1921-22 – “CUSTOMS OF THE KIKUYU” –part 3
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When Ngai, the Maker, accepts the Kikuyu’s offering, there is great excitement. The mundu-mogo quickly goes from village to village, spreading the news. All the Kikuyu assemble at the chief’s village, their bodies freshly “ornamented with red clay and castor oil” and sing. A “Ngoma” (dance) is held which begins at sunset and lasts throughout the night.
The “witch doctors …having taken off any garments they might have been wearing, put on a girdle of leaves, oil themselves all over, and taking half a calabash (a bowl made of dried gourd) in one hand and a sprig of wild thyme in the other, set out for the boundaries of their district.” The calabash is filled with water and, using the sprig, they dip into the water and sprinkle the boundaries. As they anoint the land, they chant:
“Send us rain, oh Spirit,
And children, oh Spirit,
Goats, oh Spirit,
And milk, oh Spirit.”
The water drops represent rain, the great blessing on the land and the other blessings that follow in suit.
Next week: More Kenya and Nairobi news.
Quotes taken from The East African Standard, Febr. 21, 1920
By the way, The Crocodile’s Last Embrace just received a starred review by Publishers’ Weekly who called it “rip-roaring.” Romantic Times gave it 4 Stars and called it “Enormously fun” and Library Journal’s starred review stated “Do not miss this one.”
MORE MYSTERY TOPICS:
1) Does mystery have to equal murder? I weigh in with the Suspense Sirens on their blog posting at : http://bit.ly/cpprpx
2) Interested in some insight into what makes me and Jade tick? Go to SCENE OF THE CRIME http://bit.ly/ao2gjg for an interesting interview at a great website by author J. Sydney Jones.
NOTE: These blogs are meant to give some insight into the life and times of my fictional character, Jade del Cameron. Jade’s mystery adventures take place in post WWI Africa. To date they are: Mark of the Lion, Stalking Ivory, and The Serpent’s Daughter, and The Leopard’s Prey, all available in trade paperback. TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CHEETAH is available in hardcover. THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE will be released Sept. 7, 2010. An excerpt and information on ordering signed copies is available at the website: www.suzannearruda.com. Follow short updates on http://twitter.com/SuzanneArruda
This blog made the short list for Best Author's Blog as awarded by www.completelynovel.com Thank you everyone who voted for me.
AND I’M NOW ON FACEBOOK. Come to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Arruda-Mystery-Writer/165784103431688?ref=ts and look around. Hope you “like me”
When Ngai, the Maker, accepts the Kikuyu’s offering, there is great excitement. The mundu-mogo quickly goes from village to village, spreading the news. All the Kikuyu assemble at the chief’s village, their bodies freshly “ornamented with red clay and castor oil” and sing. A “Ngoma” (dance) is held which begins at sunset and lasts throughout the night.
The “witch doctors …having taken off any garments they might have been wearing, put on a girdle of leaves, oil themselves all over, and taking half a calabash (a bowl made of dried gourd) in one hand and a sprig of wild thyme in the other, set out for the boundaries of their district.” The calabash is filled with water and, using the sprig, they dip into the water and sprinkle the boundaries. As they anoint the land, they chant:
“Send us rain, oh Spirit,
And children, oh Spirit,
Goats, oh Spirit,
And milk, oh Spirit.”
The water drops represent rain, the great blessing on the land and the other blessings that follow in suit.
Next week: More Kenya and Nairobi news.
Quotes taken from The East African Standard, Febr. 21, 1920
By the way, The Crocodile’s Last Embrace just received a starred review by Publishers’ Weekly who called it “rip-roaring.” Romantic Times gave it 4 Stars and called it “Enormously fun” and Library Journal’s starred review stated “Do not miss this one.”
MORE MYSTERY TOPICS:
1) Does mystery have to equal murder? I weigh in with the Suspense Sirens on their blog posting at : http://bit.ly/cpprpx
2) Interested in some insight into what makes me and Jade tick? Go to SCENE OF THE CRIME http://bit.ly/ao2gjg for an interesting interview at a great website by author J. Sydney Jones.
NOTE: These blogs are meant to give some insight into the life and times of my fictional character, Jade del Cameron. Jade’s mystery adventures take place in post WWI Africa. To date they are: Mark of the Lion, Stalking Ivory, and The Serpent’s Daughter, and The Leopard’s Prey, all available in trade paperback. TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CHEETAH is available in hardcover. THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE will be released Sept. 7, 2010. An excerpt and information on ordering signed copies is available at the website: www.suzannearruda.com. Follow short updates on http://twitter.com/SuzanneArruda
This blog made the short list for Best Author's Blog as awarded by www.completelynovel.com Thank you everyone who voted for me.
Labels: Africa, Jade del Cameron, Kenya, Kikuyu, Ngai, rain making, sacrifice, The Crocodile’s Last Embrace, The East African Standard, Witch Doctors
posted by Suzanne Arruda | 9:07 AM
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