Gĩkũyũ Heritage: Exploring the Rich History and Traditions of the Agĩkũyũ People

The Kikuyu are the most populous community in Kenya The House of Mumbi The Kikuyu do not have a tradition of a migration from Egypt. Their Myth of Origin is a sort of Adam and Eve affair. It states that God created a man and a woman and placed them near Mount Kenya. The couple had nine daughters who miraculously received nine men to marry them after their father’s prayers. The Kikuyu call themselves  The House of Mumbi  in honor of this  Mother  who was also a potter. However, as I will show here, linguistic and comparative studies between Kikuyu culture and that of 18 th  Dynasty Egypt tell a different story. Who were the Kikuyu? The Kikuyu are classified linguistically as Highland Bantus together with the Kamba, Kuria and Gusii, Embu, Tharaka, and Meru of Kenya. The latter three are classified as Kikuyu by this researcher due to their common origins. The other Highland Bantus in East Africa are the Meru (Tanzanian), Segeju, Sonjo, Ikoma, Chagga, Gweno, S...

  An early Picture of Chief karuri Source: Routledge 1910   From Gathigiyo to Warriorhood: The Early Life and Rise of Karuri Chief Karũri wa Gakure was born in Gathigiyo, in the district of Iyigo. His father was from the Angare clan while his mother was actually called Wangare. His brothers (from his own mother) were Kiguma and Ngaru and his three sisters were Wambui, Muthoni and Gacoki. Karuri displayed leadership qualities early among his peers who named him ‘mutongoria’ (leader) which stack like a common name. He belonged to the age set Manguchya makuru (old stealers of clothes) which was initiated around 1869. Karuri displayed his bravery during the village wars between warriors of one ridge with another. Building a Foundation: Marriage, Ivory Trade, and Entry into Traditional Medicine When he was ready to marry, Karuri raised the necessary dowry and married Nduta, daughter of Kihia wa Kibe of Kanyenya-ini. Karuri built a home for his wife Nduta at Kigumo. Durin...

                                                                                       A Kikuyu man in 1910  Karibũ! Welcome to a practical approach to learning Kikuyu. Immersing yourself in everyday conversations is a fantastic way to grasp the language as it's actually spoken. In this section, we'll explore several common dialogues you might encounter in daily life in Kenya. By examining these exchanges, along with their vocabulary breakdowns, you'll begin to understand sentence structure, common phrases, and essential words used in various situations. Pay close attention to the pronunciation guides, and don't hesitate to practice these dialogues aloud. Let's dive in and start building your conversational Kikuyu skills! Section 1: Essential Daily Exchanges D...