Nayece: The Mother of All Turkanas

The story of Nayece, the legendary mother of all Turkana, begins many years ago when a group of eight young men lost a bull. The bull was their source of wealth and they could not afford to lose it. The eight young men, therefore, set out on a journey to find the lost bull.

They passed through valleys and hills; fought with wild animals on the way as well as passed through communities that felt threatened by the presence of strangers, who could very well, be spies sent by their enemies. They also endured the climate changes from one area to another, the scorching sun and heavy rainfall.

They travelled eastwards from the country of Jie in Karamoja, tracking the lost bull of a specific shade of grey, engiro.

Descending the escarpment which now serves as the border between Uganda and Kenya, the young men arrived at the headwaters of the Tarash River. They were struck by the beauty of this foreign landscape, where the sand is light, the trees are few, the wind blew freely and they could see where the sun touched the ground. They fell in love with the sun set.

There, at a hill called Moru Anayece which means 'Nayece's Mountain', they found the bull living with Nayece. Nayece, an old woman, had also come from Karamoja to gather wild fruits. She led the young warriors into a lush and verdant valley, unoccupied by people. The valley was rich in wild berries, an important part of the Turkana diet up to date. She further welcomed the young men by showing them around the area. She gave the men fire and taught them how to cook.

Impressed with the area, the men talked other young people into joining them and together they moved in with their livestock. Nayece divided the men into territorial sections (the basis of Turkana society today), and became the mother-heroine of the Turkana. Ever since, the Turkana and Jie have been allies.

The young men return to the country of the Jie, to collect additional young men and girls, and drive herds of livestock back to the Tarash, as though moving to dry-season cattle camps. They decided to remain in the new area permanently, and thus become the Turkana.

Bonus Information
Lake Turkana, is located in Turkana County in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, bordering Ethiopia. Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. By volume it is the world's fourth-largest Salt Lake. The Nile crocodiles are found in great abundance on the flats. The rocky shores are home to scorpions and carpet vipers. The lake is rich in fish and fishing is very important to the local economy. Lake Turkana has three National parks; Sibiloi National Park which lies on the lake's eastern shore, Central Island National Park and South Island National Park which lie in the lake. Both are known for their Nile crocodiles. They are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.