Kipsigis Elders Return Controversial Bull ‘Kirgit’ To Kaputie Clan Of Tugen Community.
Kipsigis elders finally returned the controversial bull ‘Kirgit’ to Kaputie clan of Tugen community.
The bull ceremony was performed on Friday 24th March 2023 in Kericho County. The event was attended by Kericho County Deputy Governor Eng Fred Kirui and representatives from all the 196 Kipsigis clans residing at Angata, Emurua Dikir, Chepalungu, Bomet, Bureti, Konoin, Sotik, Belgut, Anamoi, Kipkelion, Kuresoi, Nakuru among others areas.
According to the Kipsigis Talai historian Mr David Tuei, some Maasai from Purko clan came from Tanganyika in 1897 with some cows. They were heading to Tugen, reaching Angata Barigoi in Transmara a cow of one of them gave birth and the owner of the cow told a member of Kipsigis community living there to let the cow and its calf together with other cattle that included a bull to stay at his home until when the calf is strong enough to travel. The rest of the Maasai people travelled with their cows until they reached Tugen.
These Maasai people from Purko clan called themselves Kaputie clan. When the owner of the cows returned to Angata to bring his cows, the owner of the homestead where he left the cows told him that some Kipsigis people stole the cows.
The Maasai man told the Kipsigis people they should not have taken even his bull as such he cursed the Kipsigis that ” Betok Kiruk” (you will not have leadership) and he went further to say that when the Kipsigis want him to forgive them they should give him a bull that will cross river Kipchorian.
When the Kipsigis elders heard of this story in 2018 they started to look for the Kaputie people. They found them in Tugen and they told them about the story and they started looking for the family of the owner of the bull.
In February this year some Kipsigis representatives went to Kaputie including David Tuei and they were told that the family whose cows were stolen in Angata was found. They came back and reported to the Kipsigis clan members. A date was set to be 24th March and the bull crossed river Kipchorian and was said by the owner.
