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Even the early settlers were awed by Nyumba
October 8 2009 at 11:07 AM paka pana

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Frank Hall was devastated when he was transfered from Fort Smith to Fort Machakos in 1900. As christine Stephanie Nichols wrote in her book 'Red Strangers', Hall heartily disliked the kambas who in his own view were inferior to kikuyus. Finding no joy in Machakos, he pleaded with Hardinge to place back among the kikuyus. He got the go ahead to establish Fort Hall at Mbirri, present day Murang'a town. He died peacifully a year later among the people he loved. Kikuyus 1 Kambas 0.

Beryl Markham grew up in Njoro and in her books, she wrote that the natives in her locality were weird and primitive. But Beryl loved Mumbi country where she bred her horses in Limuru. The area around Brackenhurst was her manor. She formed the Limuru Hunt and racecourse, helped by the geniuses living locally. Kikuyus 1 Kales 0

William McMillan enterd kenya from the north and at first wondered what hellhole he had gotten himself into. But further south, he found heaven. He set up home in Juja, living among civilised people for the rest of his life.

Karen Blixen said that the most intelligent person she ever met was Kinanjui. She found the kavirondos a primitive lot.

Elspeth Huxley was lied to by the swahilis that kikuyus were cannibals and that they give birth to snakes, on oxcart journey to set up home on the banks of chania. Years later, she said that the best thing that happened to her was to live among the kikuyu, her people. And she disliked swahilis.

Richard Dawkins, one of the most educated and smartest living people knows better. He was born in Mbagathi. Writing an acknowledgement on the relaunched Huxley's autobiography, he pays tribute to Nyumba, the people of his country of birth.

Louise Leaky was the first white Kikuyu. He spoke kikuyu fluently including the use of methalis, went through all kikuyu rites, had a 'ngwati', married under Kikuyu customary law etc. He died in London but was brougt back to be laid to rest at Limuru.




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Woow this is the REAL raw history I have been looking for, it is ACE...am very impressed. Where did you garner all these material from??? I will be reading the books you quoted..I liked your other ping...am using a new gadget hence the Copy and Paste that looks odd....I have read this ping many times....

That says a lot about us kiuks. Doesn't it?

When someone comes to your home and takes away the very means of your survival, like land, which is equivalent to your mother, that feeds you; and you (kiuks) keep quiet and even tell the person in his language, teng kiuu (thank you). No wonder many of our personnel still salute the wazungus whenever they see one. Gosh! What a customer service, by Kiuk style. We were simply the best servants/slaves in town to our masters. Obedient, always saying thank you, where we should have said, our my dead bodies. Simple. The Asians and now the Somalians are getting the same welcome in Kenya. No questions asked. As the saying goes, 'Just give something small and I will pretend I have seen nothing, and know nothing.

Why would the person not say all sorts of praise about you? Got the message the so-called legendary felicity.