This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(November 2015) |
Total population | |
---|---|
608,599 [1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Kenya | |
Languages | |
Kiembu, Kiswahili, and English | |
Religion | |
Christianity, Islam, Irreligious and African Traditional Religion | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Kikuyu, Meru, Mbeere, Kamba, Dhaiso and Sonjo |
Person | Muembu |
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People | Aembu |
Language | Kiembu |
Country | Vururi wa Embu |
Part of a series on the |
Culture of Kenya |
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Cuisine |
The Embu or Aembu (sometimes called Waembu) are a Bantu people indigenous to Embu county . The region is situated on the southern slopes of the former Eastern province. The Embu belong to the northeastern Bantu branch and speak the Embu language known as Kiembu as a mother tongue. It belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo family. Kimeru, Kikuyu, and Kikamba share similar language characteristics. To the west, Embu neighbours are the closely related Kikuyu in Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Kiambu, Muranga and Nyandarua counties. The Meru people border the Embu to the East.
Source: [2]
The Embu are of Bantu origin. [3] They are also known as the 'Aembu'. They are closely related in language and culture to the Kikuyu, Meru, and Kamba. They inhabit the southern windward slopes and farmlands of Mount Kenya. Along with their closely related Eastern Bantu neighbors the Kikuyu, Mĩĩrũ, Mbeere and Kamba the Embu are believed to have entered their present habitat from the coast of East Africa, where they had settled early on after the initial Bantu expansion from Cameroon. [3]
The migration to Mount Kenya was occasioned by intertribal conflicts with the coastal Swahili and Mijikenda communities. Linguistic evidence suggests their migration from as far as the Kenyan Coast, since the Mĩĩrũ elders refer to Mpwa (Pwani or Coast,) as their origin, Felix Chami says "Pwani" is the Punt of ancient the Egyptians. These conflicts forced them to retreat northwest to the interior of Kenya, and they settled by the slopes of Mount Kenya. They were to refer to this location as the place of the Lord, the owner of the snow ("Nyaga") or ("Njerũ" meaning white) – hence the name "Mwenenyaga" or "Mwenenjerũ".
Embu mythology claims that the Embu people originated from the current Mwenendega grove in the interior of Embu, close to Rũnyenje's town. The mythology claims that God (Ngai) created Mwenendega and gave him a beautiful wife at Gogo River Salt Lick, in Mukuuri, hence her name "Ciũrũnjĩ" or "Nthara". Gogo River separates Mukuuri Location and Gitare localities at the edge of a ridge called Mûrurîrî.
Eminent historian Prof Mwaniki Kabeca (in his 2005 book Mbeere Historical Texts, page 105 [4] ) narrates that Mwenendega took his cattle to drink at the Gogo Salt Lick and found a girl who refused to talk to him at first. After much cajoling, she spoke with him and made him swear never to tell her negative things or abuse her, as there would be consequences.
The woman's parents were not known, and it was, therefore, believed she was sent by God.
Then one day the two, now man and wife, had a ceremony, where Ndega broke his promise and reproached his wife. It rained heavily, and the floods drowned the old couple.
Their children survived and their descendants filled the land of Embu.The couple was wealthy, and their descendants populated the rest of Embu.
Other authorities suggest that they arrived in their present Mount Kenya homeland from earlier settlements to the north and east, while others argue that the Embu, along with their closely related Eastern Bantu neighbours the Kikuyu, and the Meru moved into Kenya from points further north.
The Embu are cash crop and subsistence farmers who also rear cows, goats and sheep. A man's riches were formerly judged by how many wives and children he had. For example, Senior Chief Muruatetu, probably one of the most famous of the Aembu people, not only had sixteen wives and many children, but he was also a respected administration officer for the colonial government and independent Kenya. An entire village bears his name, and a school is named after him.
The Embu were fierce warriors who, although rarely raiding other tribes, always stood firm in defense of their territory and people. Many occasions are on record where the Embu had to fiercely repulse Kamba and even the dreaded Maasai invasions. They also rose against the British in the Mau Mau fight for Kenya's independence. The fact that the tribe was and continues to be considerably small explains their relatively small impact on the history of Kenya.
