{"product_id":"a-history-of-the-kikuyu-samuel-mwituria-maina-9798309210527","title":"A History of the Kikuyu to 1905: A Tribe That Fought A Superpower And Won","description":"This book represents among the first and few indigenous thorough attempt to systematically gather and analyze the historical traditions of the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e people. It reveals that, contrary to popular belief, the genealogies of the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003embarĩ\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e (kinship groups) serve as a far more reliable source of historical evidence than the widely circulated myths of origin, which largely lack historical value.\u003cbr\u003eThese genealogies suggest that the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e are a complex amalgamation of various groups from a wide region. By studying the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e society, structured around kinship groups and the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003emariika\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e system, the book demonstrates how this society was shaped by the nature of their initial migration and settlement patterns. The \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003emariika\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e system, which facilitated manpower for public duties, education, and social control, played a central role in organizing \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e life.\u003cbr\u003eIt was a society marked by strong competition, high spirituality and democratic values. The book also examines the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e's relationships with neighboring peoples, showing that the interactions between the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and their neighbors, including the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaasai\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKamba\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and other groups around Mount Kenya, were fundamentally similar. The \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e's negative reputation is traced to the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKamba\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and coastal traders, whose portrayal of the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e led to lasting tensions and misunderstandings with outsiders.\u003cbr\u003eThe falsehoods that were spread to foreigners were intended to prevent the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ekikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e from accessing coastal trade with the Omani Arabs and later the Portuguese that the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKamba\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e had dominated for many moons. They feared, albeit rightly, that the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ekikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, with their women's aggressive business acumen, will take over business from them. They in fact eventually did exactly that. Finally, the establishment of British rule is explored, focusing on the violent imposition of colonial authority and the profound and lasting majorely negative impact of Western civilization on the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKikuyu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e way of life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Samuel Mwituria Maina\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798309210527\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/10\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 242\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.57lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.61d","brand":"Samuel Mwituria Maina","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49097254371583,"sku":"9798309210527","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/a-history-of-the-kikuyu-samuel-mwituria-maina-9798309210527","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}