Agikuyu Religion

Introduction

It seems that the belief system is the best starting point to understand any culture and so I will begin with the Gikuyu concept of God. Their belief is rooted in Monotheism—one Supreme Being—the source of all things (L. Leaky 1977, Vol III 1075). This idea drives the culture and is the starting point on every discussion that I had on the subject of belief with the interviewees.  It is a highly sensitive subject because the Gikuyu feel that they have unfairly been painted as animists by Western anthropologists and they want the record to be corrected on the matter (Njoroge 2011).

Names of God

Mogai:

Literally means “server.”  The idea is that the source of everything is God (Njoroge 2011).

Ngai:

This is by far the most popular word for God in the current vernacular, but it seems this is more a matter of the adoption of this word in Christianity for the Christian concept of God.  The original source of this word may have been from the neighboring Maasai (or conversely the Maasai may have burrowed it from the Agikuyu) (Waweru 2011). This is the “generic” term for God but also is used in conjunction with the Agikuyu’s God dealing more directly with the Agikuyu[1].  For instance, there is a saying, “Ngai niwe Mugai,” which means that God is the only server, or that the source of all things is God.  Here, we see the use of these two terms for the same deity.  Historically, this confused early missionaries and anthropologists who assumed that there were different gods rather than a variety of names for the same God (Njoroge 2011).

Mwene Nyaga:

Literally means "the owner of the spotted mountain” or "the owner of the Ostrich” or "the owner of whiteness.”  The male ostrich is mostly black with large white areas toward its back.  In a similar way, Kirinyaga (Mount Kenya), from the Kikuyu land perspective, is a mostly dark-to-black mountain with a white patch on its “backside”—not unlike that of a male ostrich.  This has led many non-Gikuyu to conclude that the Agikuyu worshiped the mountain itself, which is not the case (Njoroge 2011). 

Murungu:

            Literally means “Underworld Dweller.”  Unlike in Western thought, the underworld for the Gikuyu is not necessarily “evil.” The belief is that departed ancestors dwell beneath the roots of the most sacred fig tree called the Mugumo.  God visits the ancestors under the roots of this tree.  It is an absolute taboo in Gikuyu culture to deface or cut down a Mugumo tree once it has been decided that it is the dwelling place of the ancestors (Njoroge 2011).  

The Two-plus World View

The Gikuyu believe[2] that there are three parts to existence, but in typical Gikuyu fashion, they do not mention three but rather say “two plus” or “big two.”  The first existence is the before-life with God.  God created all his children to live with him, and before humans are born to this earth, they enjoy their existence with God.  The second existence is the afterlife when all humans who have lived on this earth are called at their appointed times to return to God and to enjoy their existence with him.  The third existence is the very brief life on this earth between the first and the second.  God created the world for his pleasure and sends people to the earth to enjoy and take care of his world. The Gikuyu (and humans in general) are not from the earth; instead, they are visitors who come from and belong with God (Njoroge 2011).

Ancestors

The Gikuyu believe that the Ancestors dwell in a spirit form that resembles the human body.  The ancestors dwell under the roots of the Mugumo tree but will come and interact with the living, often in a negative way, when the living do something that offends them or offends the Gikuyu traditions (Gacheru 2011). It is apparent that the Gikuyu do not believe that the ancestors dwell literally under the physical Mugumo trees but rather under a sort of “spiritual” Mugumo tree that is represented in the physical ones (Njoroge 2011). An important distinction is made between the Ancestors and Ngai.  The Gikuyu believe in the existences and presence of the ancestors; however, they only worship Ngai (Gacheru 2011).[3] 

Three Trees

The Gikuyu believe that all living things contain a spirit and that it is important to not cause unnecessary disturbances in those objects.  While the Gikuyu clear-cut the forests for their shambas,[4] there are three types of trees that they will never cut down.  They feel that the spirits of the fallen trees escape to one of the standing trees which keeps the natural world around them (Njoroge 2011).[5]  These trees are fundamental to the Gikuyu world and almost every rite of passage and sacred act occurs in proximity with them.

Mugumo – ficus Natalensis

The first of these trees is the mugumo tree.   This is the most sacred tree and the one under which circumcisions, sacrifices and prayers offered to Ngai are performed.  This tree is a member of the wild fig tree family. It is under the “spiritual” mugumo tree that the Gikuyu ancestors are said to dwell in the afterlife (Gacheru 2011).

Mukuyu – ficus sycomorus

The second of the trees is the mukuyu tree (already mentioned in the origin stories).  This is a different variety of the wild fig tree and is a place of meeting and deliberation by the various councils of elder’s judiciaries. While the tree itself is never cut down, the mukuyu tree is unique in that when its branches are burned the ashes turn to a very bright white color.  The Gikuyu mix this ash with sheep fat and use it to paint their faces white.  White is a symbol of the  holiness of Ngai and the whiteness of the ash is considered a sacred gift from Ngai (Njoroge 2011).  

Muringa – Cordia Africana

The third and final tree is the muringa tree. Unlike the others, this is not a fig tree.  However, it is a fast growing and very utilitarian tree for the Gikuyu.  Its uses include providing  structural poles used in the construction of Gikuyu houses, handles for  tools that the ironsmiths make for implements designed for farms and warfare, and it has edible fruit. Its leaves are highly desirable as fertilizer in the shambas.  It is believed that the first Gikuyu and his wife Mumbi lived under a muringa tree and built the first Gikuyu house from its branches. 

 

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[1] Interestingly in all origin story accounts the name “Mogai” is used over “Ngai.”  It seems clear that the older term is Mogai and the stories harken back to it.  In every other case when God is referenced  the interviewees used the word Ngai. 

[2] It is difficult to know if this statement should be in the past or present tense.  The vast majority of Gikuyu are now Christian and very few hold to the traditional beliefs.  However, even the Christian Gikuyu tend to maintain this same two-plus world view. 

[3] According to Leaky, the Gikuyu believe from time to time that the spirit of the ancestors will inhabit an animal such as a snake or a mongoose in order to more directly interact with the living, such as to feast on food left by the living for the ancestors (L. Leaky 1977, Vol III 1104).

[4] farms

[5] While the fact that they believe that trees contain a spirit does fall into the definition of animism, the interviewees were quick to point out that they do not worship the spirits of the trees and they worship Ngai not trees.