The Kikuyu Community of Kenya

Migration and settlement

Ancestors of the Kikuyu arrived in Kenya and settled on the slopes of Mount Kenya where they found the Gumba, whom they assimilated. The Gumba were hunters who made iron and pottery, and used honey and honey products.

The Kikuyu learnt the art of iron-making and smelting from the Gumba and, as their population increased, they dispersed to different areas around the slopes of Mount Kenya.

The Agikuyu believe that Ngai created the first man (Gikuyu) and woman (Mumbi) to whom they trace their origin.

One day Ngai appeared to Gikuyu and allotted him all land south-west of Mount Kenya, currently Kirinyaga county.

Gikuyu then built a homestead at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga in Murang’a. This place is considered sacred and has many fig trees. Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga is a gazetted cultural site.

Mumbi and Gikuyu were blessed with nine daughters: Wanjirũ, Wambũi, Njeri, Wanjikũ, Nyambũra, Wairimũ, Waithĩra, Wangarĩ, and Wangũi, but no sons. When time came for the daughters to start families of their own, their father prayed and offered sacrifice to Ngai under a fig (Mugumo) tree.

The next day nine men appeared under the mugumo tree who married the daughters. They became the ancestors of the nine Kikuyu clans.

The work of the medicine man

Traditionally medicine men (mundu mugo) were powerful people in the Kikuyu community. They were consulted about the future, for healing and cleansing from ill omens.

The primary apparatus of the medicine men consisted of a series of gourds, the most important of which was the divination gourd mwano. It contained medicine used to heal the sick. It has a long neck, decorated with a woven leather strap and plant fibre handle. It is sealed with a plant fibre lid, attached with leather to the neck.

Karuri wa Gakure: the great chief

Karuri wa Gakure was a famous Kikuyu medicine man and warrior. He was born in Gathigiyo, to a father who was of the Angari clan and a mother whose name was Wangari.

Young Karuri displayed leadership qualities among his peers and was consequently named him Mutongoria, which means leader. He belonged to the machungya makuru age set.

Growing up, Karuri hunted elephants for ivory to trade with the Arabs. He became a medicine man to supplement his income. For thirty goats, he bought his first herbs from Githaiga wa Muya, Gikemi wa Karura and from the hunter gathering communities in the nearby forests. He led the Kikuyu warriors to battle after giving them medicine that was believed to make them invincible

Iron-working

Kikuyu blacksmiths (muturi) made knives and weapons from iron ore, which was dug out of the ground and smelted. In most markets, tobacco, vegetables, skins and gourds were exchanged for iron, pottery, leather garments, salt and red ochre.

This is a traditional digging knife (kahiu ka irima) with a wooden handle made by a blacksmith at Kirwara. The handle was carved from Murembu wood.

It was used by women for cultivating fields, clearing bushes, weeding and harvesting cassava and sweet potatoes.

Basket-making

Basket (kiondo) making was a notable traditional economic activity among the Agikuyu women. The kiondo is a woven basket made in various shapes, colors, and sizes, and decorated with geometric designs. Strings for making the baskets were gathered from the bark of several indigenous shrubs.

Apart from weaving baskets and trays, the strings were also used in making snares, repairing calabashes, stringing beads or tying loads.

Pottery

Kikuyu women made pots from riumba, a special clay dug up in particular areas. The pots were mostly used for cooking, storing grain, carrying water and for trade.

This Kikuyu pot, with a straight neck and rim decorated with diagonal lines, was made by women potters using a mixture of three types of clay – red, white and black – which were obtained from swamps and along river banks.

The women collected and made these pots under the shade, in a similar manner to the Kamba.

Ceremonial headdress

A headdress made from sisal ropes which were dyed with castor oil. It was used by Kikuyu elders during ceremonial occasions.

A symbol of status

This fly-whisk is made using a cow tail, fitted firmly with a wooden handle. It is made by men and carried by elders as a symbol of status.

Initiation: new roles for young Kikuyu

The Agikuyu circumcised both boys and girls at puberty. As an important cultural practice, circumcision was characterized by celebration irua.

Circumcised girls became women ready for marriage, and boys became warriors. Initiates circumcised at the same time, formed an age-set riika.

In Kenya today, female circumcision is illegal and the communities are encouraged to adopt alternative initiation rites which do not involve female genital mutilation.

Shield for dancing

The Agikuyu made shields for dancing, called ndome. They were carved out of a single piece of wood, with a hole for the arm instead of a hand grip, and were worn on the upper left arm. They were used by boys prior to their initiation as junior warriors.

Each year the boys of a particular territorial unit would choose a design, which they later used for their war shields once they had achieved warrior status.

Shields of this type became family heirlooms, though the designs might be scraped off and repainted many times as each new generation of boys prepared for their initiation.

Marriage the Kikuyu way

When a young man found a suitable woman to marry, he was expected to pay bride wealth ruracio to her family. The parents of both the bride and groom engaged in discussions, exchanged gifts, and assessed whether the couple were a suitable match.

Afterwards, the elders and fathers of the groom and bride drank locally brewed beer muratina together as they negotiated for bride wealth (sheep, goats and cattle). A man could marry as many wives as he could afford.

A traditional Kikuyu marriage ceremony nguracio is characterized by a great feast, songs, dance and merry-making.

A Kikuyu bride

A portrait of a Kikuyu bride wearing traditional headdress, earrings, necklace and wedding dress.

Playing the fiddle

The fiddle wandindi is played by a specialist using a sisal stringed bow muthage. The spcialist would go round the countryside playing the instrument and singing in markets and at dances.

Large rattles

Large rattles kigamba were made by blacksmiths and worn by travelers and dancers just below the knee during special occasions such as war dances, initiation ceremonies and other ceremonial dances.

This particular large leg rattle was made with four long bells sewn on a thick pad of leather. It was worn by older men for dancing. Today, such bells are made from scrap iron and ball bearings.