How do you feel about animals? Does the mere sight of a creature make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, or are you a proud farmer or pet owner who wouldn’t have it any other way? Whether you fall into either of these categories or something in between, there is no doubt that animals evoke a wide range of emotions.
For Kenyan communities, many beliefs about animals have developed over the years. Take the owl, for example. Sighting an owl or catching wind of its hoot would make the blood run cold for members of the Kalenjin, Luo, Luhya, Kikuyu, and Meru communities. Encountering one of these birds has been considered a bad omen – a harbinger of death for loved ones or terrible things to come.
But much like many problems, communities devised solutions to what they considered to be doomsday birds. For the Kikuyu community, throwing salt on a fire or throwing stones in the direction of the hooting was said to ward off the bird – and, with it, any bad intentions. Similarly, the Kalenjin, Luo, and Luhya communities threw burning wood or ash at the eyes of owls. It is worth noting that some Kenyans have disregarded these beliefs and taken to rearing these birds as tourist attractions while there is some scientific evidence that owl hooting takes place during mating rather than as a warning.
Still, some claim to hear a chorus of hoots before a loved one dies, and some animals such as cats continue to hold a bad reputation for bringing misfortune. Like their owl counterparts, cats have been feared for bringing adversity. One Kikuyu belief is that if one comes across a cat, they should turn back and go home! If not, they should prepare for bad luck. These felines have been associated with evil, witchcraft and even demons.
Despite these harrowing accounts, not all is doom and gloom in the animal kingdom. In fact, some animals are seen to be of assistance to people. In the Kipsigis tradition, fireflies in the home are said to mean one will soon have visitors. While fireflies ensured the Kipsigis were never caught unaware by guests, geese were believed to warn the people of Kakamega of witches. The birds were used as security and said to possess a sort of sixth sense to carry out this surveillance.
Love them or hate them, animals are a large part of our Kenyan beliefs, and we are curious to know what your beliefs about animals are. Have you heard about animals bringing good omens or bad luck? Let us know in the comments!