Among the Kikuyu, the fa= mily (nyumba) was a very important institution. It was the smallest social u= nit. Each family had its own head. Next to the family was the clan, which was ma= de up of several families that shared a common ancestry.
Kikuyu believe that their existence started from two people, Gikuyu and his wife Mumbi. These two were blessed with nine daughters. To bring about continuity of life, God sent ni= ne young men to marry
the daug= hters of Gikuyu and Mumbi thus bringing about the nine clans of nyumba ya Mumbi (house of Mumbi) as the Kikuyu are known.
The Kikuyu Creation = Myth, has God apportioning land to the nine daughters of Mumbi and Gikuyu together with their husbands, neatly explains the coming into existence of the nine clans that up to now form the basics of the Kikuyu clan system.
The Kikuyu rites of passage included the initiation of= boys and girls (circumcision). After initiation, the initiation, the initiates t= hen joined the age-set (riika). The riikas united everyone of sim= ilar age, who together who held a set number of responsibilities and social duti= es for the Kikuyu as a whole, such as its defense (the role of the warrior age set) and its judgment (exercised by the elders). Groups of boys were initia= ted each year, and were ultimately grouped into generation sets that traditiona= lly ruled for anything between five and thirty years.
The Kikuyu believed in the existence of one God whom t= hey referred to as Ngai. Ngai was believed to be all-powerful and to be = in control of all life. He was believed to dwell in Mount Kirinyaga (present day Mount Kenya). They had designated sacred areas of worship, pra= yers and offerings. An example was the mugumo tree.
The Kikuyu believed in ancestral spirits. They acknowl= edged and honored them by pouring libations usually at the beginning of every mea= l. This was done to appease them.
The Kikuyu engaged in various economic activities that included crop and livestock farming, iron working, trade, traditional craft, hunting and gathering, and pottery. They traded with their neighbors such as the Maasai and the Kamba. With the Maasai, they exchanged weapons, animals = and foodstuff.
Marriage rendered a man an elder. Kikuyu men may take = as many wives as they wish, but must pay a bride price to the family of each bride. Marriage was a process that involved the whole clan since inter clan marriage was prohibited. Marriage negotiations took place before the marria= ge was formalized.
Investigations were undertaken by both the groom’= ;s and the bride’s side to determine the character traits and family lineage= of the prospective spouse. Kikuy= u men could take as many wives as they wished, but a bride price to the family of each bride had to be paid. Each wife is given her own dwelling and plot. The wedding ceremonies were marked over a period of days and usually involved several processes. Song, dance and merry making characterized the ceremonie= s.