The Kikuyu people are Kenya’s biggest ethnic group. They are a Bantu ethnic group primarily settling in Central Kenya. Particularly on the Southern and Western sides of Mt. Kenya which they believe is the home of their god “Ngai” also known as “Mwene Nyaga”. The Kikuyu people have a rich history and cultural heritage.
The Kikuyu people maintain a close connection with their ancestors. They have a strong belief in their supreme god called Ngai. Their giver of all things like rain, sun, stars, moon, animals and plants.
Various customs and practices make up the Kikuyu’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. Inclusive of birth rituals, initiation rites, traditional religious practices, traditional marriage ceremonies, dance, music, proverbs. These reflect their wisdom and story telling that reflects their ways of living.
Traditionally, the Kikuyu people were organized into approximately 9 clans. While each clan had its own leadership and hierarchy. They all traced their roots to one female ancestor, the daughter of Mumbi.
They intensively cultivated crops like sorghum, millet (main crop), beans, peas, maize (corn), vegetables, sweet potatoes and fruits. Livestock (sheep, goat, cows) was also of valuable addition to their economy.
In the early 20th Century, the British colonialists disrupted the Kikuyu’s traditional way of life (marked family homesteads) when they relocated them to villages after forcefully taking their land which led to the Mau Mau revolution / rebellion aimed to fight colonial rule. The Kikuyu over the years have made significant contributions to Kenya’s economy and politics.
While modernization and urbanization has brought changes to the Kikuyu’s way of life, they have still retained some of their traditional and cultural practices thus preserving their identity and heritage.
