Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Story of the Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Mighty Prophet (Nandi community) (2019) by Shujaa StoriesNational Museums of Kenya

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
Koitalel Arap Samoei was born in 1860, to Kimnyole Arap Turukat at Samitu in Aldai. He was the last-born of four sons and belonged to the Kaplechach age set. He was the closest to his father and had a great ability to understand prophetic signs as compared to his brothers.

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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At twenty-five years of age, Samoei succeeded his father as the Orkoiyot, the supreme spiritual and political leader of the Nandi people. The Orkoiyot was traditionally from the Talai Clan of the Nandi who were believed to have been picked by Asis (God), to deliver messages to the people.

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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Koitalel Arap Samoei prophesied about the coming of a black snake, spitting fire, which would pass through the land of the Nandi.

Not long after, the British approached Koitalel Arap Samoei demanding to be allowed to build the Kenya Uganda Railway through Nandi Land. But Samoei would not have strangers in his land. He rallied his men and fighting began. The Nandi were really good fighters, even in the face of British guns they did not back down.

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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Samoei was a strategic military leader, planning surprise attacks on the railroad workers and the British when they least expected. He resisted the British fearlessly and as if that was not enough, he stole rail construction materials and used them for making ornaments and more weapons.

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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For twelve years or so, the British could not capture Koitalel Arap Samoei nor stop the Nandi, who continued to humiliate them. Eventually, they called for a truce meeting to negotiate peace with Koitalel Arap Samoei. Each party was to come accompanied by five people.

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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Unknown to Koitalel Arap Samoei and his people, this was just a trick to entrap and harm him. Richard Meinertzhagen, a British Colonel had marched from Nandi Fort with eighty armed men, seventy-five of whom hid around the meeting place.

Koitalel Arap Samoei went to shake hands with the Colonel and was shot along with his men. Only one of Koitalel Arap Samoei’s men escaped to tell of the incident.

Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Greatest Nandi Orkoiyot
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Having lost their greatest Orkoiyot, the Nandi could fight no more. This marked the end of the Nandi resistance. Building the railway continued uninterrupted through Nandi territory.

Today, there is a museum built in the Nandi Hills to commemorate Koitalel Arap Samoei and his effort.

Koitalel Arap Samoei’s legacy lives on:
Koitalel Arap Samoei was both a prophet and a military leader. Today we need people with such abilities to fight different battles – to fight poverty, disease, and environmental destruction.

The environment is the base of our economy and our life. To live, we need clean air, water, and productive land. To have clean air, water and productive land, we need to keep our environment functioning. Protecting forests, wetlands and other ecosystems is not just for wildlife – it is for our own benefit.

Credits: Story

Credits: Story
Research field work was undertaken in Samburu and Marsabit (for Gabbra, Samburu, Rendille, Saakuye, Dasanach, Elmolo, Waayu a.k.a Waata, and Burji superheroes/heroines), Embu and Tharaka (for Aembu, Tharaka, Ameru and Mbeere superheroes/heroines), Mombasa ( for Boni, Swahili, Pokomo, Segeju and Bajuni superheroes/heroines)and Taita-Taveta/Voi (for Taveta superheroes/heroines) capturing all information about the heroes from the 40 selected ethnic groups/communities by Museum’s research team. The illustrations were done using digital media by Shujaa Stories Limited.


National Museums of Kenya - Contributors
Mzalendo Kibunjia (PhD) - Director General
Purity Kiura (PhD) - Director Antiquities, Sites & Monuments
Julias Juma Ogega - Senior Curator/Research Scientist
Njuguna Gichere - Research Scientist
Lydia Gatundu - Art of Curator
Emmanuel Kariuki - Exhibit Designer
Philemon Nyamanga - Curator/Research Scientist
Mercy Gakii - Curator/Research Scientist
Imelda Muoti - Curator/Archivist
Innocent Nyaga - Marketing Officer
Suzanne Wanjaria - Exhibits Designer
Ray Balongo Khaemba - Senior Collection Manager
Raphael Igombo - Education Officer
Eddy Ochieng – Photographer/Videographer


Concept Developer:
Shujaa Stories Ltd


Creative Direction:
Tatu Creatives Ltd
Shujaa Stories Ltd


Shujaa Stories Ltd – Contributors
Masidza Sande Galavu - Illustrator
Jeff Muchina- Editing
Martha Shavuya Galavu - Illustrator
Brian Kiraga – Research and Writing
Daisy Okoti - Editing
Shani Mutarura - Editing
Juelz Laval – Photography/Videographer
Linda Tambo - Photography


Other Contributors
Nature Kenya- The East Africa Natural History Society (EANHS)
Spellcast Media


Date Created:
2019/2020


Location Created:
Kenya

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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