TheSouthern

Kikuyubefore 1903

Volume I

L.S.B.Leakey

RL

0 . 12.439901.0

TheSouthern

Kikuyubefore 1903

This online edition of my father’s book “The Southern Kikuyu before 1903” is being released following the increasing number of requests for the second edition which I published in 2007.

My intention is to put returns from this version towards a further hard copy paper-back edition in future. Many people have indicated their wish for a “proper” book for their library and this is my plan going forward.

The three volumes remain an incredible and authentic record. That so many have demonstrated their real thirst for the information would have pleased my father and his age mates enormously and it makes the volumes even more worthwhile.

This is the first online unabridged edition.

RICHARD LEAKEY – NAIROBI, KENYACopyright @ Richard Leakey

RL

Frontispiece : L. S. B. Leakey

Contents

Foreword vEditors’ Preface viiPreface xiList of Figures and Plates xxiContents of Volumes II and III xxiiOrthographical Notes xxiii

1 I: Introductory Study of Kikuyu Social OrganisationIntroduction 1The Importance of the Family in Kikuyu Social Organisation 1The Responsibilities of every Adult Male Kikuyu 6The Position of Women and the Division of Labour 9Leaders of the People 12The Role of the Professional Classes 15The Place of Religion in Kikuyu Social Organisation 16

II: An Elder’s StoryIntroduction 18Kabetu’s Story 18

2 Kikuyu CountryIntroduction 34The Boundaries 34Neighbouring Tribes 38Altitude and Climate 40Soil 41Minerals 42Flora 42Population Density 43Fauna 46

Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

xvii Contents

3 Tradition and HistoryIntroduction 48The Origin of the Tribe 48The Growth and Spread of the Tribe 50Kikuyu Tradition about Stock and Cultivated Plants 52Contacts with Arabs and Swahilis 53Contacts with the White Man 54

4 Land TenureThe Wandorobo and their Mode of Life 88The Significance of the Ceremony of Mutual Adoption 90Details of the Ceremonies concerning the Sale of land by the Wandorobo to the Kikuyu 92Sale of Land by One Kikuyu to Another 105The Gĩthaka System. 109Law and Custom concerning a Resident Tenant (Mũthami) 115A Mũhoi (Tenant-at-will) 117The Responsibilities and Rights of a Landowner 122Land Transferred Temporarily as Security for a Loan 126

5 Villages and HomesteadsBuilding a Fortified Village (Kĩhingo) 128Building a Village in the Interior (Itũũra) 130Granaries 149Ceremonies connected with a New Hut 154Fire Alarm 157Causes of Fires 160Moving a Homestead 160Rites Associated with the Building of a New Homestead in an Established Fortified Village 165Village, Homestead and Hut Taboos and Regulations 165

6 AgricultureMethods of Cultivation 168The Kikuyu Calendar 173Crops 174Weeding 187Crop Protection 187Harvest Ceremonies 188

xviiiContents

Harvesting 188Ceremony to Restore Crops Damaged by Storm 195The Ceremonies for making the Crops Good 195Customs and Taboos Connected with Agriculture 204

7 Animal HusbandryGoats and Sheep 208Cattle 233Beekeeping 250

8 Food, Drink and TobaccoVegetable Foods 256Fruits 269The Preparation of Animal Products for Consumption 270Meat Feasts 273Blood (Thakame) as Food 277Milk (lria) 279Other Animal Foods 280Customs connected with Food 280Feeding Arrangements 281Drink 283Taboos Connected with Food and Drink 296Tobacco 298Castor Oil 301

9 Crafts and IndustryThe Blacksmith and his Ironwork 303The Smithy 307Wire Workers 317Copper and Brasswork 324Woodwork 324String, Rope and Basket Work 342Leather Work 344Clay Work 358Gourds 361Bead Work 364Feathers and Hair 370

xix Contents

Horn, Ivory and Bone 372Stone and Minerals 374Vegetable Dyes, Poison and Gum 376

10 Beauty and HygieneBeauty 378Body Hygiene 387

11 Song and DanceUninitiated People’s Dances and Songs 393Initiates’ and Novices’ Dances and Songs 412Warriors’ and Maidens’ Dances and Songs 414Elderly People’s Dances and Songs 433Women’s and Girls’ Dances and Songs 436Music 438

12 Hunting and TrappingMammals 443Reptiles 459Birds 461Traps 467Poisons 476

13 Trade and TravelTrade with the Maasai 479Markets for Trade with Maasai (Kwara Ing’ang’a-Arranging Markets) 491Trade with the Akamba 496Trade with Arabs and Swahilis 498Trade with North Kikuyu 499Internal Trade 501Currency and Barter Values 503Travel 505

Index I

xxContents

Figures and Plates in Volume I

FiguresEndpapers: South Kikuyu, showing Fortified Villages near the Southern and Eastern Forest Boundaries in the early 1890’s. The Fortified Villages shown here include some identified by Dr G. Muriuki of Nairobi University and by Ex-Senior Chief Josiah Njonjo, as well as those identified by Dr Leakey himself. The map also shows early European Centres at Fort Dagoretti, Fort Smith, Nairobi and Kabete Mission

1 The layout of a homestead of a man with four wives 1332 The layout of a homestead of a man with four wives, a widowed mother and three married sons 1363 The method of constructing a hut 1414 A section through a hut 1425 Subdivisions of a hut 1446 The correct method of cutting three sheepskins to make a woman’s cloak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3467 A sword and the method of making the sheath 3568 Various types of gourds 3629 A trap for baboons and monkeys 46710 The trap for guinea fowl, francolin and doves 46911 The method of setting a trap for duikers 47112 Carnivore trap 47213 A rat trap 47214 A mole-rat trap 476

Plates (All Plates appear between pages 264 and 265)Frontspiece: L S B Leakey1 Three old men2 Entrance to a bedroom in a Kikuyu woman’s hut3 Three granaries4 Women carrying firewood5 Kikuyu women and girls6 A young Kikuyu woman7 Paramount Chief Kinyanjui and one of his wives8 A beehive suspended from a tree9 Pounding corn and grinding10 Kikuyu pots

xxi Contents

Contents of Volume II14 Birth and Infancy15 “Rebirth” and Childhood16 Initiation and Circumcision17 The Novice Stage18 Warriors and Maidens19 Marriage and Sex20 Kinship and Family Life21 Sickness and its Treatment22 Death and the Disposal of the DeadIndex

Contents of Volume III23 Law and Justice24 Warfare and Raiding25 Religion26 Magic and Divination27 Witchcraft (Ũrogi)28 Ceremonial Purification29 The ltuĩka CeremoniesBibliographyBotanical AppendixGlossaryIndex

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