A captivating photo of Embu warriors hangs at the Izaak Walton Inn in Embu, named after Izaak Walton, an English gentleman who was enraptured by the fresh trout available in the fresh rivers flowing through Embu. The Ruvingacĩ and Kavingacĩ 013 Rivers border Embu town to the west and the east respectively and are a key source of domestic water to many Embu families.
Embu region has for long been known as having very conducive altitude and climate that produce highly superior human body system. There has however been very little or no efforts in engaging young people from this area in sporting activities to tap this advantage. However, the country's athletic team has immensely utilized the altitude and climate advantage of Embu through doing practices especially at Kigari teachers college and its environs, area that is at the slope of Mt. Kenya. These have gone on to win prestigious awards in the Olympics and competitive world marathons.
Clans And Lineages
MUTURI | IRUMA | KINA | IGANDU | MUTURI | GICUKU | MATAU | NGAI | KITHAMI | NJUKI | GICUKU | MATAU | KITHAMI | RWAMBA | |
Muriria | Muyathitha | Kamau | Getanguthi | Gitangaruri | Ndwiga | Nginyane | Mutambuki | Njuranio | Kamwocere | Nginyirua | Mbogo | Kabogo | Kibariki | |
Ruciria | Njau | Muthanu | Mutundu | Kivunga | Gataara | Makururu | Kariungi | Muturi | Nthiga | Kabugua | Kamwea | Gacigua | Kamwea | |
Kathunga | Mugo | Kariru | Mugo | Ngai | Murenji | Murinda | Gacaria | Nyaga | Kuyina | Ireri | Njue | Karico | Munyiri | |
Icaria | Mbogo | Kauru | Nguruma | Murimi | Gutaria | Kirai | Ngure | Ithiga | Mirori | Ndethia | Murega | Kanyaari | Njeru | |
Njue | Kiriti | Njeru | Nyaga | Nguma | Ireri | Mbogo | Mutua | Nthiga | Gakuru | Muruanguu | Mbogo | Njagi | ||
Icaria | Murira | Gikorwe | Ndaru | Njeru | Gakuu | Mirori | Njuki | Mutuamigui | Mbui | Migui | ||||
Nvuria | Njau | Mugwarunjiri | Mbii | Kivuti | Karumi | Kithami | Namu | Nguru | Nyaga | |||||
Kirumba | Muturi | Igamwaniki | Mukuria | Nyaga | Ireri | Ireri | ||||||||
Ngari | Njagi | Migui | Ngomi | Njagi | Kiura | Marema | ||||||||
Mikui | Ndwiga | Ndumara | Embu | Nvungu | Kithami | |||||||||
Njeru | Nthiga | Ngae | Nyaga | |||||||||||
Nthugi | Kagatu | |||||||||||||
Muvingo | Kaviu | |||||||||||||
Kathiiri |
Embu lies on the windward slopes of Mount Kenya. [5] It remarkably occupies the most prime fertile lands of the Kenya highlands. Two seasons are enjoyed each year, and the weather is favourable for diverse agricultural activities. The main food crops grown are maize, beans, yams, cassava, millet, sorghum, bananas and arrowroot, among others. This, alongside the domestic livestock of cows, goats, sheep and chicken, keeps the people well fed throughout the year. Instances of drought or famine are extremely rare. Embu county has repeatedly been ranked among the richest counties in Kenya and recent demographic surveys have ranked it among counties with longest life expectancy.
