MYTH OF ORIGIN OF THE AGIKUYU- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q9. Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow. (20 marks)
At the beginning of creation, Mwene Nyaga, Ngai, the creator and provider for all mankind called one of his servants Gikuyu. He said to him, “My son Gikuyu, l am going to give you your share of land. The land l am going to give you is full of ravines, rivers, valleys, forests and plenty of game for you to hunt for your food. The land is fertile and your children and your children’s children will never go hungry if you till it well.
Gikuyu stood still with disbelief. Mwene Nyaga saw Gikuyu’s hesitation. He took him to his residence on top of the mountain of mystery, “kirinyanga” where He resided. From here, he commanded a good view of all his lands. He therefore, wanted Gikuyu to see for himself all the land he had been given. He showed him all the land and its beauty. He said, “My son , all this is yours.” Then He sat back and watched Gikuyu’s happiness as he moved from place to place, trying to locate the boundaries to his land. But no matter how hard he looked, his land seemed to roll for miles and miles. Having inspected the panorama of his land, he quickly composed himself and ran to Mwene Nyaga’s feet and cried with happiness thanking Him for the great gift. He was sure that he would be happy ever after. But then, he felt a kind of loneliness and his happiness subsided. What would he do with all that land all by himself. Mwene Nyaga knew what was going on in Gikuyu’s mind. As he was leaving, Mwene Nyaga called him back and pointed to him a spot far, far off in the middle of the country, where a fig tree, Mukuyu, grew. He ordered Gikiyu to settle there and call this place; “Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga”. Whenever Gikuyu was in need of Mwene Nyaga’s help in whatever way, he should offer sacrifice to Him at the fig tree. He should raise his hands towards Kirinyaga, Mwene Nyaga’s residence, and state all his problems. Mwene Nyaga will definitely see him and come to his rescue. He also told him that he had given him a present, the most precious present in his life and that he would get the present on his arrival home, his new home.
Gikuyu thanked Mwene Nyaga and being unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he hurried straight to Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga. To his surprise, seated there was a young beautiful woman whom he called Mumbi (Moulder or creator). They lived together as man and his wife and were blessed with nine daughters but no sons. The daughters were: Wachera, Wanjiku, Wairimu, Wambui, Wangari, Wanjiru, Wangu, Mwithaga and Waithera. Gikuyu needed an heir and his not having a son disturbed him. He then remembered Mwene Nyaga’s advice, “I‘ll come to your rescue”.
He organized a sacrifice at the Mukuyu tree. He slaughtered a ram and a kid from his flock and poured their blood and fat on the trunk of a sacred tree. He went to his house and called Mumbi and their daughters. They roasted some meat and offered it to Mwene Nyaga. They raised their hands towards Kirinyaga and prayed, “Thaai thathaiya Ngai thaai ………… “ He later left and went home.
Mwene Nyaga quickly answered Gikuyu’s prayers. On the following morning, Gikuyu went to the sacred tree and he couldn’t believe his eyes when he found seated near the tree, nine strong young men. He was overcome with joy and he looked up to the mountain and thanked Mwene Nyaga, his benefactor. He welcomed the nine young men and he took them to his home where he introduced them to his wife and daughters. Food was cooked for them and after bathing and eating they went to sleep.
The next morning, the nine men woke up early in the morning having had a good night’s sleep. After the morning meal, Gikuyu called them outside the discuss marriage. He told them they would marry his daughters on one condition: they had to live with them in his land. By this time, the men had already made their choices. They were so fascinated by the daughters beauty and the father’s kindness that they agreed to his proposal. Gikuyu and Mumbi were overjoyed for they now had sons to inherit their vast lands. The daughters, on the other hand had already started to show their preference of the men. They were also happy when the men agreed to their father’s wish for they knew they now had men to protect them and give them company.
Gikuyu did not wait long before making arrangements for his daughters’ wedding according to the Gikuyu customary laws. He did not ask for bride wealth from the young men for he knew they did not have any and in actual fact they were a blessing to him. The daughters got married to the young men and they started nine differe4nt families. They were, however, united under one name “Mbari ya Mumbi” which means Mumbi’s family group. This was in honour of their mother Mumbi.
Gikuyu and Mumbi were the heads of “Mbari ya Mumbi” and the nine families remained under them. They are the mother and father of the Gikuyu people.
As the years passed, Gikuyu and Mumbi become older and older and eventually they died. Before they died, Gikuyu called all his daughters and their husbands. He told them, “My children, as you can see, your mother and l are about to leave you but before we go, we would like to leave you with these words. All the land and whatever else we possess is yours. Divide it equally among yourselves.
Remember that one finger cannot kill a louse”.
With these words, Kikuyu and Mumbi breathed their last breath.
The nine families continued to live together but the number of their children and grandchildren were increasing. They become so many that it was impossible for the families to live together anymore. They called a meeting where they resolved that each family should call together all its children and grandchildren and live together as one clan(muhiriga). The clans were to be called after the nine daughters of Gikuyu and Mumbi. This decision is the basis of the nine principal Gikuyu clans. They are Acheera, Agachiko, Airimo (orAgathigia), Ambui, Agari, Anjiru, Ethaga, and Aitherando. The nine clans lived in Gikuyu’s land but they occupied different parts of it.
Questions
(a) Classify the above narrative fully. (2mks)
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(b) Gikuyu received his gift with mixed feelings. Why ? (4mks)
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(c ) “Divine intervention is real” How true is this statement in light of what happens in
the narrative. (3mks)
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(d) Comment on the use of at least one feature of style in this narrative. (2mks)
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(e) Gikuyu thanked Mwene Nyaga and being unable to contain his curiosity any longer,
he hurried straight to Mukurwo wa Nyagathanga.
(Begin: Having……………………… (1mk)
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(f) Give and illustrate at least two character traits of Mwene Nyaga. (4mks)
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(g) Identify and illustrate two themes found in the story. (4mks)
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Answers
- It is a myth it explains how the Gikuyu community came into being ( 2 mks)
- At first he was shocked because he could not believe that all the land would be his but later he became happy when he realized that the land was actually his ( 4mks)
- Gikuyu needed an heir and when he offered a sacrifice and prayed to Mwene Nyaga he was sent nine strong men.
- i) Direct speech : this is seen when Mwene Nyaga gives Gikuyu his share of land “ my son ,all this yours .This shows Mwene Nyaga’s generosity.
ii) Proverb: remember that one finger cannot kill a louse
This is to tell the Gikuyu community to remain united.
- Having thanked Mwene Nyaga and being unable to contain his curiosity any longer Gikuyu hurried straight to Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga.
- i) He is generous – he gives Gikuyu a huge piece of land which he says is now his.
ii) He is keen/observant – he realizes when Gikuyu happiness subsides and knows what is going on in his mind.
- i) There is religion .the presence of Mwene Nyaga who s a supernatural being whom the people believe in. there is divine intervention in times of need. When Gikuyu wanted husbands for his daughters, Mwene Nyaga provided.
- There is tradition .Gikuyu married off his daughter according to the Gikuyu customary law.
