Culture as a Symbolic Language in the Mourning of Raila Odinga

Kenya 19 October 2015 - The decision by the Nandi elders to deliver 80 bulls to the family of the late Raila Amolo Odinga speaks volumes beyond the surface of condolence.

It is a profound expression of culture as a symbolic language, one that communicates respect, unity, and shared national identity beyond tribal creeds.

In times of loss, cultures often turn to ritual.

For the Nandi, and more broadly the Kalenjin community, livestock—especially bulls—carry deep meaning.

They are not merely animals but vessels of tradition, honor, and spiritual significance.

In this context, the bulls are far more than a generous gift; they are symbols of a cultural narrative that binds individuals to their community, and communities to the nation.

The 80 bulls being offered to the Odinga family represent not just condolence, but an act of national communion.

It is a gesture rooted in age-old customs, yet one that resonates with Kenya’s current political and social fabric.

Tinderet MP Julius Melly captured this sentiment succinctly, saying, “Raila was a symbol of unity… We believe this is the right way to pay our last respects.”

His words highlight how culture can serve as a vehicle for political and emotional expression. Raila Odinga, a political titan and statesman, was not of the Kalenjin community.

Yet in mourning him with such an overtly cultural gesture, the Nandi elders transcend ethnic boundaries.

The bulls become symbols of unity—an embodiment of Kenya’s collective grief and, perhaps more importantly, its collective identity.

This is not the first time Kenyan communities have turned to cultural rituals in moments of political or national significance.

The use of livestock in ritual exchanges—whether as bride price, peace offerings, or funeral condolences—has long served as a means of communication. In traditional African societies, where oral histories and symbolic actions often held more weight than written records, such rituals were forms of storytelling.

They preserved values, conveyed respect, and built alliances.

The number 80, too, is significant—not in a literal sense, but symbolically.

It reflects the scale of Raila’s impact. Offering a large number of bulls signals not just wealth or generosity but the weight of loss felt by the community.

It is a way of saying, "Your loss is our loss," not in words, but through action.

Moreover, the communal aspect of this gesture cannot be overlooked.

According to MP Melly, over six million members of the Kalenjin community are expected to join hands with other mourners. Such participation is itself a cultural act, transforming individual mourning into a collective ritual.

This fusion of tradition and nationhood shows how symbolic acts grounded in culture can be powerful tools for building unity.

The presence of elected leaders such as Nandi Hills MP Bernard Kitur and other elders in escorting the bulls adds a further layer of symbolism.

It represents an endorsement by both traditional and modern political structures.

In a country where the tension between these two systems sometimes flares, their collaboration here reinforces the potential harmony between Kenya’s cultural heritage and its democratic present.

In essence, the delivery of 80 bulls is not just about mourning a man—it is a cultural script, performed in full view of a nation still learning to reconcile its diversity.

It is a reminder that culture is not static. It adapts, reinterprets, and speaks. In this case, it speaks eloquently of respect, reconciliation, and nationhood.

At a time when Kenyan politics is often defined by ethnic division and contestation, this act of symbolic unity is refreshing. It shows that culture—when invoked inclusively—can be a powerful unifier.

It communicates what political speeches often fail to: shared humanity.

The Nandi elders’ gesture is thus not just traditional—it is deeply modern in its implications.

It asserts that in Kenya, culture remains one of the most potent forms of symbolic diplomacy. And in mourning Raila Odinga, it has spoken louder than words.