Blacksmith carves niche in making spears for morans
What you need to know:
Mr Lelenguya is a famed blacksmith from the Ngunono clan of the Samburu tribe, with his tool of specialty being the spear which he sells to fellow tribesmen and outsiders.
Like every Samburu moran who has killed a lion while defending himself, Joseph Kaiyai Lelenguya bears a tattoo of the animal on the inner part of his right hand.
His encounter with the “king of the jungle” while grazing a herd of cattle in the forest about 43 years ago not only won him admiration in the village, but it also spawned a successful business for the 63-year-old.
Mr Lelenguya is a famed blacksmith from the Ngunono clan of the Samburu tribe, with his tool of specialty being the spear which he sells to fellow tribesmen and outsiders.
“I was about 20 years old and I had been tasked with herding more than 200 heads of cattle,” he said during the Maralal International Camel Derby two weeks ago.
“Some strayed into the forest surrounding the village and in order not to lose them I had to go after them. I encountered a lion and after struggling with it, slit its throat with my spear.”
The Standard Three dropout says this life-threatening experience in the wild made him decide to venture into the spear-making business.
His clan is famed for its prowess in the blacksmith trade with Mr Lelenguya’s blood lineage being the official craftsmen in the Ng’ari village, Samburu County. He also casts axes, hoes and arrows.
Spear makers jealously guard their skill to the extent that if someone from another clan wants to learn the art, they need to seek the blessings of elders and also part with six cows and a goat. Mr Lelenguya’s input materials are black sand soil, clay, charcoal, a stone anvil,an a steel rod which is shaped using a heavy mallet and a pair of pliers.
It takes him about three days to curve a nine-foot long spear, a meticulous and time-consuming job, which, he says, naturally discorages many people who seek to pursue the craft.
With the help of his wife, the father of seven crafts the spears and sells each of them for Sh3,500.
A smaller version of the spear of 60 centimetres, including the handle, goes for Sh2,000 and this is normally used by youth who are between 11 and 12 years of age.
A 120-centimetre spear is used by older youth (between 15 and 16 years old) and Mr Lelenguya sells it to them for Sh3,000. Morans aged above 20 years also use this type of weapon.
“Our culture allows barter trade; I can trade a sword, spear, arrow and bow, for a goat or sheep which roughly fetches Sh4,000 in the market,” he said.
Educate children
“I have never done any other thing apart from dealing with iron since I was 20 years. In a good month, I make spears worth around Sh25,000.”
Spear-making starts with digging a shallow hole that can hold five kilogrammes of charcoal and sand.
A blower made from rubber tubes, which Lelenguya’s wife operates, keeps the charcoal burning. A steel rod is placed onto the pit until it is red hot and ready for casting.
“Morans and blacksmiths share one trait; if you are weak at heart and in might, you cannot handle spears,” said Mr Lelenguya.
The spear business has helped him to educate his children, two of whom are at the University of Nairobi, one slated to graduate in December.
He has also bought a two-acre piece of land where his wife grows beans, potatoes and maize to supplement family income.
