The family of the trapped Abimbo miner Tom Okwach is torn between continuing to search for him and getting closure of sorts through a cultural practice that involves burying a banana sucker.
The Luo community still buries a banana shoot in place of a relative who is feared dead but whose body cannot be found for a proper burial ceremony.
The site where the banana plant is buried then serves as a grave that is respected like any other.
Tom Okwach was among 10 miners who were trapped in an Abimbo gold mine when it collapsed on December 2.
Eight of the miners were rescued alive while one was found dead.
Mr Okwach’s body remains buried underground, 48 days after the mine caved in.
At the Abimbo mines, things have since gone silent after the onset of rains.
The miners that used to mill at the site no longer show up. All the artisanal miners left after Shining Hope for Communities (Shofco), the organisation that financed the search operation, left last week after six days.
Before the rains began, mining went on at Abimbo even as operations to retrieve Mr Okwach’s proceeded.
Missing son
Miners usually take a recess when rains begin because shafts tend to collapse in rainy seasons.
But Mr Okwach’s mother, Joyce Ochollah, still hopes that the body will be retrieved.
“Many people, especially elders, have been telling us to consider burying a banana sucker in place of our missing son. But to me this is not an easy thing. I feel I am closer to getting my child and I beseech the government not to give up at this crucial hour,” she said.
A banana plant could not replace her child, she said, vowing to continue camping at the site until she finds her son.
“How will I move on with my life knowing well that my son is in these heaps of soil? I have been out waiting patiently for more than 40 days for my son to be retrieved, I can’t bury a banana to take the place of my son. Please help me get my child,” she pleaded.
Mzee Lucas Onyango, 68, from Alego Kaugagi, said the act of burying a banana sucker traditionally was meant to leave a mark because the banana is associated with fertility among the Luo.
“When Luo women delivered children, the umbilical cords were buried under the banana trees to show and enhance fertility. When someone dies and the body cannot be traced for burial, banana suckers would be buried instead,” said Mr Onyango.
He went on: “Bodies would go missing when people were in battles, the enemy would kill some of the Luo warriors, and carrying bodies back home would be challenging. The elders, therefore, would lead the community in burying banana suckers.
Cry for help
“Sometimes fishermen would also be attacked by wild animals in the lakes or rivers and their bodies eaten. In order to have closure, bereaved families would bury banana suckers.”
The family has appealed for help from Kenyans, particularly celebrities following Shofco’s exit.
“I have heard over the radio of celebrities helping needy Kenyans. Musicians have come together to help people in need. Are they not listening to our cry for help over the radios? Our names have been in the newspapers for over one month, haven’t they heard our plight? Please help us,” said Ms Okwach.
“I believe other Kenyans have also seen our plight. All we request is an opportunity to have our son out of these mines. Even if he is dead, he needs to rest at home. Abimbo if far away from home.”
The operation has been on and off, mainly due to insufficient resources, with the family constantly appealing for help.
Politicians and leaders from Siaya County have avoided the Abimbo mines like a plague.
A group of women from Siaya had joined forces and contributed Sh300 each to support the operations through Shofco.
Mr Okwach’s uncle Fredrick Ogunde believes that with proper support, they will be able to retrieve their relative.
“We don’t believe in things such as burying a banana. We look forward to retrieving him,” he said.
Heavy rains
“The issue of burying a banana is neither here nor there. We will get our son out of the mines and have a proper send-off for him, we can’t give up now.”
Other than the exit of Shofco, some miners have also left, citing the dangers that come with heavy rains that began a few days ago at the mines.
Heavy rains, according to Samwel Omondi, one of the leaders of the artisanal miners at Abimbo, makes operations impossible.
“Water fills the tunnels and the walls also become weaker. Continuing with operations would be risking the lives of the miners. We shall stop for now till the rains subside; continuing the operations may bring another disaster,” said Mr Omondi.
The miners had on January 5 reported that a foul smell was coming from the tunnel where they believed Mr Okwach was. But 13 days later the miner has not been retrieved.
Shofco supported the operation for six days, during which it paid the excavator and 40 artisanal miners who were involved.
“We believe he is just a few feet away from us, the water that had filled the tunnel where the miners worked had a smell. We drained the water and we are sure if we continue working at this rate without stopping we will reach him in a few days,” Mr Ogunde.
Shofco had relied on reports from family members and miners that his body was not far and it would take four days’ work to get it.
“Our budget was strained and we could not continue,” said Hellen Abuor, the Shofco coordinator in Siaya County. BY DAILY NATION