1.0 Introduction

The Agikuyu also referred as Kikuyu are a group of Bantu people inhabiting Southeast Africa. The largest ethnic group in Kenya, they speak the Bantu Kikuyu language as a mother tongue. The term Kikuyu is the Swahili form of the proper name and pronunciation of Kikuyu, although group members refer to themselves as the Agĩkũyũ.

1.1 History & Origin

There are different myths about the origin of Kikuyu. The most common myth retold from generation to another is that God made Gĩkũyũ and placed him near Mount Kenya at a place called Mũkũrwe wa Gathanga God saw that he was lonely and gave him a wife, Mũmbi. Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi were blessed with nine daughters, but no sons. The daughters’ names, arranged from the eldest to the youngest were as follows: Wanjirũ, Wambũi, Njeri, Wanjikũ, Nyambũra, Wairimũ, Waithĩra, Wangarĩ, and the last one was Wangũi (Leakey 1977). There was a tenth daughter who according to tradition was not counted due to an incestuous relationship (Kabetu 1966, p. 1-2). The daughters were always said to be ‘nine and the fill’ perhaps to imply that the tenth daughter was known but was unmentionable. The Kikuyu were averse to counting people to the exact number because it was believed that a curse would befall them. Gĩkũyũ had to sacrifice to god (Mwene Nyaga or Ngai) to get husbands for the nine daughters.

Another myth of orign  by  Middleton and Kershaw (1965) stated that the first man, who also created the world, was Mũmbere, and he had three sons. These sons were Maasai, Gĩkũyũ and Kamba. He gave them the choice of a spear, bow, or digging – stick: The Maasai chose the spear; the Kamba chose the bow, and Gĩkũyũ preferred the digging – stick. “A similar myth says that the three sons were Maasai, Gĩkũyũ and Dorobo; the Maasai were told to hold the plains and keep livestock, Gĩkũyũ was told to live by agriculture, and Dorobo to hunt game.” Kenyatta (1966, 4) in my people of Kikuyu states that long after the nine clans of ‘Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi,’ had been formed, “the people increased and… separated into three main divisions: the Kikuyu, the Meru and the Wakamba. The evidence above implies that a tripartite agreement between tribes or subtribes existed in antiquity.

According to historians, the exact place that the Kikuyu’s ancestors migrated from after the initial Bantu expansion from West Africa is uncertain. Some suggest that they arrived in their present Mount Kenya area of inhabitation from earlier settlements further to the north and east.

1.2 Language

Gĩkũyũs speak the Gĩkũyũ language as their native tongue, which is a member of the Bantu subgroup of the Niger–Congo language family.

1.3 Religion & Beliefs

The Gĩkũyũ were monotheists believing in a unique and omnipotent God whom they refer to as Ngai. To the Gĩkũyũ people, God was the supreme being in the universe and the giver(Mũgai/Ngai) of this life force to everything that exists. The title Mwathani or Mwathi (the greatest ruler) which comes from the word gwatha meaning to rule or reign with authority was-and- is also used. All sacrifices to God were performed under sycamore(Mũkũyũ) tree and if a sycamore tree is not available, a fig(Mũgumo) tree would be used.The olive(Mũtamaiyũ) tree was a sacred tree for women. Agikuyu believed God lived in the sky and sometime came to visit the land. When he comes He rests on Mount Kenya and kĩrĩma kĩa njahĩ (Kilimambogo). Thunder is interpreted to be the movement of Ngai and lightning is the weapon used by Ngai to clear the way when moving from one sacred place to another.

They also believed that medicine-men (Mũgo) possessed power to  increased the well being of a person spirit and  witchdoctors (Mũrogi) could diminished the person’s life force. They also believed that items (gĩthitũ) can have spiritual powers to protect a person against the evil.

1. 4 Traditions and Customs

The Agĩkũyũ had four seasons and two harvests in one year.

1. Mbura ya njahĩ (the season of big rain) from March to July,
2. Magetha ma njahĩ (the season of the black bean harvest) between July and Early October,
3. Mbura ya Mwere (short rain season) from October to January,
4. Magetha ma Mwere (the season of harvesting) milletà
5. Mbura ya Kimera

Birth: Shortly after giving birth, the mother announces the child by screaming: four times if the child is a girl, and five times if it is a boy. Then the father of the child cuts four sugar canes if the child is a girl, or five if it is a boy. Naming children followed the pattern: the first boy is named after the father’s father, the second boy after the mother’s father. The first girl is named after the father’s mother, the second after the mother’s mother. Subsequent children are named similarly after the brothers and sisters of the grandmother and grandfather, from eldest to youngest, alternating from father’s to mother’s family.

