Why We Exist
Clans, Ortinwek
“Chi ma bo oret, ma bo ng'ony.”
Below is a working directory of Kalenjin clans (ortinwek) with each clan’s totem (tiondo) and its praise or greeting form (kawalet). It draws on a community reference table of one hundred and ninety six entries. It is not exhaustive and it is not the final word. Clans overlap, split, migrate, and rename themselves across generations. Corrections, additions, and family histories from elders are welcome and will be woven back into the record.
Read this as a starting point, not a boundary. If your family does not appear here yet, please write to us.
Showing 196 of 196 entries.
| # | Clan (Oret) | Totem (Tiondo) | Kawalet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babasik | Laitingo | Chemarmar |
| 2 | Babuserek / Bakuserek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 3 | Bargesaek / Barsaiyan | Kimagetyet | Korapor / Kiptarar |
| 4 | Barimbari | — | — |
| 5 | Barsos | Chereret / Kongonyot | — |
| 6 | Basuwetek | Maswetit | Nderit / Warirtiony |
| 7 | Chebagalat | — | — |
| 8 | Chebalungu | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 9 | Chebere | — | — |
| 10 | Chebisom | Belyot | Kiramgel Koemoi |
| 11 | Chebochek | Soet | — |
| 12 | Chebokolwol | Maswetit | Nderit |
| 13 | Cheborek | Kongonyot | — |
| 14 | Chebumbweek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 15 | Chebunyek | — | — |
| 16 | Chebures | Birechot | Nginngin kat |
| 17 | Chekimom | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 18 | Chekimweek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 19 | Chemangalek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 20 | Chemesek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 21 | Chemisek | Moset / Ngetundo | — |
| 22 | Chemobek / Chepkei | Belyot / Makaita | — |
| 23 | Chemoigut | Beliot | Kiramgel |
| 24 | Chemomulek | — | — |
| 25 | Chemosek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 26 | Chemugen | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 27 | Chemunyek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 28 | Chemwei | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 29 | Chepkersut | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 30 | Chepkesek / Chepkesin | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 31 | Chepkewel (Nabe) | Ilet / Beekab Barak | — |
| 32 | Chepkitwaek | Kongonyot / Chepkokochet | — |
| 33 | Chepkoilel | — | — |
| 34 | Cheplel | Cheptalamek | — |
| 35 | Chepno Soet | — | — |
| 36 | Cheptek | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 37 | Cheptuech / Cheptuen | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 38 | Cheroigek | Tisiet | — |
| 39 | Cheromek | Koroitiet / Mindet / Kongonyot / Ngetundo | — |
| 40 | Cherongonyek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 41 | Cherutany (Kolwolek) | Beliot | — |
| 42 | Chesaigut | — | — |
| 43 | Cheurek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 44 | Chililek | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 45 | Kabangoror | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 46 | Kabarangkwek | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 47 | Kabarmerengon | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 48 | Kabarsingil | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 49 | Kabarsumei | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 50 | Kabartumuta | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 51 | Kabecherek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 52 | Kabioria | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 53 | Kaboboek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 54 | Kaboon | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 55 | Kaborokek | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 56 | Kaborowek / Chepkes / Kimonge | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 57 | Kabosi | Chepkogosyot | — |
| 58 | Kaburet | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 59 | Kakibun | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 60 | Kakipkut / Kapbangoror | — | — |
| 61 | Kamaebei | Chereret / Moset | — |
| 62 | Kamaek | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 63 | Kamago | Kongonyot / Toret / Laitingo / Mintet / Cheptirgichet | — |
| 64 | Kamatelong / Kipkendek | — | — |
| 65 | Kamelgut | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 66 | Kamochilek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 67 | Kamochoek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 68 | Kamoek | Ngetundo / Boinet | — |
| 69 | Kamogorek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 70 | Kamunga | Lelwot | Kibois / Mendek |
| 71 | Kamurwachi | — | — |
| 72 | Kamuseek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 73 | Kamwererek (Kamuguru) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 74 | Kapchalanek | Cheptirgichet / Kimagetyet | — |
| 75 | Kapchamogondek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 76 | Kapcheboin (Kaburet / Kamoek) | Ngetundo / Boinet | — |
| 77 | Kapchepwai | Lelwot | Kibois / Mendek |
| 78 | Kapemitik | Segemiat | So Lolo |
| 79 | Kapkaon | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 80 | Kapkaronei / Karoneek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 81 | Kapkesogek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 82 | Kapkibelyon | — | — |
| 83 | Kapkitolek | Beliot / Ngetundo / Kongonyot | — |
| 84 | Kapkiyai | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 85 | Kapkolwolek (Cherutany & Chemusar) | Ngetundo / Beliot | Chemarmar |
| 86 | Kapkomosi / Kapkomosek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 87 | Kapkomutket | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 88 | Kapkongeluk | — | — |
| 89 | Kapkorirek (Kibamuek) | Cheptirgichet | TuiSeru |
| 90 | Kapkorosion | Taywet | — |
