The Kanyikela Genealogy

The search for family roots can be fascinating and interesting. Everyone's path is different, with its own peculiar twists and turns. Each bend in the trail, each landmark along the way, has its own charm and story. We only come to realize the true value of our family tree after circumstances have forced us to retrace our steps and learn the lesson they have to teach in life. This book is a genealogy study which traces Kanyikela Community and Ka Nyotieno family ancestry back to their origin. Particular interest and attention were focused on the Kanyotieno family in Kanyikela Community, Luo Nyanza in Kenya. The Kanyotieno family met at Ezekiel Ogola Ojwang's home and requested for the publication of a book revealing their genealogy. The book takes into consideration and identifies some of the economic, social and political reasons that forced Kanyikela people besides other Luo Community to relocate from Southern Sudan through Uganda to Asembo in Central Nyanza to Ndhiwa, South Nyanza where they currently reside and having two Locations: South Kanyikela Location and North Kanyikela Location. It describes the events that occurred during their lifetimes that had an effect on their existence. The genealogical information of Kanyikela community and particularly Kanyotieno family dating back to the 18thCentury, was primarily gathered from oral literature and interviews with elderly Kanyikela people such as: Okeno Gudu, Isaya Okeno, Camlus Buga, Hezron Ochieng,Yustino Ogutu, Shadrack Orwe, Joram Lwambe Okola, Peter Elkana Agola,Wilson Ododa Oyaya, Caleb Obanda, Jack Francis Ojwang, Mahalone Ojwang Lwambe, Hanah Oluga Obambo, Okombo Otipa, Oyoyo Ochola, Obura Odongo, Hesbon Odera, Shem Barack Odero and many other Kanyikela elders. The author had to compile and keep all these records, do the critical analysis with the help of the taskforce committe and come out with this book. The book opens the door for the readers to see the great wonders of the world in live pictures from sunrise to sunset. It tells a true story of every member of Kanyikela Community and Kanyotieno family from birth to death for a span of nearly seven generations. With this book in place, our children will never be left out for knowing where they came from. Since nowadays elderly people don't sit down with their grandchildren to tell them about their past real-life stories, this book will teach the younger generation to know their genealogy in a written form unlike in the past when our ancestors used to impart such valuable knowledge from generation to generation through word of mouth.