Editing Kipsigis people (section)

==== Astronomy and calendar ====

The [[Milky Way]] is known as ''Poit'ap kechei'' (literally ''sea of stars''), the morning star – Tapoiyot, the midnight star – Kokeliet, and [[Orion's Belt]] – Kakipsomok. The Milky Way was traditionally perceived as a lake in which children are bathing and playing. Furthermore, the movement of stars was sometimes linked to earthly concerns. For example, the appearance or non-appearance of the [[Pleiades]] indicated whether or not to expect a good or a bad harvest. Sometimes superstitions were held regarding certain events. A [[22° halo|halo]] was traditionally said to represent a cattle stockade. At least as of the early 20th century, a [[Parhelic circle|break]] occurring on the east side was considered to be unlucky while one on the west side was seen to be lucky. A [[comet]] was at the same time regarded as the precursor of a great misfortune.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hollis|first=A.C|title=The Nandi – Their language and folklore|date=1909|publisher=The Clarendon Press|isbn=9781444605150|location=Oxford|page=100}}</ref>

The Kipsigis call a month 'Arawet', which is also the term for our satellite, the moon. A year is called 'Kenyit' which can be derived from the phrase 'Ki-nyit' meaning 'to accomplish, to fill in'. A year was marked by the order of months and more importantly by ceremonial and religious celebration of the yearly harvest which was held at the various shrines. This event being analogous to a practice observed by most of the other Africans has inspired the [[Kwanzaa|Kwanza festivities]] celebrated by predominantly by people of [[African Americans|African descent]] in the United States. Kenyit started in February. It had two seasons known as ''olto'' (pl. ''oltosiek'') and was divided into twelve months, ''arawet'' (pl. ''arawek'').<ref name="Hollis A.C 1909, p. 94">Hollis A.C, The Nandi – Their Language and Folklore. The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1909, p. 94</ref> In place of a decade is the order of ''Ibinda'' which is usually between 10 and 17 years. In place of a century is the completion of the age set which takes between 100 and 120 years.

The first season of the year, olt-ap-iwot (iwotet), was the wet season and ran from March to August. The dry season, olt-ap-keme (kemeut), ran from September to February.<ref name="Hollis A.C 1909, p. 94" /> The kipsunde and kipsunde oieng harvest ceremonies were held in September and October respectively to mark the change in Seasons.<ref>Hollis A.C, The Nandi – Their Language and Folklore. The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1909, p. 46</ref>

===== Months (arawek) and Seasons =====
{| class="mw-collapsible"
!
!Name
!Meaning
!Corresponds
|-
!1st Month
|Kiptamo
|''Hot in the fields''
|February
|-
!2nd Month
|Iwat-kut
|''Rain in showers''
|March
|-
!3rd Month
|Wake/ Iwootkuut
|  –
|April<ref name="Hollis A.C 1909, p. 94" />
|-
!4th Month
|Ngei
|''Heart pushed on one side by hunger''
|May
|-
!5th Month
|Rob-tui
|''Black rain or black clouds''
|June
|-
!6th Month
|Puret
|''Mist''
|July
|-
!7th Month
|Epeso
|  –
|August
|-
!8th Month
|Kipsunde
|''Offering to God in the cornfields''
|September
|-
!9th Month
|Kipsunde oieng*
|''Second offering to God''
|October
|-
!10th Month
|Mulkul
|''Strong wind''
|November
|-
!11th Month
|Mulkulik oieng
|''Second strong wind''
|December
|-
!12th Month
|Ngotioto
|''Month of pin-cushion plant''
|January<ref>Hollis A.C, The Nandi – Their Language and Folklore. The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1909, p. 95</ref>
|}