The Village that Sank

Simbi Nyaima Lake. The village that sank and formed a lake that you can smell forty (40) kilometers away!

The lake is found in 3 kilometers from Kendu Bay Town. 

The Lake has neither outlet nor inlet. The water at the lake is alkaline and has a foul smell. The locals (Jo-Karachuonyo) use the water to cure several skin ailments. The lake has no major waves or currents. The lake margin is characterized by whitish mineral locally known as bala, which is a salt mined for a variety of uses, including cattle feed. 

It is believed that Simbi Nyaima came into existence long before the arrival of the current occupant of the area -  Jo-Karachuonyo. The occupants of the area by then were a Luo sub-clan known as the Jo-Waswa, who are thought to have been the first occupants of the area. After Jo-Waswa then came the Jo-Wagwe who were later followed by Jo-Kagan. Other groups also occupied this area in successive settlements and passed to other places before Jo-Karachuoonyo eventually arrived and have been the occupants of the area up to date.

The origin of the lake is explained in two dimensions. A mythical traditional story explains the lake formed as a result of curse on merry making villagers who denied an old woman food and shelter.

The second explanation is that the lake is as a result of volcanic eruption leading to a caldera lake. 

The cultural explanation remains so strong and generally accepted.  

The myth holds that one cloudy afternoon, an old woman entered a village at Kolonde, which was located near the current Lake Simbi Nyaima. The villagers were in a celebration, making merry. Men were seriously indulging in traditional liquor and feasting on meat of cows and goats that had been slaughtered. Women were busy ensuring there was enough supply of both the beer and meat.  

An old woman entered the feasting arena and requested for food and shelter. The villagers did not grant her wishes but instead threw her out of the feast. She did not receive any food, which was abundant as the feast was just nearing its climax. 

As the old woman unhappily left that village, she took shelter in the next village where she was welcomed by a young woman with her children. The young woman gave her food which she ate and she warmed herself next to the fire place. 

After she had eaten, she asked the young woman if she was married. The young woman replied in the affirmative and said her husband was at a feast in the next village. The old woman requested the young woman to go to the feast to get her husband. She obediently left to go for her husband. 

Unfortunately, when her husband learnt that it was the same strange old woman whom they had thrown out of the feast who was the one calling him, he slapped his wife and sent her back home, refusing to go with her. On reaching her home, the young woman narrated her ordeal to the woman stating how her husband had beaten her up and refused to come with her. 

The strange woman then advised the young woman to take her children and leave the village as quickly as possible. The young woman complied, and left the village.  No sooner had they stepped out of the village than a heavy down pour with frightening lightening started. It continued raining for 24 hours and the whole area containing the two villages got flooded. 

The village where the strange old woman was thrown out became sub-merged together with all people and animals. 

It is claimed that this old miraculous woman, is the very same one involved in the story of Nyamgondo Nyombare.