With the advent of colonialism, many cash crops were introduced. For long these have offered a lucrative alternative source of livelihood for the people. The most widespread cash crops to date are coffee, tea, miraa(khat) and macadamia nuts. These are mainly grown for sale with little being processed for domestic consumption. Embu district is the richest District in Kenya
The district is home to Mount Kenya to the north. This is a tourism attraction with many foreigners and local people visiting its slopes. Numerous expeditions set out each year to scale the slopes to the mountain top. This climb is not easy and calls for great stamina and resilience.[ original research? ] Legend has it that one man Munyao did scale the mountain to the peak and hoisted the national flag during the independence day on 12 December 1963.[ citation needed ]
Other attractions in the region are the huge Karue hill towering high along the Embu-Meru highway. Made of a huge crested rock, at the top of the hill are two unique eucalyptus trees. From the summit there are views of the far reaches of Embu. Nearby to this hill are two waterfalls close together which color the sky white as their waters fall down, then marry to form one big Ena river that then meanders downstream to encircle the Karue hill. The Kirimiri hill is also nearby. Though not open for tourism, it is home to a diverse array of wildlife.The hill is home to natural forests which are indigenous to the region. The hill is suitable for hiking purposes as there are no life-threatening wildlife.Embu is home to Mwea National Reserve. Best known for the diversity of bird species in the reserve. Ancient caves are also found in Embu, commonly referred to as 'Ngurunga ya Ngai' by the Embu natives.
The Kikuyu are a Bantu ethnic group native to East Africa Central Kenya. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them Kenya's largest ethnic group.
Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano in Kenya and the second-highest peak in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian, Nelion and Point Lenana. Mount Kenya is located in the former Eastern and Central provinces of Kenya; its peak is now the intersection of Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Tharaka Nithi counties, about 16.5 kilometres south of the equator, around 150 km (90 mi) north-northeast of the capital Nairobi. Mount Kenya is the source of the name of the Republic of Kenya.
Meru is a town in eastern Kenya. It is the headquarters of the Meru County, and the seventh largest urban centre in the country. Meru urban centre had a population of 80,191 residents during the 2019 census.
The Kamba or Akamba people are a Bantu ethnic group who predominantly live in Kenya stretching from Nairobi to Tsavo and northwards to Embu, in the southern part of the former Eastern Province. This land is called Ukambani and constitutes Makueni County, Kitui County and Machakos County. They also form the second largest ethnic group in 8 counties including Nairobi and Mombasa counties.
Embu is a town located approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) northeast of Nairobi towards Mount Kenya. Embu served as the provincial capital of the former Eastern Province and currently serves as the headquarters of Embu County in Kenya. Located on the south-eastern foothills of Mount Kenya, the Municipality of Embu had a population of 204,979 in 2019 census. Embu is also the 8th Largest Municipality in Kenya. It is the commercial hub of the Central Eastern part of Kenya and provides an avenue for trade, tourism and highway transit between the national capital and the Northern Frontier.
Mûkûûrî is an administrative Location and township in Runyenjes Division, in Embu County, Kenya, with a population of about 25,000 people. It is named for a large, strong Sycamore Fig Tree that stood for over 100 years at the current site of the township. The Sycamore Fig tree symbolizes strength, rejuvenation and regeneration. Mûkûû-rî region lies on the green, rolling hills of the Mount Kenya slopes. The administrative region begins from the stone cliffs of Nthûngû waterfalls, all the way to Nthenge Njerû falls, through the famous Kirimiri Forest, stretching to the historic Gogo Salt lick, bordering Gitare. It is home to four public primary schools, including Kubu Kubu Memorial Boarding School and Muragari School, which is among the oldest schools in Embu and Kîrînyaga districts.
Ngai is the monolithic Supreme God in the spirituality of the Kikuyu and the closely related Embu, Meru and Kamba groups of Kenya, and the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. Ngai is the creator of the universe and all in it. Regarded as the omnipotent God, the Kikuyu, Embu, Meru, Kamba and the Maasai of Kenya worshiped Ngai facing the Mt. Kirinyaga while prayers and goat sacrificial rituals were performed under the sacred Mugumo tree. Occasions which may warrant sacrifice or libation include times of drought; epidemics; during planting and harvesting; and human life stages such as birth, marriage and death.
The Meru or Amîîrú are a Bantu ethnic group that inhabit the Meru region of Kenya. The region is situated on the fertile lands of the north and eastern slopes of Mount Kenya in the former Eastern Province.
