There truly is no place like home, and African communities brought this expression to life through their ingenious house designs. Evidence of this incredible artistry still exists, with one such structure here in Kenya being recognized as a place of outstanding universal value in 2018. This site is called Thimlich Ohinga.
Located in Migori County, this archaeological site is a dry-stone walled settlement that was built in the 16th century. Over 100 such structures can be found around the Lake Victoria region, but Thimlich Ohinga has stood the test of time and is the best preserved of them all. The name Thimlich Ohinga comes from the Dholuo language. Thimlich means “frightening dense forest”, aptly named due to the indigenous forest cover in the region, while Ohinga refers to a structure that is built using stone.
Thimlich comprises of four Ohingni (plural of Ohinga). The main Ohinga is referred to as K’Ochieng, while the others are K’Akuku, K’Oketch and K’Oluoch. These Ohingni are constructed in a three-phase design. Their walls have an outer and inner phase of neatly arranged stones of all shapes and sizes and a middle phase consisting of smaller stones. The middle phase holds the stones in the inner and outer phases of the walls together. The stones were placed in an interlocking system that enhanced overall stability without the use of any mortar or cement.
Flanking the entrance gate into Thimlich Ohinga are two watchtowers that were manned round the clock by warriors. These watchtowers were part of the security system of the Ohingni and protected the residents from unprecedented raids. Each Ohinga within Thimlich is made up of internal features including cattle pens, garden fences, depressions that were used as house pits, and low walled corridors that separated the enclosures. A designated industrial area is also found within this archaeological site. The presence of a furnace and a mound of iron slag indicates that iron smelting took place in this enclosure.
Thimlich Ohinga is an exceptional testimony of past settlement patterns in the Lake Victoria Basin. Oral history, and archaeological and genetic evidence attest to periodic occupation of the site until the early 20th century when it was finally abandoned. The earliest inhabitants are said to have been Bantu groups including the Wagire and Kamageta. Nilotic groups that also occupied the complex include the Kabuoch-Kachieng, Kadem, Kaler, Kanyamwa and Karungu.
In 1980, this property was declared a national monument. But even before this, the Luo community understood its cultural significance and contributed to its preservation. To date, Thimlich Ohinga serves as a location for community rituals, especially in times of crisis. These community-based maintenance strategies are commended in the protection of this heritage site and can be emulated in other sites as well.