The mystic caves of Kisumu rural

By Eric Sindabi

When we arrived at the site members of the Legion Mary religious group commonly distorted as “Regio Maria” were having a prayer camp at the snene.Some locals were also having recreational and adventure moments. This is the famous Abindu site situated on the outskirts of Kisumu City along Busia Highway near Maseno University in Kwamundhia village Kisumu district.

Literary described as the mystic caves of kisumu, the site is a wonder of unique rock formations that is comprised of multiple caves, Underground River, springs and waterfalls and picturesque land escapes of the outer environment.

The Geography of the site is concentrated with huge granite rocks that date back to over 5000 years and form part of the lake region highlands.
Caves have been linked greatly to the modern man’s history into civilization. Caves provided shelter and community base to pre-historic people of the world.

Legend
According to the oldest member of Kwamundhia village Mzee Okul Sem,a certain Man from Gem in Siaya district called Abour Adet discovered Abindu site in the early 1970s after adventuring in caves for several months. After Adet came out of the caves, says Mzee Okul,he talked of the site as being a holly place. He says that the adventurer who later became a religious man had advised the locals to treat the place with holiness and to exploit its uniqueness by allowing people from vast regions to visit and experience its wonders.
According to the legend Adet allegedly discovered footprints and wall paintings in one of the caves. He also informed the locals that the over 500metrtes square radius underground land forms are a home to a huge snake with three heads. It is indeed believed here that anyone who comes in contact with the serpent does not live long. It is also held that anyone who ventures into the inner caves does not come back to the surface but disappears for ever.

The mysteries are further speculated that once a local by the name Ongala tried to venture further into the inner caves where he encountered the snake. On returning home the man died soon after a few days in un clear circumstances. His wife also soon or later died in a mysterious fire that razed down her shed so goes the tales of Bindu.

According to the locals the snake comes out seasonally and inhibits the local river Ulalo and is believed to bring fortune and a sign of seasons. The locals use Abindu as a place of pilgrimage and always elders from vast regions of Luo Nyanza converge at the site to perform various customary rituals. The locals say that even some local influential people including politicians visit Abindu site for various purposes.





Cave men

In one of the caves there is a pot like rock structure filled with water that drops out of the caves walls. It is here that priests of the Legion Mary sect collect ‘holly water’. Yet in another inner cave, there are stones arranged in a manner as in a house. The primitive illustrations on the caves walls the locals say, were only interpreted by Adet .

According to reference sources Cave dwellers are people who adore caves or live in caves. Those who study caves are called speleologists while the study of caves is referred to as speleology. Among the ealiest known caves used by pre-historic people is located in southern France.Archaeological information shows that about 500000 years ago pre-historic people used stone tools in the cave to kill animals for meat. Another famous cave site is in China located near Beijing.

Studies show that pre-historic people used the dark interiors of caves to perform ceremonial events like worship and magic.For example the paintings on cave walls were treated with magic and gods in some primitive societies of Asia and Europe.A few people across the world still live in caves like in Spain where about 3000Gypsies make their homes in caves. However history says that such animals like cave hyenas, cave loins and others discouraged people from living in caves.

The outer region of Abindu site is comprised of a serene rocky landscape kissed by dots of savannah vegetation that shape a beautiful natural environment that is a force to reckon with as nature could have done its best.
Here loners, nature lovers, campers, students and religious groups and local film makers find solace of Mother Nature. Locals say that people from all walks of life come here often to experience the wonders of Abindu .

Victoria

A magnificent view of Lake Victoria beckons in the West as the vast hills of Maseno highlands in the East are a site to take ones gasps from a top the granites.
An adventurer can be able to listen to the flow of Underground River and waterfalls. The dark environments have dry basements filled with small rock particles and little world life saves for the rogue bats that glitter in the natural darkness, but scarcely any trace of other wild life. Man indeed is the owner of planet earth.