Eliud Kipchoge: 10 unique things about legendary marathoner's Talai clan

- The clan resisted the British colonial rule for 11 years, the longest for any African community

- The word Talai is believed to have come from root word Tala meaning meek and humble people

- The clan is known for its leadership abilities and has produced great leaders like Koitalel arap Samoei

Eliud Kipchoge made history on Saturday, October 12, when he became the first person to achieve the barrier-breaking sub-two-hour marathon as part of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

The greatest marathoner of all time comes from the Talai clan of the Nandi who reside in Kapsisiywa, Emgwen sub-county.

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According to Kipchoge Araap Choomu, a descendant of the community, the word Talai is believed to have come from root word Tala meaning meek and humble people.

Here are some of the things to note about the clan:

1. The Talai is one of the most respected clans in Nandi and other Kalenjin communities.

2. The clan has the lion as its totemic animal and is where the Oorgoiik family was co-opted into when they came from the Maasai community.

3. Their members normally do not intermarry with Tungo, Kipoiis and Sogoom clan.

4. The royal clan that ruled Kenya before the intrusion of the Europeans is widespread with many of them living in Chad, Ethiopia, Uganda and among the Kikuyu, Somali and Maasai communities.

5. The clan is known for its leadership abilities and has produced great leaders like Koitalel arap Samoei, president Idriss Deby of Chad, Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow.

6. The other name of Talai is ruoth in Luo,Ruodh in Dinga and Nuer of Sudan, woor-koik( big Rocks or big House ) in Kalenjin which entered the Levant and Mediterranean neighborhood as royal or royaune in French and arkhont in Greek as explained by Homer in Odyssey.

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7. Members of the clan are known for their bravery and heroism.

8. The clan resisted the British colonial rule for 11 years, the longest for any African community.

9. They were displaced from their land in present day Tinderet by the colonisers and settled at Kapsisiywa in Nandi County in a place infested by mosquitoes and tsetseflies

10. Among the Nandi the Talai Oorgoiik are referred to as Talai Kutwo.

In Uganda, the Talai also called Iloibonok by the Ilmaasai have produced great leaders like Kabaka Mutusa.

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