| 91 | Kapkukoek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 92 | Kapkuwei / Kasarate | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 93 | Kapmaiga | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 94 | Kapmasai | — | — |
| 95 | Kapnabe Chebures | Birechot / Ilet | — |
| 96 | Kapnawaek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 97 | Kapnyangoko | Cheplanget | — |
| 98 | Kapomoek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 99 | Kaporetor | Toret | — |
| 100 | Kaprotuk | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 101 | Kapsabul / Kapsabulei | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 102 | Kapsamut | — | — |
| 103 | Kapsaosan | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 104 | Kapsegerit / Kapsegerin | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 105 | Kapsegit | Ngokto / Lelwot | — |
| 106 | Kapsegoi | — | — |
| 107 | Kapsekyat | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 108 | Kapsigilaek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 109 | Kapsiliwa | Cheptirgichet | TuiSeru |
| 110 | Kapsioriri | — | — |
| 111 | Kapsirwoek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 112 | Kapsitek | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 113 | Kapsoenik / Kipsoek | Soet / Kongonyot | — |
| 114 | Kapsoit / Soitik | — | — |
| 115 | Kapsutaek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 116 | Kaptarop | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 117 | Kaptebeek / Kaptebo | Kongonyot | — |
| 118 | Kapteren | — | — |
| 119 | Kaptiriit | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 120 | Kaptiriwek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 121 | Kaptoiyon (Kisogor) | Ropta / Beekab Barak | — |
| 122 | Kaptolil | Beekab Barak / Ilet | — |
| 123 | Kaptotonek | Chesireret | Wiriti Mosome |
| 124 | Kaptuikong | Chepkungurwet / Ngetundo | — |
| 125 | Kaptuiyiek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 126 | Kaptumoto (Kapsaroon) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 127 | Kapwaibei | Beekab Barak / Ilet | — |
| 128 | Kapwareng | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 129 | Kapyosit | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 130 | Kataek | Toret | Ingarba |
| 131 | Kechwanek / Kichwanek | Birechot | — |
| 132 | Kechwoek (Chepyemet) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 133 | Kenyokorek | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 134 | Kerichek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 135 | Keritek | — | — |
| 136 | Kesunde | Kongonyot | — |
| 137 | Kibaek | Tisyet / Mororochet | Sosomo |
| 138 | Kibamui / Kibamuek | Cheptirgichet | TuiSeru |
| 139 | Kibauek (Chemwei) | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 140 | Kibetu (Kabarsingil) | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 141 | Kibindoek (Binduk) | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 142 | Kibitoch | — | — |
| 143 | Kiboek | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 144 | Kiboldo | Toiyot | — |
| 145 | Kibororek | Lelwot | Kibois / Mendek |
| 146 | Kimatage | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 147 | Kimaunyiyiet | Kusumeek / Ngetundo | — |
| 148 | Kimeitek | Belyot | Kiramgel |
| 149 | Kimolokek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 150 | Kimonge / Kimarusek / Kibinduk / Kaborowek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 151 | Kipangwanek | Soet | Tui Tany |
| 152 | Kipasisek | Asista | Asis / Chepkochor / Koluu |
| 153 | Kipchepsang | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 154 | Kipkelesek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 155 | Kipkendek | Segemiat | Sololo |
| 156 | Kipkiswaek | Lelwot | Kibois / Mendek |
| 157 | Kipkogosek | Chepkogosyot | — |
| 158 | Kiplegenek | Cheplanget | — |
| 159 | Kiplochngwonet | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 160 | Kipokwoek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 161 | Kipsamaek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 162 | Kipsirgoik | Toret | Ingarbai |
| 163 | Kiptabisan / Kiptabisek | — | — |
| 164 | Kiptalamek | Cheptalamek | — |
| 165 | Kiptalamek | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 166 | Kipyegen | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 167 | Kirkiteek (Kipsirgoik) | Toret | Ingarbai |
| 168 | Kisogor (Toiyon) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 169 | Kochutmoo (Kapsaroon) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 170 | Koru | — | — |
| 171 | Korukek / Korugo | Birechot | — |
| 172 | Malummabwai | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 173 | Malummasian | Toret | Ngarbai |
| 174 | Manereriet / Kamaek | — | — |
| 175 | Maruseek | — | — |
| 176 | Matelengech | — | — |
| 177 | Mongo | Kongonyot / Toret / Laitingo / Mintet / Cheptirgichet | — |
| 178 | Moreiyo (Kabarsaiyan) | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 179 | Moroboek | — | — |
| 180 | Mososwoek (Mogorek) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 181 | Motoborik (Kamelgut) | Kimagetyet | Korapor |
| 182 | Narachek / Chesireret / Tiriren | Chesireret | Tiriren |
| 183 | Reswek / Tarop | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 184 | Saroon (Kapkochutmo & Kaptumoto) | Kongonyot | Segecha |
| 185 | Sengkwer | Moset | Kipyegen |
| 186 | Sirere | Chesireret | Yupe |
| 187 | Sirikwo | Cheptirgichet | TuiSeru |
| 188 | Soikoek (Narachek) | Moset / Ngetundo | — |
| 189 | Sosomek | Ngetundo / Moset | — |
| 190 | Sukondek | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 191 | Talai | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 192 | Tamoo / Tamok | Ngetundo | Ngetunyo |
| 193 | Tapkei | Chereret | Tuch Togoch |
| 194 | Tarkok | Terkekiat | — |
| 195 | Tarno | Chereret | Tuch Togoch |
| 196 | Yaganek | — | — |
Source: community shared reference table. Compiled for Kalenjin Foundation as a starting point, pending review by clan elders across all fifteen natural communities.