Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Ngai Supreme God of the Gikuyu of Kenya

Origin of Kenyan Gikuyu Tribe


Key Kikuyu also known as Gikuyu Facts

·        Kere-Nyaga also known as Mount Kenya is a place for prayers and sacrifices. 
·       
The common name used when addressing “the possessor of all” is Ngai. 
·       
Numbering about 6 million Gikuyu people are the largest ethnic group in Kenya.


·        While praying the Gikuya people address Ngai as Mwene-nyaga. 
·       
The Gikuyu name for Mount Kenya is also Mwene-nyaga. 
·       
The Gikuyu God and possessor of all is Mwene-nyaga meaning owner of the snow, possessor of brightness or possessor of the white patch. 
·       
Mwene-nyaga, lives on Mount Kenya, is also known as Kere-Nyaga. 

·       
The Gikuyu pray under large sacred trees such as fig trees and this is where Mwene-nyaga is praised and prayers and sacrifices are offered.


Origin of the Gikuyu tribe
Kere-Nyaga also known as Mount Kenya is a place for prayers and scarifies.
Kere-Nyaga also known as Mount Kenya is a
place for prayers and sacrifices.
Mogai, the divider of the universe called a man named Gikuyu to him and took him to the top of Kere-Nyaga (Mount Kenya). Mogai pointed out the lush lands and informed the Gikuyu man all is his, if he is ever in need, raise his hands toward Kere-Nyaga and pray.


Mogai provided a wife to Gikuyu named Moombi and they created nine beautiful daughters. However, Gikuyu wanted a son to carry on his name. Mogai told Gikuyu not to worry and make sacrifices to the mountain Kere-Nyaga where the God Ngai lives but he must do this while standing under a fig tree. Mogai told Gikuyu if he did as told he would be blessed with nine handsome strong young men to marry his beautiful nine daughters.


Gikuyu did as he was told making sacrifices to Kere-Nyaga. When he returned to the fig tree in the morning, he found nine young men waiting patiently under the fig tree. The men married Gikuyu’s daughters and continued to live on the land for generations still praying and giving thanks to the mountain Kere-Nyaga where the God Ngai dwells. 

Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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