Where The Bead Was Stored
From Cwa Nyipir(Gipir)/Yoana, Nyipir/Gipir is said to have moved to Got Nyariegi. This is where he built his first shrine, purposely to keep his special and sacred bead retrieved from the stomach of Nyabongo/Labongo’s child.
Nearly all informants interviewed for this booklet agree that Nyariegi got its name from Nyabongo/Labongo’s act of cutting open the child’s stomach to get Nyipir/Gipir’s bead, which was carried in the pot (Riego tigo kud ii nyathin).
Nyipir/Gipir is reported to have arrived and settled at Nyariegi with his wife Dhalingiri, who was popularly referred to as “Jaralur” meaning “barren.” His brother, Thiful, had made her his concubine and made her pregnant while Nyipir/Gipir was in the wilderness looking for Nyabongo/Labongo’s spear.
Legend has it that an anthill developed on the pot [kurugu jok] containing the bead. The anthill kept expanding before finally turning into Nyariegi hill, as seen today. There is, however, another school of thought that attributes Nyariegi’s name to an elder called Riegi, who is reported to have been a blacksmith. Some say he was Kebu, others say he was Lendu. To date, there are still remnants of his blacksmithing works on the top of the hill. Informants also noted that Nyariegi is politically significant because, on the eve of independence eve, retreating British soldiers lit a campfire that could be seen by the locals kilometers away. But most importantly, Nyariegi is known for the annual rain ritual conducted by the high priests of Alwi, Angal, and Padel chiefdoms. The Got Nyariegi hill has three sites for rituals: the high priest of Padel chiefdom performs his ritual on the eastern site; the high priest of Angal Thibei chiefdom on the western site while the high priest of Alwi chiefdom performs on the hilltop marked by two trees.
Some respondents earlier interviewed referred to Got Nyariegi as the spot where the actual cutting of the child’s stomach took place. Sources at Got Nyariegi, however, say this took place at Got Afoyo (Got Apwoyo). Nyipir/Gipir carried the bead that was retrieved from the child’s stomach in a pot to Got Nyariegi where he kept it in a shrine.
There are taboos associated with Got Nyariegi. For instance, it is not allowed to cut trees or remove/pick objects/ritual items from the site. It is also prohibited to wear shoes at the site, to make love, or to come in contact with the spirits during their schedules of activities. Penalties for such offenses include prolonged drought, mental illness, childlessness, coldness, an outbreak of a pandemic, and many more. In such circumstances, a fine or some ritual items are paid by the offender before a ritual to mitigate the effects of such offenses, and punishment is effected.