Done by Beverlyn Poingen (Form 4) and Mercy Koinale (Form 1) of Ng’etmoi and Toniok girls’ high schools.
This is the process of giving a name to a baby after he/she is born. When a mother gives birth in the Ilchamus community, the mid wife (Nkaitoyoni) is the one who receives the baby. The first thing that the mother eats after giving birth is meat and takes soup so that she can regain her strength.
A goat or a sheep is slaughtered and women and children come to celebrate the new born where they dine the slaughtered animal. The soup given to the mother is mixed with various herbs for cleansing the mother’s womb. Shaving ceremony is done after two or three months. The baby is named according to the season, day or time he/she is born. For example if the baby is born during a rainy day, the name given is ‘Nenchan’ for a girl and ‘Lenchan’ for a boy.
The ceremony is attended by women and children where women bring presents for the new born ranging from baby clothes to food such as milk and others. After eating, normally meat and Ugali, they sing praise songs with the baby and the mother at the center of a circle to welcome the new born. During the ceremony, women tie reeds round their heads called ‘Mparua’. They hold the baby each at a time passing him/her around.
kokwa Island 