The
Ameru are a Bantu tribe that inhabits the
MeruMeru may refer to:In geography:* Meru, Kenya, a central town, associated with:** Meru Central District** Meru North District** Meru South District** Ameru, the Meru people in Kenya** Meru language, spoken by the Meru people...
region of
KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
. They speak the
Meru languageKimeru, is the language spoken by the Meru people or the Ameru who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya, Kenya, Africa and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.-Tradition:...
.
Location
The Ameru are a community living primarily on the fertile agricultural northeastern slope of
Mount KenyaMount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana...
, in the
Eastern ProvinceThe Eastern Province of Kenya is one of seven regions of the country. Its northern boundary is with Ethiopia; the North Eastern Province and Coast Province lie to the east and south; and the remainder of Kenya's provinces, including Central Province, run along its western border...
of Kenya. The name "Meru" refers to both the people and the location, as for many years there was only one geo-political district for the Meru people which originated from the colonial land unit. This changed in 1992, when the district was divided into three: Meru, Nyambene, and Tharaka-Nithi.More districts have been created since then as of May 2009 the Meru region consisted of twelve (12) districts. In all the Meru region consists of approximately 13000km2 stretching from River Thuci in the South which is the traditional boundary between the Meru and Embu people to Isiolo district in the north. However the northern border is not as clearly defined as the southern border . The Kenyan Ameru people are unrelated to the Meru people in north
TanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.The United...
, other than that they are both
BantuThe Bantu languages constitute a grouping belonging to the Niger-Congo family. This grouping is deep down in the genealogical tree of the Bantoid grouping, which in turn is deep down in the Niger-Congo tree. By one estimate, there are 513 languages in the Bantu grouping, 681 languages in Bantoid,...
-speaking. The Meru are primarily agrarian, with some animals kept mainly in the northern part of the region. Their home life and culture is similar to other Highland Bantus. The Tharaka live in the dry desert area, a much harsher life than most Meru.
Meru people are divided into seven sections namely Igoji, Imenti, Tigania, Miutuni, Igembe, Mwimbi and Muthambi. The
ChukaChuka may refer to:*Chuka, Kenya*Chuka, Tibet*Stefano Okaka Chuka, Italian football player*Chuka Umunna, British political activist, commentator and lawyer*Chuka , a 1967 western starring Rod Taylor...
and Tharaka are now considered Meru but have different oral histories and mythology, however linguistically they are Meru.
The Meru were traditionally governed by elected and hierarchical councils of elders from the clan level right up to the supreme "njuri ncheke" council that governed all the seven sections, making Meru perhaps the only pre-colonial democratic nation in
sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
. The Njuri is the only traditional judicial system recognized by the Kenyan state and is still powerful when it comes to political decision making amongst the Meru.
History
The predominant oral tradition concerning the Meru's early history is a fantastic fable that seems to combine elements of both truth and fiction and has close parallel to Jewish mythology
Taken as a whole, the Meru have one of the most detailed and potentially confusing oral histories and mythology of any people in Kenya. It is also one of the most deeply intriguing, at least from a western point of view, as it contains extremely strong Biblical similarities that suggest to some that they may once have been one of the lost tribes of Israel, and to others that they were once Jewish. This history includes a good part of both Old and New Testament stories: a baby in a basket of reeds who becomes a leader and a prophet, the massacre of newly born babies by an evil king, an exodus, the parting and crossing of the waters by an entire nation, Aaron's Rod in the form of a magic spear or staff, the leadership of a figure comparable to Moses, references to ancient Egypt (Misiri), and so on.
In brief, it recounts that the Meru were once enslaved by the "Red People". They eventually escaped, and in their exodus came across a large body of water called Mbwaa or Mbwa, which they crossed by magical means. The details of the tradition are replete with parallels to the Old Testament, and also contain references to events described in the New Testament.
Considerable if inconclusive anthropological research has been conducted and documented with respect to this startling aspect of Meru Mythology. The book by Jeffrey Fadiman "When We Began There Were Witchmen" deals with this subject.
Other interpretations of Meru history incorporates aspects of Meru mythology and spans about three centuries. There are no written records for the first two centuries and what may be learned must come from memories of the community's elders. The predominant tradition has to do with a place called
Mbwa. This tradition tells how the Meruan ancestors were captured by the
Nguuntune (the "red people", literally the "red clothes", generally taken to mean the Arabs) and taken into captivity on the island of
Mbwa. Because conditions were intolerable, secret preparations were made to leave
Mbwa.
According to some oral tradition sources Mbwa was located in present day
YemenYemen , officially the Republic of Yemen is a country located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia...
. Others identify
Mbwa with
Manda IslandManda is an island of the Lamu Archipelago of Kenya, known for the prosperous 9th century ports of Takwa and Manda town. The island is now linked by ferry to Lamu and is home to Manda Airport, while Manda Toto island lies to its west...
near
LamuLamu town is the largest town on Lamu Island, which in turn is a part of the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya.Lamu town is also the headquarters of Lamu District and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.-History:...
and the water as the ocean channel. When the day came to leave
Mbwa, a corridor of dry land is said to have been created for the people to pass through the
Red SeaThe Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez,...
