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There is little in the legend about
Cheptalel's background though certain aspects of her early life appear in all traditions. Notably, she is understood to have been a virgin and in some accounts the only child in her family. In all accounts she had a boyfriend who plays a significant role in saving
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In the legend, there came a time when rain disappeared for many years leading to a severe drought such that the elders held a meeting to decide on what to do. It was decided that a young girl would be offered as, or would go and offer, a sacrifice to the owner of the sky so that he would allow rain
134:, where koita means stone. However, when used to denote the supreme being the prefix does not denote a female supreme being. Rather it is associated with one aspect, that of creation and prosperity of life as opposed to the masculine which was associated with destruction.
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was the second most common name given to the supreme being, it denotes an attribute that gives the meaning 'controller of all things'. The similar sounding name
Cheptalil gives the thought of a supreme being endowed with glory
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Her boyfriend found out about the plan and determined to follow her surreptitiously as she went on her mission. When she arrived at the lake (in some accounts waterfall), she stood at the shore and sang thus;
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Cheptalel is commonly seen to derive from the feminine prefix Chep (or fully Chepto meaning girl) and the word 'lel' meaning pure. A similar naming convention is found in the name
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Naaman, R., Investigation Of
Kipsigis Worldview Items Towards Understanding The Catholic Doctrine Of Salvation Through Inculturation Approach: A Case Of Kericho Sub-county, p.55
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It has also been postulated that the name derives from a
Sudanic name for the sun 'Tel', as of Chee-po-Tel or Tie-po-Tel, thus the girl of Tel i.e. She of the Sun.
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Did the God Ra Derive from Arabia? An examination of Wesley
Muhammad's claim in Black Arabia and the African Origins of Islam, Major points of disagreement
187:, in the form of lightning, struck but before he could get the girl, her boyfriend jumped out of his hiding place and killed Ilat thus rescuing Cheptalel.
249:
Fish, B., & Fish, G., The
Kalenjin Heritage, Traditional Religious and Social practices, Africa Gospel Church and World Gospel Mission, 1995, p.7-8
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As she sang, it began to drizzle and when she sang again it began to pour. When she sang a third time, it began to rain heavily and at the same time
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as a result of being offered as a sacrifice (actually or symbolically) to save the
Kalenjin sections from a drought that was ravaging their land.
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In one version of the legend, a pure white goat was taken along with her to the water and there the goat was sacrificed and the girl spared.
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to fall. A young virgin girl was thus selected to go to a body of water (usually the home of Ilat) to pray for rain.
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Chesaina, C., Oral
Literature of the Kalenjin, Heinmann Kenya Limited, 1991, p.46-48
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Ochieng, P., Whatever you do, don’t kill the Kenyan dream, Nation
Newspaper, 2010
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88:(also Cheptaleel) is a heroine found in the folklore of the
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Heaven Wins: Heaven, Hell and the Hope of Every Person
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Christian missionaries adopted the name as a name for
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30:Contemporary illustration of Cheptalel
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178:To go to the shore of a lake
174:I was sent by the age-mates
172:"Tulog tuloei, tulo tuloei,
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176:Of my father and my mother
156:Mutai (Early 19th century)
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100:of Kenya. She became a
112:The name Cheptalel in
180:So that it can rain"
194:In popular culture
114:Kalenjin mythology
40:Kalenjin mythology
318:Kalenjin folklore
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42:and folklore
36:Affiliation
206:References
154:See also:
146:her life.
108:Etymology
102:folk hero
86:Cheptalel
47:Genealogy
19:Cheptalel
312:Category
132:Koitalel
90:Kipsigis
76:Children
60:Siblings
120:lilindo
79:unknown
71:unnamed
68:Consort
55:unnamed
52:Parents
300:online
288:online
276:online
232:online
220:online
94:Nandi
185:Ilat
158:and
141:Life
92:and
63:none
200:God
314::
254:^
238:^
117:(
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