MERU:-
BACKGROUND:-
The
meru people or ameru are a Bantu ethnic group that inhabit the Meru region of
Kenya on the fertile land of north and Eastern slopes of mount Kenya. The name
“Meru” refers to both the people and the region which many years was the only
administrative unit. The Great Meru was divided into three administrative unit,
Meru north (Nyambene) and Meru south (Tharaka-nith)
The
Ameru people comprise of nine sections namely the Igoji, Imenti, Tigania,
Mitine, Igembe, Mwimbi, Muthambi, Chuka and Tharaka. The Ameru are however
unrelated to the Wameru of northern Tanzania, other than that they are both
arid forming Bantu communities
LANGUAGE:-
The
Meru speak the Kimeru language. Kimeeru language. The Kimeru such as Kikamba,
Kiemba, Mbeere Kikuyu and Kikisiri. More importantly each of the dialectic is a
reflection of previous migratory patterns, the lewe of Intra community
interactions and the influences of others adjacent Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic
communities. As a whole language scholars have demonstrated that the Kiimeru
language exhibits much older Bantu characteristic in grammar and phonetic forms
than the others neighbouring Bantu language
HISTORY
The
Meru have a fascinating oral narrative of their migration to their present
location (North East of Mount Kenya) after a period of slavery. The place of
bandage is traced by historians to have been most likely some where are the far North of the Eastern
African coast. It is also believed that the descendants of the Meru were among
the earliest original inhabitants of this region, a place by the names “Mbwa”
or “Mboa”
In
brief, it recounts that, the Meru were once enslaved by the “Red people”. They
eventually escaped end in their exodus came across a large body of water called
Mbwa, which they crossed by magical means. The details of the tradition are
replete with parallels to the old testament and also contain reference s to
events described in the new testament. This has led many to speculate that the
Meru are perhaps the descendants of one of the lost tribe of Israel, or that
the profound cultural contact with people that certainly were (such as the
fatashin of Ethiopia)
THE
RED PEOPLE AND THE EXODUS:-
According
to tradition the Meru once lived in a state of slavery for away from their
present homeland, under a people called antuba ngu ntuune (meaning Red people
or Red clothes)
The
kingdom of the red people was powerful and often harst upon his subject but no
one knows for sure who the Red people actually were
If
we take red to refer to skin colour then these people were mostly likely Arabs
for the Europeans had not Yet arrived in East Africa. If “red” refers to dress,
however, then their identify if any one’s guess especially as the Maasai,
Samburu and other Neolitic tribes who are nowdays known for wearing red-only
adopted that tradition a century or so ago.
The
place where the Meru were enslaved is not convincingly located. Some say that
it was called Mbwa or Mbwaa (meaning the body of water the Meru later crossed).
Some said that wa Mbwara Matanga on the western peninsula of Manda island in
the Lamu archipelago off the Northeast west of Kenya, some say it was Yemen in
the side of the rd sea.
Their
bondage lasted until the leader of Red people started killing all the Meru’s
male children immediately after birth. But one children appeared very handsome
and his mother kept him in a basket, she
made and the prodigical child became Known as Mwitheche hiden oone. The child
became known as koomenjwe (koomenjoe) and Muthum he grew up and became very
great propleit. Koomenjwe adviced that, the elders be hidden and all old
livestock-cows goats sheeps and donkeys be killed instead. When that was done
their blood was enough to flow as the enemies wanted But the success of this
test was not accepted either.
ESCAPE
AND EXODUS.
The
5th test was truly imposible. It required the Meru to forge a spear
that could torch both the earth and the sky. The Meru started making it
straight away but it kept breaking. Koomenjwe and the elders failed to come up
with a solution simply abandoned the
whole task and instead conceived the idea of organizing the people for escape.
For this reason the Meru later on called this speer Itumoria Murito (the spear
made for the trek).
CROSSING
THE WATER:-
During
the exodus, the Meru reached a very large water body (Mboa, Mbwaa or Mbwa).
Here they suffered a lot so much. So that a sacrifice to God to be made. The
elders went to prophet (Mugwe) for the sacrifice and instruction. Mugwe asked
for three young men for the sacrifice and Gaita, Kiuma and Muthetu
volunteered. The three main Meru clans
named in their honour and all others Meru clans stern from these. Once the
sacrifice had been concluded. Mugwe gave instruction to the elders for a
successful escape.
POLITICAL
SYSTEM:-
From
17th century, the Meru have been governed by elected and
hierarchical council of elders from the clan had right up to the supreme Njuri Ncheke council. To be a member
of the Njuri Ncheke is the highest ranks in which Meru can aspire. The elders
forming Njuri Ncheke are carefully selected and comprise mature, composed
respected and corruptible members of the community.
The
function of the Njuri Ncheke as to make and executive community laws, to listen
and to settle disputes and pass on community knowledge and norms across the
generations in their role as the custodians of traditional culture.
The
Njuri Ncheke is also influential in the social-economic and political decisions
making among the Meru.
CULTURE
AND FAMILY TRADITION:-
The
Meru are primary agrarian and their home life and culture is similar to others
highland Bantus. The Meru have maintained their culture. Example circumcision is
still a mandatory rite of passage for boys during which time cultural education
including community norms and expectations such as respect for elders and
protection of children and taught in a seduction period of almost a month.
EDUCATION:-
The
Meru had a strong modern educational heritage provided by the Christian
missionaries. The main education institutions were started or sponsored by the Catholic. The Methodists and
the Presbyterian churches the Great Meru has numerous institutions of learning
including primary schools, secondary technical institutities and universities.
Example Kenya Methodist University (KEMU) established in 2006 Kenyatta
University
ECONOMIC
The
Meru are primary agrarian growing variety of crops and keeping livestock. The
Meru are owning soils which is fertile and good climatic conditions allowing
them to produce wheat, barley potatoes millet, sorghum and maize, tea, coffee
banans and cash crops. The Meru are the
first Africans to grow coffee in Kenya in the early 1930’s
The
Meru also keep livestock for both substance and commercial purposes, these
includes dairy and beef cattle, goats, sheep, honey bees.
In
tourism the Meru have mount Kenya, National parks. In mining activities in also
expected to pick up once.
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