Initiation: Time was recorded through the initiation. Each initiation group or generation (riika) was given special name. Initiation of boys took place annually for four calendar years, which would be followed by a period of nine calendar years in which no initiation of boys took place (mũhingo). Girls were initiate every year.

Marriage: Girls and boys were found each other in dances. The boy is expected to inform his father of the intention to marry. The father will then approach the girl’s father and start the marriage negotiation. Certain families were given preference and others were untouchable. Marriage rendered a man an elder. Kikuyu men could marry many wives as they wish, but must pay a bride price to the family of each bride. Each wife was given her own dwelling and plot to cultivate.

Elderhood: After warriorhood, men became eligible to become members of the council of elders (kiama), to which women could also be admitted. The elders served as the custodians of ancestral land. The kiama deliberated over judicial, religious and political matters, although their rule was limited to the length of their riika. To become an elder, one had to have at least one of their children having successfully married.

Death: The agikuyu used to bury their dead, just like they do to date. Burial songs were sung.

1. 5 Music, Songs & Dances

Songs and dances varied depending on the season and group. There were irua (circumsicion songs and dances), gituuha (old women’s dance), uriigu (youth dance). Songs and dances were also done during birth, marriage and burial. Young people were also involved in dances as a way of letting potential suitors find themselves. Dances were also common after bumper harvest. Among the notable instruments includes, coro (the horn), ciigamba (rattles), wadidi (similar to a guitar) amongst others.

1. 6 Traditional cuisine

Typical traditional Kikuyu food was mukimo (mashed green peas and potatoes) and irio (mashed dry beans, corn and potatoes). This was also served with indigineous vegetables like managu (spider plant) and terere (Amaranth). They also ate ngwaci (sweet potato) and nduma (arrow root). Meat was mainly eaten during ceremonies.

1.7 Governance & Leadership

The Agĩkũyũ nation was divided into ten clans. The members of each clan had a blood tie in common, but were not restricted to any particular geographical area, they lived side by side. Some clans had a recognised leader, others did not.However, in either case, real political power was excised by the ruling council of elders, lead by a headman. Leadership was marked by initiation.  It was estimated that Ruling generations (riika) lasted an average of 35 years. The rĩĩka system can be traced back to the year 1500 AD. Ituĩka ceremony was done when one ruling generation was handing power to the other. The agikuyu ruling generations were as follows: Manjiri (1512 to 1546), Mamba (1547 to 1581), Tene (1582 to 1616), Agu (1617 to 1652), Manduti (1652 to 1686), Cuma (1687 to 1721), Ciira (1722 to 1756), Mathathi (1757 to 1791), Ndemi (1792 to 1826), Iregi (1827 to 1861), Maina (1862 to 1897), Mwangi (1898)

1.8 Housing and clothing

A gikuyu homestead consisted of one hut and several houses, depending on the number of wives. The man lived in a hut (Thingira) and the wives, each lived in separate houses with her children (Nyumba). Circumcised but unmarried young men had their own young men’s thingira. Children and unmarried girls slept in the Nyumba.

Kikuyu women wore a skin round the groin called muthuru which covered the back  and mwengu that covered the front. They also wore lots of coloured bead necklaces.

1.9 Modern Culture

The traditional way of life of Agikuyu was disrupted when they came into contact with British people around 1888. This also disrupted the shift of power from Mwangi that was supposed to occur in 1925–1928. The aim of the Europeans was to colonize and take over their rich agricultural land. The colonial takeover was met with strong local resistance by leaders like waiyaki wa hinga

1.10 Facts & Figures

There are about 6,622,576 Gĩkũyũ people in Kenya (August 2010), about 16.9% of the Kenya’s total population constituting the single largest ethnic group in Kenya, and are concentrated in the vicinity of Mount Kenya.

Agikuyus were predominantly cultivators.

Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi – the ancestors of the Gĩkũyũ – first settled in Mũkũrũe wa Gathanga, which is currently in Muranga. Later, the tribe spread around mount Kenya, their current location

Citations: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_people, www.emmanuelkariuki.hubpages.com, www.bluegecko.org/kenya/tribes/kikuyu/history1.htm, www.elimuasilia.org and www.kikuyu.com