International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Impact Factor (2012): 3.358 Volume 3 Issue 9, September 2014 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY An Investigation of the Batsotso Mourning Rituals in Kakamega County, Kenya Asatsa Stephen 1 , Chege Moses Gichuho 2 1 Masters in Counseling Psychology, Mount Kenya University, Kenya. A practicing counseling psychologist 2 M.Sc Environmental Studies, Moi University, Kenya. UNEP Environmental Consultant, Kenya Abstract: Every community in the world responds to death and loss in unique ways. Funeral customs and ceremonies vary across different cultures worldwide. The study focused on establishing and understanding the effects of the Batsotso mourning rituals and ascertaining their applicability in grief and bereavement counseling. The research narrowed down to the different rituals performed during the mourning period among the Batsotso people with the aim of generalizing the results to other Kenyan communities. Batsotso is one of the Luhya dialects, a tribe that inhabits Kakamega County in Kenya. The study used descriptive research design. The data was collected by the use of questionnaires, interview and observation. The target population for this study was 400 families from Butsotso who had experienced death in the last three years. The sample size of 80 participants was selected through simple random sampling. The questionnaires were given to adults and children while the interview guide was administered on adults who had attained at least fifty years of age. Results from the study were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative techniques and interpretation presented inform of charts and tables. The research was guided by three theories. The theories include Bowlbys theory of attachment, Kubler Ross grief theory and Rondos’ theory on grief process. The study concluded that there is relationship between the Batsotso mourning rituals and the psychological well being of the mourners. The study recommends that Batsotso people should practice mourning rituals which have therapeutic and psychological purpose as they help them to cope with death. Keywords: Batsotso, grief, mourning rituals, knowledge, Kakamega 1. Introduction Death and non death related losses are pervasive experiences that lead to considerable stress and may serve as catalysts for psychiatric illnesses even though grief is not an abnormality (Roos, 2002). Lynne (2012) defines mourning as a culturally appropriate process that helps people to pass through grief. She looks at this process as a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly the loss of someone or property to which a bond had been established. Over a long period of time, different people from different cultures have gone over the mourning process by use of different strategies. Different communities worldwide have unique ways of meeting the emotional needs of the bereaved. For instance, in the Jewish culture people could take several days after burial, at the burial site. In this culture the dead bodies were wrapped in clothes before burial as documented in the Holy Bible (John11:39). It is also clear that burying the dead was an important part of mourning rituals. In the Far East specifically in India, unique rituals include cremation where the body of the dead is burnt to ashes. The Indians do this to separate the spirit and the bodies of the dead, to allow the spirit go to the spirit world (Clark, 2000). Silverman & Prigerson (2001) discusses how different cultures in Europe conducted funerals. For instance in Poland a door and windows of the house where someone died were left opened to allow the soul of the deceased to leave. Mirrors were covered with some cloth. Clocks were stopped. African communities too had their own mourning styles. Cottle (2006) examines how the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe mourn their people. He found out that when a person is so close to dying the family makes effort to revive the person by pouring cold water on him or making him inhale smoke from certain herbs. Roos & Toit (2002) examine the rituals used in Ethiopia. In his analysis Were (1967) observes that the Batsotso are made up of twenty clans: Abakobero, Abangonya, Abamweche, Abamwende, Abashisiru, Abashiibo, Abamatioli, Abamamu, Abatamanyini, Abashibuli, Abangusi, Abashibimbi, Abashialo, Abamucherera, Abashinda, Abashimukoko, Abakhobole, Abamani, Abanyulia and Abashirima. Barret (1987) in looking at death among the Turkana says that death in Africa helps people to join the ancestors and become one of them. He quotes a Turkana prayer during burial of an elder: Our father leave us, here is your tobacco, chew it, this is your milk drink it, this is your meat, eat it. Father, help us now and give us life, make us rich and give us food. (p.40) The Administrative units in Butsotso are locations, sub locations and areas. The two locations inhabited by the Batsotso are Butsotso South and Butsotso North. They are further subdivided into several sub locations with each being dominated by a specific clan. The sub locations are further broken down into areas which are headed by a village elder. The village elders administrate on minor disputes in their areas and must be well conversant with the customary law of the clan in that area. The main economic activity in Butsotso is Sugarcane farming. The community still holds on various traditional customs. Funeral rituals are among the most preserved cultures of this community. Due to the inevitability of death, the mourning process remains a process that many people have to continue going through as long as they live. In the African culture including the Batsotso people, there is much superstition and cultural beliefs that accompany mourning due to death of a loved Paper ID: 02015814 794