Anyone knows the complete Kikuyu History, from Gikuyu and Mumbi, their daughters, the clans, chege wa (?Kabiru?),... is there a book on this topic?... does anyone out there know it?

Karungaru,
The only comprehensive book I am aware of is Godfrey Muriuki's. I am not sure whether that book is in print, but I think it is time that peopel lobbyed the publishers to make more copies.

Good Luck

Thaaaaaaai

Karungaru,
There is an ethnographic study of the kikuyu by lOUIS LEAKEY done in 1939. The title of the book is southern kikuyu before 1909. The book is in three volumes and has a total of about fourteen hudred pages. Check it out since you are in England where it was published. I understand that soa has that is school of oriental and african studies. You will not regret. There are others like A man of Two Worlds that looks at the life of Mugo. The last one that I have read was Agikuy: A prehistoric past.
see if those will be of any help.
THAAII

Thank you, Sajini, Kirema Thahu. I will check out your suggestions. It's interesting how we, putting myself first, can get absorbed into the western culture and almost completely forget where we come from. I know people, friends and others who don't even want to know where they come from and are totally not interested in their culture. I would hate to see Kikuyu being just history but, the way things are going it seems inevitable, within a few generations I can see it totally extinct. On my last trip to Kenya I realized that more and more people want their children to learn Swahili or English as a first language, kikuyu being irrelevant to their future existence but who can blame them, such is life, kikuyu language has no future it seems.
Thaai

There can never be a future without a past and a present PERIOD. Those who may be acting as though they can forget the past and somehow move on are playing a game of their mind. Those who control a people's history control their present and hence their future. What you see is the fulfillment of an old imperial plan. You can bet that those you are talking about who do not want their children to learn kikuyu probably have very strong appetites. If those who are in the business of controlling the destinies of others for the sake maintaining their hold on power can get a large segment of the world population to think likewise, which you correctly pointed out have done, then their children are going to inherit the system intact and therefore as it rulers. Those whom you are talking about will have to contend with an oppressive system that is supported by their own resources, sweat and blood of their children. Look at Africa and most of the underdeveloped world. Their main problem is that most of their resources are being used not to build a future for them but for building the west. Africa is a prime example. They even call us third world. This is the mordern method of waging war and impoverishing a people. The so called educated in such countries as simply those who have been well indoctrinated into western thought and hence appetites. The manufacutures of the west are besides themselves with joy over such trend. However, the few indigenious industries can hardly survive. Everything is political!!!Languages are no exceptions. African in America, otherwise known as African Americans will be celebrating Juneteenths next week. This is a foolish holiday that commemorates the fact that African Americans did not know that the Emancipation Proclamation had been sighed for about eighting months. Is that anyting to celebrate? But that is the kind of stuff that happens when a people are so heavely influenced by an oppressive system. The are celebrating having worked for free.
Africans in general, Kenyans in particular, have an opportunity of reviving their culture. Let each one do their part and then we can change the direction we as a people are going. What you are doing is a sign that all is not lost. However, you have to talk with gusto and not let those few casualties of this war keep your spirit down.
Thaaiii

Greetings all, I am looking for similar books and unfortunately the books mentioned here (most of them) are out of print (History of the Kikuyu 1500-1900 by Muriuki and Leakey's books).

The book that kirema thahu mentioned Agikuyu: A prehistoric past, who is the author please? I am still searching for A man of Two Worlds.

I live in DC and other than visiting the Library of Congress (to photo copy) any other suggestions.

many thanks

Ciku,

All my searches are not getting any results maybe Kirema could assist with more information. But I will keep on searching and looking around for any of them and will let you.

quote:

Originally posted by kirema thahu:
Karungaru,
There is an ethnographic study of the kikuyu by lOUIS LEAKEY done in 1939. The title of the book is southern kikuyu before 1909. The book is in three volumes and has a total of about fourteen hudred pages. Check it out since you are in England where it was published. I understand that soa has that is school of oriental and african studies. You will not regret. There are others like A man of Two Worlds that looks at the life of Mugo. The last one that I have read was Agikuy: A prehistoric past.
see if those will be of any help.
THAAII

The Leakey book is "The southern kikuyu before 1903 not 1909".

I think this is the name of the book, referred to above is.

Routledge, W.S. & K.: With a Prehistoric People: The Kikuyu of British East Africa, London (1910). Tate, H.R

Good luck finding it.

W

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Moderator1,

According to Kikuyu mythology, all of creation began at the summit of Mount Kenya.

The icy peak was the realm of Ngai, the Supreme Creator, who descended from the heavens to his mountainous throne to survey his newly created lands. The mountain became Kirinyaga, his resting place, and it was from here that he called forth Gikuyu, the father of the Kikuyu people.

Ngai told him that all of the lands around Kirinyaga would be the home of Gikuyu and his children forever. He sent Gikuyu to grove of Fig trees, where he found a woman called Mumbi. This grove would become known as Mukuru wa Nyagathanga, the birthplace of all Kikuyu, still revered as a sacred place.
Among the fig trees, Gikuyu and Mumbi produced nine daughters- Wanjiku, Wanjiru, Wanjeri, Wambui, Wangari, Wacera, Waithera, Wairimu, and Nyambura. (Traditionally all Kikuyu girls should be given one of these names)

The girls grew into beautiful young women, who each full moon wandered the lands around Kirinyaga in search of men so that they could bear children. They begged their father to appeal to Ngai for help. Finally he bowed before the Mountain, and Ngai commanded him to make sacrifice among the figs and light a fire.

The sacrifice of a goat beneath a fig tree is still considered a way to call rain in times of drought, but in this first case it was a different form of life sustaining rain that Gikuyu sought. After the sacrifice he plunged nine sticks into a fire, and prayed. The fire erupted into an inferno, from which nine strong young men emerged. Giving thanks, Gikuyu took them back to his daughters, and the nine marriages were blessed by Ngai.

Each of the daughters made her own homestead, and nine separate clans of the Kikuyu were born. the unity of these clans was known as the Nyumba ya Mumbi, in honour of their Mother. The peak of Kirinyaga has since remained the sacred home of Ngai. As at Riuki, all Kikuyu homesteads were traditionally built to face this Holy Mountain.


HOPE THAT HELPS YOU A BIT!