Kamba People - Culture and Beliefs

Culture and Beliefs

Origins: In the Akamba cration myths, Ngai Mulungu ('the All-Powerful God'), Ngai Mwatuangi wa nzaa (finger-divider), made the first pair of husband and wife, and brought them out of a hole in the ground or from the sky according to a second version. Man was originally made to live forever, but the chameleon, which God 'mulungu' sent to announce this news, lingered on the way and stammered in delivering the message. Meanwhile, 'mulungu' sent a weaverbird, which flew swiftly and told the people that they would henceforth die and disappear like the roots of the aloe tree. Then man began to die. But death is not the master of man, since he reproduces and thus counteracts the effect of death. Furthermore more, upon death the person is not annihilated, but moves on into the world of spirits 'aimu'. In that other world, he can still die, but death is temporary for him and he can return to life as often as he dies. Finally, he disappears into the unknown past 'tene', as far as human beings are concerned. Physical death does not sever people; it acts like an initiatory door through which one passes from the world of the living to the invisible world. Nevertheless, death is dreaded and considered unnatural. Every possible effort is made to prevent it, or to delay it. When it strikes a person, his relatives and neighbors have to accept the bereavement with all its agony. But they believe that the departed continues to live in another world, which resembles the physical one, although he has more access to the governing force of nature. He joins the relatives and friends who have gone before him. The entire nation is therefore made up of human beings who are alive here and those who have died but live on in the beyond, known as 'yayayani'. It is these latter who are known as spirits 'aimu'.

There are two kinds of 'aimu'. The first are the departed dead. These are believed to show interest in their families who still survive, and to frequent their former homesteads. They are said to appear to their relatives, especially older members, and are recognized by name. People perform rituals, offer libations and food to them from time to time. These 'aimu' I would call the living-dead to distinguish them from the other 'aimu'. They are rarely mentioned in stories, although in ordinary life, people are very much aware of their presence. They strengthen family ties, and to some extent they are the guardians of the family. So revered were the dead ancestors that their memory was kept in the clan by keeping at least 10 generations in the genealogical chart. Children were taught to count from one to ten by memorizing the names of these ancestors. Such coaching would follow this pattern. "Mwana wakya!" (Child, how are you!) The child would answer, "Aaa!" (similar to 'I am fine'). Next the child would be asked,"Witawa ata?" (What is your name?"). That was the cue for the child to repeat the genealogy (to count one to ten) starting from the child's name. The child would then answer in the following fashion: "My name is so and so, son/daughter of so and so, son of so and so," and so on, until the tenth generation. The last name in this genealogy was that of the founder of that particular clan. So, the ninth link would be called, for instance, "wa mbaa Kanyaa" (that is, son of the founder of the Kanyaa clan). These genealogies were important in establishing consanguinity in order to observe the boundaries of marriage.

The aimu in the stories and myths belong to the second category. These are the 'aimu' who frequently appear in the stories and myths. They inhabit a spirit world 'aimu-land’ (uimuni), with mountains, rivers, fields, and cattle. They cultivate fields, keep cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens, and have families and propagate their race.

Ritual belief in witchcraft and magic is very prevalent. Anti-therapy ritual that harms a person is attributed to some form of magic, and another person is nearly always blamed for it. But magic is not used for harmful purposes only; it has its beneficial uses as well. Harmful magic can be bought, learnt from one another person, or handed on from parent to child. Certain charms and magical instrumentals are used, and it is believed that one can send magical powers through the air to another person to be injured, or one can place these powers in the path or gate through which the other person is to pass. Direct poisoning of one’s food is feared; it is also believed that a witch can harm a person by bewitching his possessions like nails, hair, hoe, etc.

Of the useful magic, the commonest is that used to counteract the effect of harmful witchcraft. People wear fetishes and amulets, or other articles like 'mbingu, ithitu, muthea' in their possession, believe that they will protect them from harmful powers of magic. Similar articles are used to prevent diseases, which are considered to come from people who hate or have a grudge against another person. There are also charms used to bring success in hunting, in making, in making love, in undertaking a journey, or in examinations. Certain men have the power to handle snakes without being bitten, and others to keep locusts and wild animals from eating their crops.

Sickness is very common in 'Ukambani' that's kamba-land. Malaria, pneumonia, colds, and coughs, worm diseases, stomach ailments, eye diseases, wounds and scores, and tuberculosis are among most prevalent. Diseases used to be often and still are attributed to the power of black magic. Akamba doctors,are known as 'andu-awe' (medicine-men,or herbalists). They prescribe cures for many of the diseases that are common in Ukamba using herbs and roots, tand sometimes charms and rituals. Such doctors are highly respected, and people go to them for consultation of every type. Their profession has been overshadowed but not altogether replaced by western-trained doctors and nurses. They perform invaluable services for local communities by treating the sick, counteracting the power of witchcraft, and providing people with fetishes, charms, and amulets. Their combined physical and psychological approach to sickness and suffering is something, which may well be a key to medical work in Africa.

There are also diviners, whose tasks are to foretell the future for someone, to uncover the cause of trouble if someone is sick or has been meeting misfortunes, to give useful charms or treatment, and sometimes to cure diseases like regular doctors, the office of the diviner and the doctor does not always necessarily belong to the same person. Diviners also deal with 'aimu' spirit possession, and often, as in the case of the doctors, they acquire some of their knowledge from the 'aimu'.

The 'aimu' possession is real, and it is necessary to perform exorcism. Although in real life people are not brought back to life by the power of 'aimu', it is said that medicine men receive their instruction about diagnosing and curing diseases through rituals from the 'aimu'. Certain spots in 'ukambani' that were thought as chief dwelling places of the 'aimu', but people now don’t regard these places in the same way, and some of them have been built upon. These myths show the people 'akamba' awareness of the spirit world and its nearness to that of human beings. The 'aimu', whether real or imaginary, act as an outlet for people’s concern with problem and mystery of ‘EVIL’

Like the Maasai and the Agikuyu, the Akamba believe in a monotheistic, invisible and transcendental God, Ngai or Mulungu, who lives up in the sky ('yayayani' or ituni). Another venerable name for God is Asa, or the Father. He is also known as Ngai Mumbi (God the creator) na Mwatuangi (God the finger divider). He is perceived as the omnipotent creator of life on earth and as a merciful, if distant, entity. The traditional Akamba perceive the spirits of their departed ones, the 'Aimu'/'Maimu', as the intercessors between themselves and Ngai Mulungu. They are remembered in family rituals and offerings / libations at individual altars.

The kamba royalty was often not talked about and the history behind the royalty is not well known although the name Musumbi is linked with royalty, social grace & leadership. Not much is known about this Family or mentioned in any available documentation. Royalty may not be the best term to describe these people. Their role was more of leadership and performance of certain public, social (resolution of disputes), spiritual or ceremonial functions. They refrained from any involvement in electoral politics or the actual governance of their people.