In the heart of the Kenyan highlands, nestled amidst the rolling hills and lush greenery, lived the Tugen tribe. They were a proud and mighty people, known for their bravery in battle and their unshakable loyalty to their traditions.
One of the most important traditions of the Tugen tribe was the age-set system. Each generation was divided into a specific age group, and these groups would move through life together, undergoing various rites of passage and sharing in the joys and sorrows of their fellow group members.
But there was one age set that was lost to the Tugen people – the Maina age set. It was said that this age set had been wiped out in a great war, and its members had never been replaced.
The Tugen people mourned the loss of the Maina age set, but they continued on with their lives, hoping that one day they would be able to reclaim what they had lost.
How Tugens lost the Maina Age-Set
Word had spread that the Masai people, who lived to the south, had gone to war in Tanzania. The Tugen people saw an opportunity – they could travel to the Masai lands and claim some of their cattle while they were away.
So the Tugens set out on their journey, traveling for many days across the rugged terrain. Finally, they arrived in Laikipia, where they discovered that the Masai had indeed gone to war.
Excited by the prospect of riches, the Tugens took some of the Masai cattle and began feasting in Naivasha, a beautiful lake nestled in the valley below Mount Longonot.
But their joy was short-lived.
Suddenly, without warning, the Masai appeared on the horizon. The Tugens were caught off guard, and they scrambled to defend themselves. But it was too late. The Masai were fierce warriors, and they quickly overpowered the Tugens, killing many of them in the process.
It was a devastating loss for the Tugen people. Not only had they lost many of their warriors, but they had also lost the Maina age set. The Tugens were now forced to move forward without them, and as a result, they fell behind in their age-set cycle.
Meanwhile, the Keiyos, another neighbouring tribe, moved ahead in their age-set cycle, leaving the Tugens behind.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but the Tugen people refused to give up. They vowed to reclaim what they had lost, and they continued to hold on to their traditions, hoping that one day they would be able to make things right again.
