African, the black land. Some even call it the cursed
land. In the Eastern Region of the continent lies a country called Kenya. Kenya
with a population of over 33 million people in total has 42 different the most
populated their vast and rapid migration from their original land to other
parts of the country is highly noticeable. They have been commonly known for
their farming. They were mostly farmers of the colonialists. The most evident
area is the fertile white highlands in Central Kenya. The white highlands were
occupied by the colonialists for its rich soil nutrients and fertility. The
area was earlier occupied by the kikuyu.
They practiced farming as an economic activity to cater for their day to day lives.
They also practiced trade with the other tribes and henceforth brought
intermarriage. They were also very religious people. They believed in a god
called ngai. They believed that he
created Mumbi and Gikuyu and gave
them nine daughters who later got married and bore children who are now the kikuyu tribe. They believed that he
placed Mumbi and Gikuyu ( in the
recent) Mt.Kenya. They also had sacred places like at the famous Mugumo tree found in some parts of
Central Kenya. But most of all they had a foreseer called Mugo wa Kibiro who foresaw the coming of the white man. In his
words he said “I see people looking like
butterflies coming to………………………………………………..” That was about them in the olden
ages. What about now? The kikuyu have
vastly immigrated to other countries. Mostly in the U.S.A. Most of them in the
U.S.A are commonly found in the state of Massachusetts in Boston. They have
even opened churches ministering in kikuyu.
But the language is however deteriorating. They have intermarried in a very
high rate that’s very alarming. They are not proud of their language anymore.
The language has however become another common language as it is very easy to
understand and hence many people in the country have learnt the language. You
cannot blame us the kikuyu. I as an
individual being a tribe member has been very challenging. I’ve grown up in the
sense that speaking your mother-tongue is however a lame thing. It is very hard
to find a teenager in the urban areas speaking in their own mother-tongue
language. It is hard to fight this evil that has befallen us. Kikuyu culture is deteriorating fast
and is urgently in need of saving. The community elders have held meetings on
how to improve the love and communication of the language. Cultural nights have
been arranged where they plan a whole night event in dedication to one tribe. During the whole night they get to
play the tribe’s music and the food served is totally tribal. The
westernization is however killing us very much. People so want to be
westernized and they are not thinking even about the consequences. Some
westernization is hard to avoid but some can be controlled. But as all this
goes on. Is it a good thing to revive the tribe? The tribe was however the main
factor in the 2008 post election violence in Kenya. The tribal clashes were
between the kikuyu and other tribes. Well, is it advisable to bring back the kikuyu culture? Or is it bringing back a
monster to life? Or will we watch as the culture deteriorates?
Faith Mwangi,
Signing out.
Contact at: imanimwangi@gmail.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/faithashleyjohn
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