Koito ("To give away") is a

Kalenjin Kalenjin may refer to: * Kalenjin people The Kalenjin are a group of tribes designated as Highland Nilotes and are descended from Maliri people ''(thus related to Daasanach of Ethiopia.)'' The Kalenjin are cousins with Datooga people of Tan ...

wedding

ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...

which involves the negotiation of a brides dowry.

Practice

There are variations in practice between the various sub-tribes, with the

Kipsigis Kipsigis may refer to: *the Kipsigis people of Kenya *Kipsigis language Kipsigis (or Kipsikii, Kipsikiis) is part of the Kenyan Kalenjin dialect cluster, It is spoken mainly in Kericho and Bomet counties in Kenya. The Kipsigis people are the m ...

for example having a smaller celebration where only one's immediate family and

oreet The Oreet (pl. Ortinuek or Ortinweek) is a kinship group among the Kalenjin people of Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capita ...

members are invited while the

Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afri ...

on the other hand have large celebrations where the whole village is invited. For all however the key elements are similar; that is the negotiation of the dowry payment which is done by a few select members/negotiators from both families in the privacy of a room separate from the other guests.

Mursik Mursik is a traditional fermented milk variant of the Kalenjin people of Kenya. It can be made from cow or goat milk and is fermented in a specially made calabash gourd locally known as a ''sotet''. The gourd is lined with soot from specific tree ...

is drunk at the end of negotiations by those present to symbolize agreement and is seen as being crucial to the process. After the negotiations, a celebration is held where the bridegroom and bride are given advise on family life by older relatives from both families. Usually symbolic gifts and presents are given to the couple during this ceremony. The koito is often quite colorful and sometimes bears resemblance to a wedding ceremony and it is indeed gaining prominence as the key event since the kaayaaet'ap koito is sometimes merged with it and at other times the tunisiet is foregone in favor of it.

References

{{Reflist Kalenjin Wedding traditions