The Kikuyu Community: Religion and Culture Essay

Introduction

• Kikuyu is the largest ethnic tribe in Kenya.
• Constitute about 27% of country’s population.
• Kikuyu name originated from cultural tree.
• The community speaks the Kikuyu language.
• Kikuyu individuals are distributed in Kenyan central.
• The Kikuyu possess high political influence.

Kenya’s Kikuyu people are the most popular and largest ethnic group. They account for up to 27% of the total population of the country (Kings, 2021). Their name originates from a traditional tree “Mukuyu”. This group is also known as the Agikuyu or Gikuyu in common usage. The Kikuyus were the most powerful community before the Europeans invaded their land. Nevertheless, they are fluent in Kikuyu but with current advancements, they talk Swahili and English, which are Kenya’s popular languages. Lastly, the current demographics show that most Kikuyus are dispersed throughout Mt. Kenya and the central highlands, where they exercise farming.

Historical Religious Beliefs

• The community worship God called Ngai.
• Offered burned sacrifices to their God.
• Believe that God live in sacred mountaintops.
• The community believes in supernatural powers.
• History points Gikuyu and Mumbi as first parents.
• Worshiped under the sacred Mugumo tree (strangler fig).

Traditionally, the tribe had only worshipped one god, whom they called Ngai. The provider, who was believed to reside on the mountaintop, was identified by the word “Ngai.” Kikuyus held the belief that they were the very first people on Earth. Additionally, the community believed in supernatural powers such as sorcery and foretelling events. Besides, this tribe offered sacrifice to their god in form of livestock. According to stories and customs from the Kikuyu culture, individuals believed that their traditional god had created Mumbi and Kikuyu, a man and a woman. After having nine daughters together, this couple got married to establish the Kikuyu tribe. They worshiped under Mugumo tree, strangler tree in English.

Mt Kirinyaga-The sacred Mountain (Castro, 2019).

Mt. Kirinyaga which is nowadays referred to as Mt. Kenya is one of the sacred places the Kikuyu cherish in their culture. The mountain served as a holy place for sacrifices and prayers. Whenever the community faced challenges such as drought, priests would gather and burn lambs, while at the same time praying for rain (Castro, 2019). Additionally, this mountain acted as the holy place where prophets connected with God.

Kikuyus Traditional Religion

• Believe that God is masculine and invisible.
• Manifest in sun, rain, thunder and lightening.
• Believe in God’s omnipresence and omniscient.
• The Kikuyus are monotheist-one God.
• God was powerful and answered sacrifices.

Ngai is male, and cannot be seen, but he is visible in the sun, moon, stars, comets, meteors, rain, rainbows. The great fig trees served as places of worship and sacrifice. Besides, these trees marked the location of the Mukurue wa Gathanga, where Gikuyu and Mumbi, the Kikuyu’s ancestors in the oral legend, first settled. The Kikuyu, as they are today, practiced monotheism and referred to a singular and omnipotent God as Ngai, Mogai or Mungai. The Maasai word Enkai, which the Kikuyu and Kamba both borrowed, was the source of both the word and the concept. Their God was powerful and answered their prayers and sacrifice.

Kikuyu Historical Practices

• Ceremonies included birth, death, Marriage, circumcision and cleansing.
• Conducted clitoridectomy among girls and circumcision for boys.
• Marriage was sacred and polygamy was practiced.
• Chiefs ruled and not bureaucratic institutions.
• Women performed farm, domestic, and ritual chores.
• Celebrated ceremonies with joy except for death.

Birth, naming, circumcision, marriage, cleansing, and death are just a few of the Kikuyu’s many rituals. Except for the death ceremony, which they believed represented the rights of passage, all ceremonies are celebrated with joy. Some of the major ceremonies of the Kikuyu include clitoridectomy in the girls and circumcision in boys (Raïmi, 2018). According to the traditional beliefs, in the Kikuyu dowry culture, if a husband can afford to care for more than two wives, he will be allowed to marry both. There were absolutely no bureaucratic institutions, chiefs or kings back then. The women had a separate council as well where they had discussed their farm matters, domestic concerns, female social discipline and rituals.

Cleansing a place of worship, kikuyu traditions (Castro, 2019).

The cleansing process illustrated by the picture reflects the activities that occur when the Kikuyu as a tribe sin against Ngai. The cleansing ceremonies are normally conducted y the council of elders who mediate between the people and God. Typically, such cleansing processes may take place after an individual abuses and dishonors Ngai, leading to tragedy on the whole Kikuyu community Castro, 2019). The cleansing ceremony can be through slaughtering goats or offering burned plant sacrifices.

Positive Influence of other Tribes to Kikuyu Culture

• Intermarriages leading to harmonious living.
• Exchange of food and clothing culture.
• Shift of social economic activities.
• Adopting new names leading to less tribalism.
• Social inclusion of women to tribal matters.

