system and economic activities. The Suba in Suna Kenya refers to a mix of Bantu and Nilotes especially the Luos, and Kuria who settled in Kenya. A clear evidence of this is a town named Suba Kuria in Migori Kenya. The Suna- Suba include the Wasweta, Kadika, Wiga people, Kakrao, Wagire and Kamng'ongo people.
There language include a combination of Luo and Kuria language and many of the communities interact freely with the Tanzanian Suba and Kuria people.
Culture.
The culture of the Suba People is very distinct from those of the Luo. The Suba people practice circumcision as an initiation process from boyhood to adulthood. Mostly boys are circumcised. In some clans, even girls are circumcised. The Suba people are cattle farmers- a culture that they borrowed from the Luos. Even though the Luo no longer keep large herds of cattle, the Suba still keep cattle in large numbers. This is especially common in Migori District in Suba west division where cattle rustlling between Kurians and Suba people is common. The Abasuba also commonly practice polygamy, some of the members of the clan are named to have had even ten wives.
Politically, the Suba were subordinate to the Luo even though they are skeptical of the Luo culture. They have constantly voted with the Luos of Kenya. The most renown Suba leaders include:
Princes Jully; Benga Musician
Onyi Papa Jey: Ohangala Musician
Tom Ogweno: Former Harambee Stars player
George BlackBerry odhiambo: Former Gor sensational midfielder
Tom Mboya: Assassinated Independence Hero:
The Late senior chief Seko(Magunga):
Chief Ogwada: Colonial chief in Migori.
Ezekiel Maswabe: An old businessman in Muhuru Bay
Joseph Mbadi: Gwassi Mp
Ochola Ogur: Former Nyatike MP.
The Late George Seko: Lecturer.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
who speak the Suba language
Suba language
The Suba language is the language of Kenya's Suba people. As the Suba number very few to begin with , and the majority have begun speaking Dholuo as their main language, Suba is on the verge of extinction. The remaining speakers are mostly elderly residents on the island of Mfangano...
. Their population is estimated at under 30,000, making them one of the country's smallest tribes. They migrated to Kenya from Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and settled on the two Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
islands of Rusinga and Mfangano
Mfangano Island
Mfangano Island lies in the eastern part of Lake Victoria, at the mouth of the Winam Gulf. Part of Kenya, it lies west of Rusinga Island. The island is 65 km² in area and rises to 1,694 m at Mount Kwitutu. It had a population of 16,282 as of 1999 census of population...
, and are believed to be the last tribe to have settled in Kenya. Linguistically, the Suba are highly influenced by the neighbouring Luo, to the point of a language shift
Language shift
Language shift, sometimes referred to as language transfer or language replacement or assimilation, is the progressive process whereby a speech community of a language shifts to speaking another language. The rate of assimilation is the percentage of individuals with a given mother tongue who speak...
having taken place among large portions of the mainland Suba. As a result, their own language has been classified as endangered. Despite this language shift, the Suba have kept a distinct ethnic identity.
There are also people in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
(Tarime District, Mara Region
Mara Region
Mara is one of the 26 regions of Tanzania. The region is named after the Mara River. Musoma serves as the Region's capital.The neighbouring regions are Mwanza and Shinyanga , Arusha and Kagera . To the north east, it borders the Republic of Kenya...
) who call themselves Suba, but it is unclear as to whether or not they are part of the same ethnic group. Their language is very similar.
The Suba people originally migrated from Uganda across Lake Victoria and settled in the islands of Rusinga and Mfangano. Other subgroups migrated and settled on the shores of Lake Victoria in the early 18th Century. The Suba people who settled in the islands of Mfangano and Rusinga include a sub clam called the 'Chula'- meaning the people of the islands. Other people are called the Fangano. The Suba people who settled across the shore settled in islands called Uregi, Gwassi and Kaksingri. The Kaksingri live in a small fishing village called Mbita, and they are closed related with Uregi who live in the Uregi Hills. Another suba sub clan is the Gwasii people who live in the Gwasii Highlands. Gwasii are the biggest group of the Suba people living close to lake. Today many people in the islands and the highlands subsequent to the Victoria still retain the suba dialect that is closely related to the Ganda language although it is heavily influenced by the bigger Luo Language.
Other suba speakers are found in the Southern shores of the Lake in Muhuru Bay. They are generally called Muhuhuru People and they also speak the Suba Language.Some pockets of Uregi, Gwassi, and Kaksingri are also found in Muhuru Bay.
Even though the greater Suna people usually identify themselves as Suba. They are not originally Suba. In real sense, the term Suba refers to a group of people who migrated form Uganda escaping the expansion of the Buganda Kingdom. They settled in Kenya as refugees and they had a well formed and a very organized language, political system and economic activities. The Suba in Suna Kenya refers to a mix of Bantu and Nilotes especially the Luos, and Kuria who settled in Kenya. A clear evidence of this is a town named Suba Kuria in Migori Kenya. The Suna- Suba include the Wasweta, Kadika, Wiga people, Kakrao, Wagire and Kamng'ongo people.
There language include a combination of Luo and Kuria language and many of the communities interact freely with the Tanzanian Suba and Kuria people.
Culture.
The culture of the Suba People is very distinct from those of the Luo. The Suba people practice circumcision as an initiation process from boyhood to adulthood. Mostly boys are circumcised. In some clans, even girls are circumcised. The Suba people are cattle farmers- a culture that they borrowed from the Luos. Even though the Luo no longer keep large herds of cattle, the Suba still keep cattle in large numbers. This is especially common in Migori District in Suba west division where cattle rustlling between Kurians and Suba people is common. The Abasuba also commonly practice polygamy, some of the members of the clan are named to have had even ten wives.
Politically, the Suba were subordinate to the Luo even though they are skeptical of the Luo culture. They have constantly voted with the Luos of Kenya. The most renown Suba leaders include:
Princes Jully; Benga Musician
Onyi Papa Jey: Ohangala Musician
Tom Ogweno: Former Harambee Stars player
George BlackBerry odhiambo: Former Gor sensational midfielder
Tom Mboya: Assassinated Independence Hero:
The Late senior chief Seko(Magunga):
Chief Ogwada: Colonial chief in Migori.
Ezekiel Maswabe: An old businessman in Muhuru Bay
Joseph Mbadi: Gwassi Mp
Ochola Ogur: Former Nyatike MP.
The Late George Seko: Lecturer.
- Okoth-Okombo, Duncan (1999) 'Language and ethnic identity: the case of the Abasuba', Kenya Journal of Sciences (Series C, Humanities and Social Sciences) 5, 1, 21-38.
- Heine, Bernd & Brenzinger, Mathias (eds.) (2003) 'Africa', in UNESCO Red Book of Endangered Languages. (Suba entry)