Cultural Workbook: The Luo-Kikuyu Journey
Cultural Workbook: The Luo- Kikuyu journey
It is always interesting to talk about culture. To be able to learn how other cultures live and the zeal that makes them unique in one way or another. Similarly, digging deeper into my culture is an interesting and exciting affair. It helps me to cope with the challenges of life on the backdrop of my culture.
In this cultural exploration, I am seeking to understand two of the most prominent cultures in Kenya, one being my own and the other being of my friend and school mate Ephy Osele.
I will seek to compare the Kikuyu and Luo cultures and how for decades they have lived together, their uniqueness and to try and understand their way of life.
Ephy and I having several things in common; our cultures …show more content…
As the dwelling place for Ngai, Kirinyaga in central Kenya was a sacred place. During prayer, the Kikuyu’s faced Mount Kenya, where they believed Ngai resided. Traditionally kikuyu people built their homes with the main entrances perceived to be facing the mountain. In Kikuyu culture they believe Gikuyu and Mumbi, who were God’s creations and the creators of the kikuyu tribe, gave birth to nine daughters who formed the nine clans of the tribe. These daughters, would then get married and that is how the culture flourished. The daughters were given names that are now commony used among the kikuyu’s. These are; Wanjiru, Wambui, Wanjiku, Waceera or Njeri, Wangari, Wakiuru or Nyambura, Wangeci or Waithira, Wairimu, Wangui or Waithiegeni, Wamuyu or …show more content…
It also signifies other socially identified meanings of assumptions of responsibilities. For both boys and girls, initiationinto adult hood thorugh circumcision is an indicator of their admission into the Kikuyu culture (ni atuaika muthuri kana mutumia). Through this, an individual became a full participant in the dewllings of the society as a whole, beyond the village (Itura). The rite of passage is for boys aged between 14 and 15 years, which involved them going through the circumcision event usually done by the older men in the village. For the girls, they too had to undergo a rite of passage event involving circumcision and learning about how to become a proper Kikuyu woman. Due to heavy pressure from the coloniaslists and other cultures, the Kikuyu’s have since stopped the circumcision or girls although there are still few isolated areas where it still happens.
The social consequence of the circumcision for the boys, meant that he was now ready to face the world as a warrior. An uncircumcised boy would be disregarded and considered still a boy even if he was more than 50 years old. He would be disregarded and not allowed to make any decisions in
It is always interesting to talk about culture. To be able to learn how other cultures live and the zeal that makes them unique in one way or another. Similarly, digging deeper into my culture is an interesting and exciting affair. It helps me to cope with the challenges of life on the backdrop of my culture.
In this cultural exploration, I am seeking to understand two of the most prominent cultures in Kenya, one being my own and the other being of my friend and school mate Ephy Osele.
I will seek to compare the Kikuyu and Luo cultures and how for decades they have lived together, their uniqueness and to try and understand their way of life.
Ephy and I having several things in common; our cultures …show more content…
As the dwelling place for Ngai, Kirinyaga in central Kenya was a sacred place. During prayer, the Kikuyu’s faced Mount Kenya, where they believed Ngai resided. Traditionally kikuyu people built their homes with the main entrances perceived to be facing the mountain. In Kikuyu culture they believe Gikuyu and Mumbi, who were God’s creations and the creators of the kikuyu tribe, gave birth to nine daughters who formed the nine clans of the tribe. These daughters, would then get married and that is how the culture flourished. The daughters were given names that are now commony used among the kikuyu’s. These are; Wanjiru, Wambui, Wanjiku, Waceera or Njeri, Wangari, Wakiuru or Nyambura, Wangeci or Waithira, Wairimu, Wangui or Waithiegeni, Wamuyu or …show more content…
It also signifies other socially identified meanings of assumptions of responsibilities. For both boys and girls, initiationinto adult hood thorugh circumcision is an indicator of their admission into the Kikuyu culture (ni atuaika muthuri kana mutumia). Through this, an individual became a full participant in the dewllings of the society as a whole, beyond the village (Itura). The rite of passage is for boys aged between 14 and 15 years, which involved them going through the circumcision event usually done by the older men in the village. For the girls, they too had to undergo a rite of passage event involving circumcision and learning about how to become a proper Kikuyu woman. Due to heavy pressure from the coloniaslists and other cultures, the Kikuyu’s have since stopped the circumcision or girls although there are still few isolated areas where it still happens.
The social consequence of the circumcision for the boys, meant that he was now ready to face the world as a warrior. An uncircumcised boy would be disregarded and considered still a boy even if he was more than 50 years old. He would be disregarded and not allowed to make any decisions in