There are some positive influences of neighboring cultures to kikuyu traditions. Intermarriages between Maasai and Kikuyu led to harmonious living between the two conflicting communities. Foods such as meet and herbs have been adopted from other communities. They exchange food and clothing culture. Maasai led to gradual shift of social economic activities from farming to rearing animals among kikuyus. Adopting new names from Masai lead to less tribalism and increased diversity in the regions. With some communities such as Minji Kenda where women were leaders, kikuyus increased their social inclusion of women to tribal matters and later becoming prominent women in the world such as Wangari Maathai.

Negative Influence of other Tribes to Kikuyu Culture

• Extinction of Kikuyu Culture and traditional beliefs.
• Tribal conflicts with some communities.
• Practicing some outdated traditions such as clitoridectomy.
• Formation of tribal militias to protect the community.

The main negative effect of neighboring cultures includes the extinction of kikuyu culture. Some kikuyu cultures were crucial such as their general moral values and they extinct with influence from other culture. Due to tribal differences, communities has led to conflicts between kikuyus and other Kenyan communities with the aim of protecting lands and grabbing more (Middleton & Kershaw 2018). Since some communities such as Maasai and Borana communities in Kenya practice clitoridectomy, some kikuyus have also continued the life-threatening act till today although in secret. The conflicts between kikuyu and other communities led to formation of tribal militia (Mungiki) which was known for their criminal activities.

Current Kikuyu people

• Currently Kikuyus are civilized and educated.
• Have the ability to cope with new environments.
• Have adopted the modern culture.
• They still value their Kikuyu culture.
• Conscious of their political domination.

It is evident that the majority of Kikuyu are educated due to their strong academic record. They are capable of adapting to the new environment. Modern culture has effectively been adopted by the tribe. They have always placed the traditions of their Kikuyu culture above all else in their personal lives. They are fully aware of their dominance over Kenyan politics and leadership.

Current Religious Beliefs

• Christianity of the current main religion among Kikuyu.
• It was introduced by the British colonizers.
• Kikuyu Join different churches in Kenya.
• Catholic or Anglican churches are major (Karanja, 2019).
• Gospel churches have also very common.
• Very few are Muslims and Hindus.

Because life is hard, the locals are very religious and became Christians in their own way. They do need faith that things will get better. They can join any number of different churches. Despite the fact that Catholic churches are the best-built and typically larger, as well as Islamic mosques and Indian temples, the Gospel churches are the most popular (Karanja, 2019). Beyond practical reasons like being the local church that built the school and small hospitals, the gospel is the primary reason they become Christians.

Contd.

• Some Kikuyu religious traditions are still prominent.
• Some church leaders and also tribal leaders.
• The sacrifice of the “Kiama” (miracle) goats for gods.
• Some churches ban the adherence to traditions.
• Believe “Ngai” is still the Christian God.

Kikuyu Christians are also trying to retain their traditional religious beliefs. The lively historical battles between Christianity and Kikuyu culture, which have existed ever since missionaries arrived in Kikuyu territory more than a century ago, are rekindled and advanced by the debate. Most of the time, the most senior church elders are also the most senior Kikuyu elders who have provided all of the necessary sacrificial Kiama goats. Despite their seniority, these elders have been found by the church to be highly conflicted by this double adherence, and they are now thought to be incapable of giving the Christians their all. Even though the ban only applies to PCEA members, it will undoubtedly affect Christians from non-Kikuyu communities who face similar difficulties.

Elements of Consideration before preaching to a Kikuyu

• Kikuyu people still believe in their traditions.
• Believe in spiritual existence of ancestors.
• Has superstitious beliefs.
• Kikuyu culture-death is not exactly inevitable.
• Re-birth can happen from ancestral blessings.

The Kikuyus continue to hold to their traditions. They hold the belief that their ancestors have a spiritual existence. Additionally, the tribe holds superstitious beliefs. Unlucky numbers, the prohibition against whistling, and other practices are still practiced by a significant number of the tribe’s members (Hobley, 2021). The Kikuyu culture holds that death is not necessarily inevitable. Rebirth is a real thing that can even bring back an ancestor in the form of a newborn child. This usually happens when the child has the same name as the ancestor.

Contd.

• The mountain is still sacred even to Kikuyu Christians.
• They still honor their ancestors.
• Believe in some traditional curses.
• They believe they are a God chosen community.
• Plants and animals have strong relationship with God.

Mt Kirinyaga is believed to be sacred even by Kikuyu Christians believes and thus anyone preaching the gospel must seclude it from scrutiny. Kikuyus still honor their tribal ancestors including families and leaders. They still believe in traditional curses and fear acts that goes against their ancestors. Kikuyus are very religious and believe that they are the chosen community by God himself. Both traditionalists and Christians in the Kikuyu community agree on their special calling from God to rule the universe. Some plants such as the sacred tree and animals such as doves are considered to have a special power and closer to God. All these factors must be considered by evangelists before engaging with the Kikuyu people since they dictate most of their beliefs.

