Table of Contents
What are Kikuyu known for?
They grow many crops including potatoes, bananas, millet, maize, beans and vegetables. Other common cash crops grown include tea, coffee and rice. Kikuyu blacksmiths (muturi) made knives and weapons from iron ore, which was dug out of the ground and smelted.
How many Kikuyu are there in Kenya?
8,148,668
The Kikuyu (also Agĩkũyũ/Gĩkũyũ) are a Bantu tribe native to Central Kenya, but also found in significantly less numbers in Tanzania. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them the largest ethnic group in Kenya.
When did Kikuyu arrive in Kenya?
Ancestors of the Kikuyu arrived in Kenya during the Bantu migrations of 1200-1600 AD. The Kikuyu developed from several continuous waves of migration and remigration within the area. The Kikuyu as such actually came to be by around 1800, and include some families from all the surrounding peoples.
Where did Kikuyu migrate from?
They belong to a northeastern Bantu-speaking group. They are believed to have belonged to a long-term movement of Bantu-speakers who migrated from Central Africa or Tanzania in precolonial times.
How do you say l i love you in Kikuyu?
A collection of useful phrases in Kikuyu (Gĩkũyũ), a Bantu language spoken mainly in the Central Province of Kenya….Useful phrases in Kikuyu.
| Phrase | Gĩkũyũ (Kikuyu) |
|---|---|
| I miss you | |
| I love you | nĩngwendete |
| Get well soon | hona na ihenya |
| Go away! | thiĩ! |
Why did the Kikuyu want to leave Kenya?
Colonialism in Kenya was always something the Kikuyu were against it. Britain abused their land and forced most of the Kikuyu out of the highlands since it was suitable for their settlement. Kikuyu groups were always organizing to try and get rid of the English.
What kind of homes did the Kikuyu live in?
The Kikuyu traditionally lived in separate domestic family homesteads, each of which was surrounded by a hedge or stockade and contained a hut for each wife. During the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s, however, the British colonial government moved the Kikuyu into villages for reasons of security.
How big is the Kikuyu population in Kenya?
The Kikuyu, a major ethnic group of Kenya, numbered about 4.4 million in 1987, accounting for about 20 percent of Kenya’s population of 25 million. The Kikuyu refer to themselves as “Mugikuyu” (sing.) or “Agikuyu” (pl.).
Agĩkũyũ can also be a shortened form of Mũũgĩ (wise) kũrĩ (than) ũyũ (him/her), hence “one who is wise to others”. The Kikuyu belong to the Northeastern Bantu branch. Their language is most closely related to that of the Embu and Mbeere . Geographically, they are concentrated in the vicinity of Mount Kenya .