Kamba, or Kikamba, is a Bantu language spoken by millions of Kamba people, primarily in Kenya, as well as thousands of people in Uganda, Tanzania, and elsewhere. In Kenya, Kamba is generally spoken in four counties: Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, and Kwale. The Machakos dialect is considered the standard variety and has been used in translation. The other major dialect is Kitui.
Meru is a Bantu language spoken by the Meru people (Ameru) who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.
Embu County is a county in the Republic of Kenya. The capital of Embu County and former Eastern province headquarters, Embu town, is a largely metropolitan area with a population of 608,599 persons. The county borders Kirinyaga to the west, Kitui to the east, Tharaka Nithi to the north and Machakos to the south. The county occupies an area of 2,821 km2. The county is home to the Aembu and Mbeere
The Iron Snake is an ancient tribal prophecy attributed to the Maasai, Kĩkũyũ, Kamba and Kalenjin tribes in Kenya in which a railway is described as an iron snake.
Kanyuambora is an administrative division in the Mbeere sub-district of Embu County, Eastern Kenya, which is commonly referred to as a "location". It lies on Latitude: 0° -29' 0 N, Longitude: 37° 43' 0 E and is about 90 miles North East of Nairobi. Kanyuambora is one of the eight locations that form Siakago constituency. It was formerly part of the now defunct Mbeere District.
The flora and fauna of Mount Kenya are diverse, due to the variation in altitude, rainfall, aspect and temperature. The mountain slopes can be divided into vegetation zones, with each zone having different dominant plant species. Although many plants on Mount Kenya have local names, here they are reported only with their English and scientific names.
The Northeast Bantu languages are a group of Bantu languages spoken in East Africa. In Guthrie's geographic classification, they fall within Bantu zones E50 plus E46 (Sonjo), E60 plus E74a (Taita), F21–22, J, G60, plus Northeast Coast Bantu. Some of these languages share a phonological innovation called Dahl's law that is unlikely to be borrowed as a productive process, though individual words reflecting Dahl's law have been borrowed into neighboring languages.
Embu, also known as Kîembu, is a Bantu language of Kenya. It is spoken by the Embu people, also known as the Aembu. Speakers of the Embu language can also be found in neighboring districts/counties and in the diaspora.
The Mbeere or Ambeere people are a Bantu ethnic group inhabiting the former Mbeere District in the now-defunct Eastern Province of Kenya. According to the 2019 Kenya National census, there are 195,250 Mbeere who inhabit an area of 2,093 km2. They speak Kīmbeere language, a dialect of Embu, which is very similar to the languages spoken by their neighbours, the Kamba, Embu and Kikuyu.
Runyenjes is the second largest town in Embu County, Kenya. It is located about 150 km from Nairobi, and 75 km from Mount Kenya, at an altitude of 1500m.The population is estimated at 58,000 people, the majority of which are the Embu People who speak Kiembu, a Bantu language, as well as Kiswahili and English, the two official languages in Kenya. The area offers scenic views, with densely wooded hills, gentle valleys, flowing streams and rivers, waterfalls, as well as small-scale farms.
Shungwaya is an origin myth of the Mijikenda peoples. Traditions known collectively as the "Shungwaya myth" describe a series of migrations of Bantu peoples dating to the 12th–17th centuries from a region to the north of the Tana River. However according to Rodger F. Morton, coastal traditions recorded prior to 1897 indicate that the Shungwaya tradition entered Mijikenda oral literature only after this date and is therefore of doubtful veracity. These Bantu migrants were held to have been speakers of Sabaki Bantu languages. Other Bantu ethnic groups, smaller in number, are also suggested to have been part of the migration. From Shungwaya, the Mount Kenya Bantu are then proposed to have broke away and migrated from there some time before the Oromo onslaught. Shungwaya appears to have been, in its heyday, a multi-ethnic settlement with extensive trade networks. In the 13th century perhaps this settlement was subjected to a full scale invasion of Cushitic speaking Oromo peoples from he Horn of Africa. From the whole corpus of these traditions, it has been argued that Shungwaya comprised a large, multi-ethnic community.
Gogo Salt Lick is a naturally occurring salt lick located in Embu County, Kenya.
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