Impact of European Policy

• Kikuyu converts had to dress like Europeans.
• Europeans led to adoption of English language.
• Change of religion to Christianity.
• Change of the Kikuyu names.
• Kikuyu stopped seeing prioritizing their traditions.

Christianity and westernization were intertwined. A successful kikuyu convert had to adopt a European name, dress European, and go to the clinic rather than the herbalist. Christians make up about 85% of Kenyans, and the religion has become ingrained in the political and cultural fabric of the country, marking naming, birth, marriage, and political ceremonies. During colonial rule, the community tried to keep their spiritual practices, but they were called “savage” pagan religions and eventually marginalized. Kikuyus stopped seeing the good in their own customs over time. Some of these beliefs have become like secret societies because they were so marginalized.

Contd.

• Stopped Female Genital Mutilation.
• Education among individuals leading to civilization.
• Introduction and building of modern houses.
• Women empowerment is present in the tribe.
• Disturbed traditional rankings of dominance.

The European policy and exposure led to abolishment of some cultures such as Female Genital Mutilation. The education system installed in the country led kikuyu people to be more civilized in terms of living standards. They adopted more civilized houses and only the very few still use the traditional huts. Women in Kikuyu culture were subjected to inferiority a tradition that was changed by the European policies. Gender roles such as staying at home and taking care of children has changed and women can now do what men do. The influence of Europe caused severe divisions in Kikuyu society, disrupted traditional hierarchies and rankings, and widened already-existing cracks in the tribal sociopolitical fabric. The use of leaders weakened the Kikuyu resistance, which was ultimately crushed by superior military forces.

Impacts of Current and Future Government

• Local government insist retainment of traditional beliefs.
• Current government hunts notorious Kikuyu subcultures.
• Relocation from ancestral places to urban center.
• Government promotion of the council of elders.
• Government’s urbanization leading sacred places loss.

The government and kikuyu tradition have merged in various occasions. Due to tourism impacts and heritage reasons the current government is supporting the growth of kikuyu culture. Leaders from the government are present in kikuyu traditions. The government is also very aggressive in the removal of criminal sub-cultures. Young men in Kikuyu religion are exposed to traditional beliefs of political superiority leading to criminal activities while trying to protect their land and traditions. The government on the other hand is very vibrant in extinction of such cultures. Due to state lands for sale and the relocation of different people, kikuyu culture and beliefs are submerged to extinction. This is because most lose their traditional places of worship.

Conclusion

• Kikuyus have had a rich culture.
• Believed in one God called Ngai.
• Offered sacrifices and worshiped under a fig tree.
• Christianity is the current religion.
• Some still believe in their traditional ways.
• European colonization impacted Kikuyus beliefs.

Kikuyu, an African traditional tribe is among the majority in Kenya. They are very rich in culture and beliefs. They are monotheist and call their call their God Ngai which was borrowed from Maasai a neighboring community. They offered sacrifices to their omnipresent god and worshiped him under a fig tree called Mugumo. Currently most of Kikuyus are Christians with a small portion being Muslims and traditionalists. Even the kikuyu Christians still believe in some traditional ways such as curses, naming of children marriage and the supernatural existence of their ancestors. The European culture influenced their beliefs and changes most of their culture to a more civilized and western culture.

References

Castro, P. (2019). Sacred groves and social change in Kirinyaga, Kenya. In Social Change and Applied Anthropology (pp. 277-289). Routledge.

Hobley, C. W. (2021). Bantu beliefs and Magic: With particular reference to the Kikuyu and Kamba tribes of Kenya colony together with some reflections on East Africa after the war. Routledge.

Karanja, J. (2016). Confession and cultural dynamism in the revival. In The East African revival (pp. 159-168). Routledge.

Karanja, J. (2019). The Role of Kikuyu Christians in Developing a Self-Consciously African Anglicanism. In The Church Mission Society and World Christianity, 1799-1999 (pp. 254-282). Routledge.

Kings, G. (2021). The Bible, Christianity and African Traditional Religions. In Nourishing Mission (pp. 24-42). Brill.

Middleton, J., & Kershaw, G. (2018). The Kikuyu and Kamba of Kenya: East Central Africa Part V. Routledge.

Raïmi, A. F. (2018). The role of circumcision in the social and political life of the Kikuyu in Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s The River Between. IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Literature, 5(1), 17-26.

Waweru, J. L. K., Kimaro, R. P. L. R., & Wambugu, R. D. J. (2018) Kikuyu Thahu, Mugiro and Kirumi as a Remedy to Social Unity and Harmony among the Agikuyu Society of Central Kenya.