Kikuyu Tribe- 10 Interesting Things No One Ever Told You About Them

Africa as a continent has about 2000 languages which means it has a third of the world’s languages. There is a Bantu ethnic group, the Kikuyu tribe in central Kenya and they are the largest ethnic group in Kenya. They have a population of close to 8, 148,668 as of 2019 which means they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya. It is believed that one man named Gikuyu founded the tribe which is why Kikuyu is sometimes referred to as Gikuyu. The Kikuyu tribe is also found in Tanzania.

Kikuyu is spoken by other tribes also and it is often spoken alongside Swahili in Nairobi. The Kikuyu nation has just nine clans and each clan traces its origin to female ancestors who were the daughters of Gikuyu. The Kikuyu tribe has a unique culture and history which has been told in form of stories and folklores.

Here Are 10 Interesting Things No One Ever Told You about the Kikuyu Tribe

The Kikuyu Tribe Had a Matrilineal descent

In the past, the Kikuyu was dominated by women since the clans are descendants of the daughter of Gikuyu. According to legend, the daughters married and had their families and also retained a domineering role in Kikuyu society. It is said that the men got tired of the way the women treated them so they decided to rebel. In the history of the Kikuyu tribe, it was this rebellion that led to the change from matriarchal to the patriarchal organization.

The Kikuyu Tribe Has Never Had Chiefs Except Council Of Elders

In the leadership system of Kikuyu, they operate on a family-oriented government. The council of elders is selected from the senior elder age set. A representative was often chosen by consensus and would be removed if he does not meet the terms of the council. They also consider themselves from one ancestor, Gikuyu, and his wife, Mumbi.

The Kikuyu Girls And Boys Are Raised In A Different Way

In a traditional Kikuyu setting, the children are raised in a different manner. The girls are trained to work in the farms “shamba” while the boys care for animals. Due to western influence. Both boys and girls are both educated and there is no disparity of tasks between the genders especially in the urban area.

Also, the Kikuyu in rural areas is considered poor so they work hard on the farms in other to help themselves and change the narrative for their next generation. Daughters are expected to take care of their younger siblings and also help their mothers with household chores not just in the rural areas but in the cities as well especially for those who can’t hire a maid or babysitter.

Kikuyu’s Cultural Clothing and Attire

Before the coming of the westerners, the local Kikuyu people had their unique cultural clothes and attire. they had a traditional piece of clothing called ‘Shukas’. Also, the Kikuyu have different types of clothing for different age sets. this varies from the young to the old. They also have traditional clothing for marriage as well as other significant occasions.

Kikuyu tribe — Kikuyu women in their cultural attires (image source)

The children are dressed with skin around their waist without any cloth on their upper body. the men also wear skins on their waist with bare chests while the women cover their whole body with shukas tied on their left shoulder down to their knees. They adorn their ankles with multicolored beads and their ears with earrings.

The Kikuyu Have Strong Cultural/Traditional Belief

The Kikuyu were regarded as highly superstitious people and up to date they still adhere to some of the practices of traditions from old times. The Kikuyu believe the number ‘10’ is not a lucky number. That is why their legend says Gikuyu had 10 daughters but the people always say nine. Instead of saying the word for 10, they always say full nine even when counting. Also, the Kikuyu believe that whistling is taboo. The traditional belief was that the act calls out malicious spirits. Nowadays only a few people still believe in this.

The Kikuyu people also believe that it is bad luck to speak about the coming birth of a child. They believed that evil spirits would hear it and take the child away.

It is also believed that the Kikuyu girls are the most beautiful and homely in Kenya. there is a wide belief that Kikuyu women are most times preferred as wives for so many reasons like their ability to make a man feel good in bed and also their beautiful body figures.

The Tribe Has A Unique Ritual Of Naming Children

There is a unique way or pattern in which the Kikuyu people name their children. This naming pattern is still followed today. They believed that the family’s identity is supposed to be carried on in each generation by their naming pattern. In a Kikuyu family, the first boy is named after his father’s father, the second boy is named after his mother’s father. Also, the first girl is named after her father’s mother and the second daughter is named after her mother’s mother. According to legend, the dead ancestor can come back to life through the birth and naming of a newborn.

By so doing, the names of the parents if there’s a mixed marriage, the names of the descendants would include that of the other ethnic group.

Kikuyu’s Traditional Foods

Agikuyu as they are called has some special meals and dishes. Their typical food includes yams, sweet potatoes, Gītheri (maize and beans), mashed green peas, and potatoes which they call (Mūkimo). They also enjoy mashed dry beans, corn, and potatoes (Irio); sausage made from goat meat and blood (Mūtura); fermented porridge made from flour of corn, millet, or sorghum.

The Kikuyu people are known to be business people and their passion for business is developed because of their love for money and material things. it is said that a typical Agikuyu would do anything for money which also makes them hard working.

The Kikuyu tribe benefitted from Their Colonial Masters and Were Key Players In The Independence Of Kenya

During the colonial era, the people suffered and also benefitted under the colonial masters. They own arable lands which the colonial masters wanted to take by force even by killing or jailing anyone involved in a fight against them. Also, the people were picked as laborers and workers which made them gain early exposure and education.

In the bid to gain independence, a major organization called the Mau Mau group is applauded for the victory. The group consisted of Kikuyu men and women who were rebellious and were fighting against the colonizers. The most popular member of the group is Dedan Kimathi who is still celebrated today for his bravery and strength.

The Kikuyu Tribe Has Many Prominent people

Kikuyu has produced many prominent people. These people are represented in almost all the sectors of the country. Out of the four presidents Kenya has had, 3 of them were Kikuyu. Some of the famous Kikuyu people are Wangari Maathai, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Samuel Wanjiru, and a few others.

The People’s religion and spiritual beliefs

The Agikuyu strongly believes in nature and the elements. They believed their god resides on Mount Kenya and also in the sky. They also believe in an omnipotent God they call Ngai. They make sacrifices to their god under a sycamore tree (Mũkũyũ) or a fig tree (Mũgumo) so the trees were regarded as special and holy places of worship. They also respected the olive tree (Mũtamaiyũ) which was considered a sacred tree for women.

Kikuyu are also referred to as ancestor worshippers. They honored their ancestors whom they believed were their intercessors and so had spiritual powers. Their traditional religion is monotheistic and their primary religion now is Christianity even though some of the people still follow traditional beliefs.