were deep, much shallower than today's. People were buried facing east, the direction in which the sun rises. There are two known clans amongst the Bukusu who bury their people in a sitting position. Wild animals like hyenas would sometimes exhume corpses from graves and eat them. In such an incident, people recovered the skull of the desecrated body and hanged it in a leafy tree. When the family of the deceased migrated, they brewed beer () for the ceremony of transferring the skull with them to the new home or settlement. An elder woman was entrusted with the responsibility of conveying the skull to the new site. Burial of the dead was ingrained in the Bukusu traditions.{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [] } Economic activities Bukusu accounts indicate that both agricultural and pastoral economies have been practiced by the tribe for as long as can be remembered. This is authenticated by the vast amount of knowledge regarding farming practices, their rich pastoral vocabulary and the variety of legends connected with pastoral life. Today, they farm mainly maize for subsistence and sugar cane as a cash crop in the Bungoma area, as well as wheat in the Kitale area. Cattle and sheep are universally kept: cattle for milk, and sheep for meat and ceremonial functions (e.g.: offers for sacrifice). Larger or polygamous families will usually have a team of oxen for ploughing and haulage. Chicken, a traditional delicacy, are now kept for commercial egg production. Politics The Bukusu currently form one of the main support bases of the governing coalition in Kenya, through the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy – Kenya (FORD–Kenya) political party led by Moses Wetangula and the New Ford Kenya party led by Eugene Wamalwa. Previously, they were associated with opposition to the Kalenjin-dominated reign of former President Daniel arap Moi. Their political leaders have included Michael Christopher Wamalwa Kijana, Masinde Muliro, George Welime Kapten, Musikari Nazi Kombo and Moses Masika Wetangula, Peter Kisuya, Wakoli Bifwoli, Wafula Wamunyiyi, David Eseli Simiyu, and Lawrence Sifuna. Culture The Bukusu play a traditional seven-stringed lyre known as the litungu and the silili''. Elijah Masinde, who formalised the traditional faith through Dini ya Msambwa, was a Bukusu elder; he promoted the culture and faith of the Bukusu and hence Luhya and African peoples. In Dini Ya Msambwa, Elijah Masinde resisted colonialism and the extermination of the Luhya people's way of life.