The Kikuyu Kenyans
The Kikuyu are Kenya’s largest ethnic group. They are Bantu and came into Kenya during the Bantu migration. The Kikuyu ethnic group settled on the fertile central highlands, which they cultivate. Their areas of settlement include the modern day Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Muranga and Thika towns.
Having migrated to their present site about four centuries ago, The Kikuyu spread rapidly throughout the Central Province and Kenya and they now make up Kenya’s largest ethnic group. They include some families from all the surrounding people and can be identified with the Kamba, the Meru, the Embu and the Chuka. The Kikuyu usually identify their land by the surrounding mountain ranges which they call Kirinyaga-the shining mountain. They are considered distant relatives of several people groups like the Meru, the Embu and the Chuka.
History of the Kikuyu
The Kikuyu ethnic group is thought originally to have been founded by a man named Gikuyu. Their history says that the “Kikuyu God”, Ngai, took Gikuyu on top of Kirinyaga and told him to settle and erect his home there and later given his wife, Mumbi. Mumbi and Gikuyu had nine daughters. There was actually a tenth daughter but the Kikuyu considered it to be bad luck to say the number ten. When counting they used to say “full nine” instead of ten. It was from the nine daughters that the nine Kikuyu clans -Achera, Agachiku, Airimu, Ambui, Angare, Anjiru, Angui, Aithaga, and Aitherandu came up.
Kikuyu today
Most of the Kikuyu still live on tiny family plots but many of them have also seen the opportunities in business and have moved to cities and different areas to work. They have a desire for knowledge and it is believed that all children should receive a full education. They have a terrific reputation for money management and it is common for them to have many enterprises at one time.
Kikuyu Culture
In the Kikuyu culture, family identity is carried on by naming the first boy after the father’s father and the second after the mother’s father. In the Kikuyu naming is done after the child’s grandparents. The same goes for the girls; the first is named after the father’s mother and the second after the mother’s mother. Following children are named after the brothers and sisters of the grandparents, starting with the oldest and working to the youngest. Along with the naming of the children was the belief that the deceased grandparent’s spirit, that the child was named after, would come in to the new child. This belief was lost with the increase in life-span because generally the grandparents are now still alive when the children are born. In raising them, boys work with the animals while the girls are raised to work in the farm.
Economic Activity
The Kikuyu’s chief economic activity is cultivation (farming). The Kikuyu rely heavily on agriculture. They grow bananas, sugarcane, arum lily, yams, beans, millet, maize, black beans and a variety of other vegetables. This is done both on small scale and large scale. Cash crops and horticultural produce is their main farming activity. They grow coffee tea, maize, beans, bananas, sugarcane, yams, millet, and a variety of other vegetables. They also raise cattle, sheep, and goats. They use the hides from the cattle to make bedding, sandals, and carrying straps and they raise the goats and sheep to use for religious sacrifices and purification. Though they are customarily agricultural people and have a reputation as hard-working people, a lot of them are now involved in business. A good number of very successful rich businessmen and women are from the Kikuyu tribe. The fact that the first president was a Kikuyu probably gave them a boost as they were able to acquire property in the now lucrative business centre.
Kikuyu politically
The Kikuyu are politically also active. The Kikuyu were the most prominent tribe in Kenya’s struggle for independence. Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta, was truly a Kikuyu and played a center role in Kenya’s struggle for sovereignty –a plus for the kikuyu’s rise to political and economic prominence. The legendary Mau Mau rebellion was largely composed of Kikuyus. The Mau Mau were lead by Dedan Kimathi who was credited for helping organize resistance which led to defeat of the colonial government The Kikuyus are thought to be very business minded. They form the majority population in major towns like Nairobi and Nakuru.
