The Snuff “Mbakii” Proposal

A long time ago in the land of the Kikuyu people who inhabit the slopes of Mt. Kenya (Kirinyaga) a young man (mwanake) would propose to his intended bride by begging some snuff (mbakii) for his nose from her.

If she liked him, was impressed by his character and his family background, she would willingly offer him mbakii for his nose.

However, if she did not like him, was not impressed by his character and family background she would out rightly refused to give him snuff for his nose.

Who are the Kikuyu people of Kenya?

The Kikuyu tribe came to be when God (Ngai) created the man called Gikuyu. After creating Gikuyu, Ngai took him high into the peaks of Mt. Kenya (Kirinyaga). From this vantage point, Ngai showed him all the land he was to rule from the North to the South, from the East to the West.

Ngai resided in the high peaks of Kirinyaga. That was where He rested. After showing Gikuyu the land, they descended down to the hills and valleys. Soon after that, Ngai created a female helpmate who He called Mumbi. The couple left the high mountain peak and settled in a place called Mukuruwe Wa Gathanga which is located on the southern side of Kirinyaga.

After a period of time, Gikuyu and Mumbi procreated ten children. These ten children were all female and would become the founding mothers of the Gikuyu tribe. The ten girls were:

1. Wanjeri was the mother of the Achera Clan;

2. Wanjiru was the mother of the Anjiru Clan;

3. Wambui was the mother of the Ambui Clan;

4. Wangui was the mother of the Angui Clan;

5. Wangechi was the mother of the Angechi Clan;

6. Wambura was the mother of the Ambura Clan;

7. Wanjiku was the mother of the Agachiku Clan;

8. Wangari was the mother of the Angari Clan;

9. Wamuyu was the mother of the Aichakamuyu Clan and

10. Wairimu was the mother of the Airimu Clan.

As they were the only people in Mukuruwe Wa Gathanga, Gikuyu was a troubled man as there would be no men to marry his ten beautiful daughters.

Gikuyu prayed to Ngai about this situation. Ngai advised Gikuyu to offer a sacrifice of a fat he-goat or a ram without any blemish of only one colour. He followed these instructions and performed the ceremony under a fig (Mugumo) tree. Gikuyu roasted the he-goat. The scent of the roasted meat went up to Ngai on Kirinyaga and this scent pleased Him. Ngai told Gikuyu to return to the same spot under the Mugumo tree after a few days.

On Gikuyu’s return, he was pleasantly surprised. He found ten handsome men under the tree. They stood upright with pleasant smiles on their faces. He took them home with him and the ten handsome men married his ten beautiful daughters. Thus the Gikuyu tribe laid its foundations and started the lives and times of the Kikuyu people.