Friday 6 May 2016

Lake Simbi Nyaima Sanctuary

Birds' Paradise
Lake Simbi Nyaima is just 4 Km from Kendu Bay town in Homa Bay County near the shoreline of Lake Victoria. This tiny Crater Lake measuring about one kilometre in radius continues to attract tourist due to its beautiful scenery and strange tales of its formation. Simbi Nyaima means the village that sank. The alkaline lake have now attracted Flamingos from Lake Bogoria and Lake Nakuru, also little grebes, little egrets and Egyptian geese making it a haven for bird watchers.

The lake is steeped in mythology. The Simbi Nyaima story states that one night, the villagers of Simbi were celebrating the chief’s success in a previously undertaken endeavor. During the merry making an old and tired woman walked into the homestead. Being tired and hungry she pleaded for food and a place to rest for the night.  But to her pleas were met by insults from the revelers and the chief. Little did they know that the old woman was actually the daughter of a famous rainmaker who had passed away? The chief ordered the old woman to leave his home.


The old lady left. One kind lady sympathized with her and gave her food, a warm bath and shelter for the night to combat her fatigue.  At the break of dawn as the old woman was preparing to leave, she advised the kind lady to take her children and leave that village immediately. She warned that she would punish the villagers for the mistreatment shown to her. The kind lady heeded the warning and left.
As soon as she left a storm submerged the entire village of Simbi creating what is now known as Simbi Nyaima.

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