It started on the 3rd of April 2020.It was established because they to preserve the culture of the Abagusii and to teach C.B.C programs . Henri gardens and culture resort Centre derived its name from the father of the director whose name is Henri.the resort entailed a museum ,bird sanctuary ,biogas plant ,fish pond ,bee keeping ,swimming pool , indigenous plants and C.B.C program.The importance for keeping the Gusii culture was to remain relevant and preserve it for future generation

THE MWAMOGUSII COMPOUND

It entailed:

Egesa which is the father ‘s house.Esaiga was the boy’s house .Irungu was a place where girls slept Obweri was the cow’s homestead.

In the past ,a Gusii man was using sticks to count his animals . A man would know if one of his cow was missing if one stick remains on his hand after all the cows had entered the obweri

INSIDE THE ENYOMBA

At the center there was a hole [Egetukora] which had a center pot [ekeguru] supported by Entereko where the pot was kept. The pot contained alcohol [Ebusa]and old man used to sit around it to drink ebusa using the “orokore”[african straw]which had a filter called “Egeseso “. The role of the egeseso was to prevent the Emeseke [remains of busaa]from entering the orokore.

WEAPONS

It entailed:

Enguba which was a shield for one person while Engaya [much bigger than enguba] protected many people. Orotanga was for supporting a person when jumping over the fence .Ebibamba were sharp placed some few meters from the fence which were to brick an intruder who was jumping over the fence . Ritimo[spear],chinsara[arrows],were the main weapons for war. Omochere [arrow bag] was for carrying arrows. Enungu [rungu] was used as a defence weapon to hit an enemy. Obota[bow]was used to throw arrows. Egetureri [horn] was used to send signal during war.

FARMS AND HOUSEHOLDS

It entailed:

Ekenido was old man’s chair. Egetumbe was a seat for omokundekane[priest for wedding]. Egeteni[painted]was for a man and Unpainted was for a woman. Amerindian was the for children . Ekige was the Abagusii door and also was used for making millet. Engata was put on head for support of pots. Omonyoncho was to keep millet. Egetonga was to harvest wheat millet $ ripe bananas. Omoroka was Abagusii tissue. Ekemunu was used by man to test food or busaa. Omoro[panga]. Egesanda was to take porridge milk and busaa [abagusii cup]. Ekee was used for carrying millet ,wheat $ugali . Eragwariwas used to hold ekenagwa [thorns]. Omonyaboga was used to cover food in the egesanda. Oroteru was used for winnowing. Ekonu was used for crushing. Ekerandi [calabash] was for carrying porridge and milk. Egetitawas used for Ogotondera[borrowing] and barter trade. Rikweri was used by rich people to keep mixed food. Omotao was used to fetch water. Orwambo which was made from ekerundu and osmosis I was used to air out grains.

POTS

Egetega was used to cook meat and vegetables. Enyangeni was used to cook only vegetables. Enyakaruga was used to cook ugali.

OTHERS

Ekegu was a medicinal tool. Ekeeu skank[animal] . Etoto was a part in the house which was believed to take care of the only kid calves.

Irungu was a place where firewood was kept [attic]

Ekuruki was women’s dress

Ekegukumbe [hunch back] was believed it was a curse.

Ekamati was sister-in-law

Endoti was a security tower

Risangina was a gusii fridge

Egomaniac was a place to keep sheep $goats.

Iburu was where circumcised girls were kept

Obotindiaro was where utensils were kept .

N/B: The gusii people were first to discover skull surgery.

A long time ago,It was believed that Mogusii lived in Egypt (misri).He migrated from there with the Abakuria (omokuria), Abuluya (omoragori) and Ameru (omomeru).They carried wheat on their way.They went to Sudan,Uganda and then to Kenya.They settled in Kano plains where the mother of Mogusii lived in gesumu. She died there and the place was called Kisumu.

Children who were born at port Kisumu (ekemunto) were called Kemunto and those who were born during crossing the lake were called Kwamboka. They went to Sondu , Ahero and then to Kabianga.They settled there because the place had a tree called (Omosabakwa) which showed that the place was fertile. Mogusii married there six wifes namely momachoge , monyaribari , mogirango , mogetutu , mobasi and mochari. Momachoge brought bomachoge , monyaribari brought nyaribari , mogirango brought bogirango , mogetutu brought bogetutu , mobasi brought bobasi and mochari brought bochari.

Animals and people started dying and they called the place kabianga . They went to Ikorongo and settled there.Mogetutu did not have male children so she moved from there to Bogisero. She married another woman who had a male child (enkundi) and the name Nyakundi originated from there.

The tools that mogusii was using were as follows. A traditional straw (orokore) which was used by men in drinking alcohol from the same pot. It had a sieve (egeseso) for filtering the alcohol during drinking. A pot (enyongo) which was used for fetching water and it was where men drank alcohol from.Egetono which was used for cooking. A shield (enguba) which was used for protection during war.A Thermos (omochere) which was used for keeping drinks.Omonyonjo which was used for keeping wheat. A traditional stool (egeteni) which was used for sitting.

My name is Thomas Ayaka Onsarigo. I come from a village called Metembe. The village was named after a tree called Omotembe. It was one of old tree and our ancestors named it Metembe.My first name Thomas, I was named after my uncle who died along time ago before I was born. My second name Ayaka which came from my uncle also who was from our great grandfather. The third name Onsarigo is my father`s surname.