Kikuyu Origins: Unraveling Links from Ancient Egypt to Mount Kenya
Introduction: Pharaonic skirt compared with ceremonial attire of a Kikuyu woman. A Kikuyu woman is not allowed to show her thighs but it seems there were occasions when this particular attire was worn, perhaps in a dance. The Kikuyu people, the most populous ethnic group in Kenya, possess a rich cultural heritage and a compelling myth of origin centred around Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi near Mount Kenya. However, linguistic and cultural comparisons with Ancient Egypt, particularly the 18th Dynasty, suggest a deeper, potentially forgotten history of migration. This article delves into the evidence hinting at a connection between the Kikuyu and the land of the Pharaohs. The Kikuyu Myth of Origin: Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi The traditional Kikuyu creation story recounts how God (Ngai) placed the first man, Gĩkũyũ, and woman, Mũmbi, near the sacred Mount Kenya. Their nine daughters miraculously married nine men, forming the foundation of the Kikuyu clans, known collectively as "T...