Kikuyu

Wikipedia about Kikuyu:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_people

Lets continue with the tribes. In addition to Kalenjin, Kikuyu is another tribe who have been visible in practically everything that happens in Kenya. I think we could say that even more than Kalenjin, they have shaped the politics of the country. Even in colonial times Kikuyu were said to be willing to work together with English, although they were also the ones to start organized anti-colonial movement. Usually it is said that Kikuyu adapt very well with new times, conditions and took from every opportunity. Kikuyu are usually very ambitious and more modern than most of the people in Kenya. But this doesn’t mean that they would be my favourite of all. In contrary I have to say, that from the start I didn’t like them much. I still say that it isn’t racist ideology. That even though as I said in post about Kalenjin, that I have come to identify myself almost as Kalenjin.. and Kalenjin and Kikuyu have constantly had quarrels and don’t think very well of each other. Main fighting in 2008 unrest was also between Kalenjin and Kikuyu because of different political ideas. But I don’t care about that. It is just that usual Kikuyu represent many traits of personality I don’t like. For example, they are the most immodest and intrusive people I have had contact with.
Kikuyu are most often traders, and I have to say pretty good ones with these traits they are. But when they are good traders, then you often leave the shop or marketplace not with best feelings. There are even sayings and jokes in Kenya about their greed. I had one situation at the market. I think I was just passing by when one Kikuyu tradesman came to offer me pants to buy. From the start I said that I’m not interested, but then he grabbed my hand and basically just took me to show his wares. He was actually very good at sales tactics and talking his commodities up, but I continued to hold my resistance. When he started talking of very good prices, then I told that I don’t need pants, perhaps some other time, and I said that I was actually going somewhere and I don’t have much money anyway. But they always have something to say to you, some new arguments. It took me a while to make him understand that really, I’m not planning to buy anything. But this wasn’t all. Then he started asking just money. What? No way, I don’t have any intent to give any money just like that to anyone. But still it took few minutes to break also these dreams of this guy. And still, then he tried to get me to buy him a soda. No luck for you, as you found a good match, I’m persistent as hell. But they really can bargain and argue. And when you really buy something, then never think that from a Kikuyu you get a good price (at least in case if you don’t know the guy personally). Even if you know the right price then it is extremely hard to get the price down to that level – they may bring out every reason why they just need to sell it with higher price. But my advice, never give up.
Even if they don’t try to sell you anything.. or get money just without any reason, then in general they talk a lot. Plus they often have quite weird ideas and sometimes they may be quite sure of things they believe even if you certainly know more about it (life in Europe for example). Oh, I talked with few traders in market once again. This time these traders just had some garments on sale, nothing that man would buy, so they didn’t even try, but they didn’t let me pass without lengthy conversation on various themes – politics, terrorism, religion, gays, and of course Kalenjin. Really, usually they are extremely troublesome, and although they always call you their friend, then it is most probable that there can’t be any trustworthy relations between you and them. Of course when you live where main population is Kikuyus, then you probably come to know well some of them and probably there is lots of good Kikuyus too, and those whom you can trust, but at least for me even their talkative and too energetic and their egomaniacal nature was too much.
And still, I met one Kikuyu girl, who seemed different and whom I even liked. For soon following excerpt, I just mention that Rasta Sarah, whom is mentioned there, is this girl. Well, I didn’t know her much and I actually even didn’t want so much to get close with her. There is longer story, but I think I’m not writing it all right now, maybe when I’m going to write a complete story on me and Kenyan girls.. if it ever happens. Anyway, there was little time when I thought to leave Kate by myself and at least have sex with this Kikuyu girl and who knows perhaps even trying something more serious. Well, things didn’t go so far and I started to hope to fix things with Kate again. But meeting this Kikuyu girl two times already showed me that there might also be more simple and silent Kikuyus.

Today we had mokimo for dinner and Kristi gave half of her portion to me.. and I even took more, after what Caroline said: “ You don’t like Kikuyus, but you like mokimo,” and after little pause gave me explanation to the thing what I anyway knew, “mokimo is a Kikuyu food.” We have a joke here – Kenzie sometimes randomly says: “I like Kikuyu” (Her father whom she never knew was supposedly Kikuyu). So I answered to Caro: “ I like Kikuyu… food.” And then Love said: “But?!” And I: “No butts, I hold myself away from Kikuyu butts.”

Excerpt from my travel journal from 16.05.2010

I don’t know, maybe it is too much of an inside joke, but to us it anyway seemed funny and just my relations with Kate and Kikuyu got weird mix there. These events were so much in my mind that I even made kind of graffiti design on this Kikuyu butts.

Ah yes, before writing about politics and such, I just wanted to mention that mokimo is Kikuyu national food and is basically potato porridge with some maize grain in it, and it is made green by cutting some very thin slices of some green salad like thing in before mashing. Yes, it was one of my favourite foods in Kenya.
But now then about Kikuyus and politics. I don’t even know how many parliament members and ministers are Kikuyus, but president and many other high-ranking politicians certainly are Kikuyu. Kikuyus actually are power-hungry and some Kenyans even call their parliament a Kikuyu mafia. And although in Kenya most people with power are corrupt, it is said that Kikuyu are the worst. If you are regular visitor of my blog then perhaps you remember my post pack in April with the title “Darkness on safari through Kenya, Africa infested with lots of poverty, hunger, AIDS and greedy elephant killing Kikuyus.” In this post I gave a link to someone’s ironical and hilarious tutorial “How to write about Africa”. Otherwise check it out if you haven’t read yet, but I wanted to bring out one part. There was written that never show African tribes from bad light, as they are old and deserve respect.. or something like that. But there were few exceptions. Few tribes about whom you may write everything bad, it seemed that it was even encouraged. One of these tribes was Kikuyu in Kenya – greedy elephant killing Kikuyu. Yes, it was written as a joke, but as it is said, every joke has some truth in it. Usually jokes also come from life.

But I must say that I’m really interested of Kikuyu history and culture, both their present day culture like very good pop songs and also cultural heritage. Also, more I see photos of Kikuyus in traditional dresses, their warriors, witchdoctors, etc, the more I become interested of everything about them. I add here some photos I have found, but for clarity I add, that although Kikuyu warrior with their painted face seems one of the scariest things I have seen about Africa (at least when photos from horrible wars uncounted), it was written in wikipedia, that Kikuyus actually weren’t very warlike but more defensive people. They had perfect defensive locations and they knew very well how to disguise their structures and themselves and as they weren't pastoralists nor hunter-gatherers but more farmers, then they didn't need huge territory either. And although from someone with such a scary look, I would expect more aggressive lifestyle, but actually it is even more interesting that way.

It seems that this is all; I don’t remember anything else important. But as you see, this came right now I guess the best writing about the tribes so far. For conclusion I would just say that don’t make now any prejudices about Kikuyus on my writing, if you make your way to Kenya, then create your own mind, but I just warn that many people feel that they may disturb them more than it would be normal in case of even the strange culture. Just don’t let everyone to keep you too long against your will, whatever business or interest they have. And don’t let your ideas of someone’s probable poverty to make you get soft and just share out money (how ever small sums) just like that. But if possible then have closer contact with Kikuyus than I did. Maybe you find out much better features of them than I. Ah yes, I also wanted to write a little bit about real Kikuyu mafia, or cult what it maybe seems to be even more, but let it be then separate theme for another time. Just wait for headline “Mungiki”.