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                                   Mt Kenya; a religious symbol of the Kikuyu, Embu, Chuka and Meru - Wikimedia commons Introduction: Exploring the Roots of Kenyan Cultures The origin stories of a people provide a crucial window into their worldview, beliefs, and history. For the Kikuyu, Meru, Gumba, and Chuka communities in Kenya, these myths, passed down through generations, explain their beginnings, migrations, and relationships with the land and each other. This article delves into these fascinating narratives, offering a comparative look at their key themes and variations. The Kikuyu Origin Myth: Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi The most prominent origin story among the Kikuyu centers on Gĩkũyũ (the Adam figure) and Mũmbi (the Eve figure). This narrative, documented by scholars like Kenyatta (1938), Cagnolo (1933), and Gathigira (1933), was traditionally shared with every Kikuyu child as a fundamental part of...

                                                                                 The Lamu Ocean Front  |  Source: Author  Lamu Island Lamu Island belongs to an archipelago of five islands that include Pate, Manda, Kiwayu and Manda Toto. Lamu Town on  Lamu Island  is not only the largest urban settlement, but also the capital of Lamu County. This archipelago is on the East African coast, with a section of the county on the mainland. Lamu Island is one of the most ancient settlements in Africa. Archaeologists propose that habitation started in the 1300s, but evidence from hieroglyphics suggest otherwise. Lamu has been mentioned several times in Ancient Egyptian texts as ‘Amu.’ The other land mentioned in the ancient texts is Punt. The fact that there is a Somali ...

A traditional hut of the Ameru people - Meru Museum Introduction In the late 1800s, Kikuyu land was invaded by the Imperial British East Africa Company IBEA. This company ventured deep into the interior, following in the footsteps of Ludwig Krapf who had been as far as Chief Kivoi’s Kamba territory but had not yet gone into Kikuyu land. IBEA rushed in to take territory before the French and the Germans could take everything. The territory that was administered by the IBEA was eventually taken over by the British Government when the IBEA went bankrupt. The British Government built a railway line from the port of Mombasa to Port Florence (Kisumu) in 1900 and declared Kenya a British Colony twenty years later. The railway line opened up the interior of East Africa, and the previously reclusive Kikuyu farming community were finally conquered and subjected to British rule. A way of life was slowly eroded, including a democratic system of government where an entire generation was in power an...

    Portrait of Jomo Kenyatta in 1910, Kenyatta went to the Church of Scotland Mission in search of education Jomo Kenyatta's message in 1963 Jomo Kenyatta was the first president of the independent republic of Kenya. In anticipation of independence day, Kenyatta had this to say in a special issue of the Pan African magazine: "December the 12 th , 1963! This is the happiest, the most wonderful day in my life, the day our beloved Kenya becomes free. It is a day which can come only once in a lifetime—the day when a lifetime’s effort is suddenly fulfilled. For a moment, it is hard to believe that it is true. For this day has been won with such long effort, such sacrifices, such sufferings... Now at last, we are all free, masters in our own land, masters of our destiny...FREE! What shall be my message to readers of PAN AFRICA? First, enjoy yourselves! Be happy! Breathe deeply this sweet, pure air of freedom! This freedom is your’s – your’s for the rest of your lives—to pass on to ...