THE TUGEN:
The Tugens are one of ten Kalenjin ethnic group whose population is estimated at 350,000 people. The Tugens have four dialects namely:
Traditionally, like other Kalenjin people, the Tugen prayed to a God referred as Asis (which means 'sun'.) There are also gods namely Chepapkoyo(god of harvest), Cheptengeryan (god of love). Currenlty Most have converted to ChristianitIsly and Islam which has flourished in the major towns.
Age-sets (Ibindo): The Tugen social organisation centres on the age set known as ibindo. There are seven age-sets (ibinwek) which are rotational, meaning at the end of one age set new members of that generation are born. The order is roughly as given below. Among other Kalenjin sub-ethnic groups an additional age-set called Maina exists. However, among the Tugen, this ageset is extinct. Legend has it that the members of this ibindo were wiped out by the Keiyo, in skirmish between the two tribes near a place called Cheploch gorge. For fear of a recurrence, the community decided to retire the age-set.
Ibindo was given out at initiation and by simple arrangements, there ought to be one ibindo between a father and a son. For example, a korongoro cannot beget a kipkoimet.The Tugen don't consider a woman to have an age set, hence she can marry any age set except that in which her father belongs.
The following are 7 Tugen age sets which is similar to other Kalenjin sub-ethnic groups:
Age sub-set (siritie): In each age-set, the initiates were bundled into siritie or what can be understood as a 'team'. There are three 'teams' or siritoik in an age-set (ibindo) namely:
1. Chongin
2. kapchepsuei
3. Barnot (literally youth)
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