. They later followed a route that took them to the hills of
MarsabitMarsabit is a town in northern Kenya, located 170km east of the center of the East African Rift at 37°58' E, 2°19' N . It is located in the Eastern Province and is almost surrounded by the Marsabit National Park and Reserve...
, eventually reaching the Indian Ocean coast. There they stayed for some time; however, due to climatic conditions and threats from the Arabs, they traveled farther south until they came to the Tana River basin.
Most traditions say most went as far south as Tanzania until finally reaching the Mount Kenya area. This seems to combine two separate myths of origin from different segments of Meru history, one from the north and another from the east. The eastern origin tradition indicates westward migration from the coast. This correlates with traditions of other Bantu peoples like the Giriama and the Pokomo.
The Meru people have traditionally been considered to be Bantu. The Meru are actually of mixed origin, with some claiming an origin from the north or west, as well as the coastal origins. Cushites referred to as Mwoko in Meru traditions were already living there when the Bantu groups arrived in various stages of migration. The Meru share many similarities with the
EmbuThe Embu inhabit Embu District in Kenya. To the south of Embu are to be found their cousins, the Mbeere people, in Mbeere District. Previously, the Embu and Mbeere were in one district, Embu District, and just referred to as the Embu people. To the east, Embu neighbors are the Kikuyu in Kirinyaga...
, and
KikuyuThe Kikuyu are Kenya's most populous ethnic group. 'Kikuyu' is the Swahilized form of the proper name and pronunciation of Gĩkũyũ although they refer to themselves as the Agĩkũyũ people....
as well.
Education
Ameru have had a strong educational foundation provided by Christian mission schools and are among the most influential ethnic groups in Kenya. The main education institutions were started or sponsored by churches notably Catholic, Methodist (the dominant church in the region) and Presbyterian.One of Kenya's new gems in the education sector, Kenya Methodist University (KEMU) was awarded its Charter on June 28th 2006 by His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki. The coming of KEMU in Meru was a long process in educational planning and development. The Kenya Methodist University came as a logical step toward educational excellence as the focus of the Church in pursuance of its holistic Gospel. However, the University was not established as an isolated project.At least two institutions namely; Kaaga Rural Training Centre and Methodist Training Institute consecutively formed the basic foundation, in form of physical and other infrastructure in the establishment of Kenya Methodist University. in addition, this area has numerous centres of learning that include primary and secondary schools, some of which are among the best in the country. The Kenyan Government have come in to complement the areas education endeavours with the establishment of Chuka University.The generous Presbyterian Church donated the 45 acres of land where the University seats which initially hosted Ndagani primary, Secondary and a Rural polytechnic. Since the new development many private institutions are coming up and the Ndagani area is set to be the the Educational centre of the Ameru people.
Languages
The
Meru languageKimeru, is the language spoken by the Meru people or the Ameru who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya, Kenya, Africa and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration from the north.-Tradition:...
, Embu and Kikuyu are understandable to one another with some substantial differences; nevertheless they are mutually intelligible and can be used across the groups. The Meru speak at least seven different dialects with the southern dialects being very close to Kikuyu and the Northern dialects showing some Cushitic tendencies, but the Bible translation being used is in the Imenti dialect. The differences in the dialects reflect the varied Bantu origins and influences from Cushite and
NiloticNilotic people or Nilotes, in its contemporary usage, refers to some ethnic groups mainly in southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and northern Tanzania, who speak Nilotic languages, a large sub-group of the Nilo-Saharan languages...
, as well as different Bantu, neighbors. As a whole Meru exhibits much older Bantu characteristics in grammar and phonetic forms than the neighboring languages. Even so, it still bears a close resemblance to Kikuyu and
KambaThe Kamba are a Bantu ethnic group who live in the semi-arid Eastern Province of Kenya stretching east from Nairobi to Tsavo and north up to Embu, Kenya. This land is called Ukambani. Sources vary on whether they are the third, fourth or the fifth largest ethnic group in Kenya...
.
Family Traditions
In traditional rural areas the Meru have fairly strict circumcision customs that affect all of life. From the time of circumcision, boys no longer have contact with their mother. A separate house is built for the sons. This does vary to some degree depending on the level of urban influence, but is still practiced in some parts of Meru region. Traditionally, girls would also undergo circumcision, but this practice has been abandoned.
Politics and tribal alliances
In the past the Meru were in a coalition with the Embu and Kikuyu which yielded some political power. The coalition, called G.e.m.a. (Gikuyu-Embu-Meru Association), is not as strong as it once was, but the Meru typically voted with the opposition after the advent of multipartism. This has since changed with the defeat of
KANUKANU or Kanu may refer to:*Kenya African National Union*KANU , a radio station licensed to Lawrence, Kansas, United States*Kanu - a kabuki play*Kanu Hawaii, a Hawaii based non profit-People:...
in the 2002 general elections that saw a number of Meru leaders in the government of
NARCNARC, narc or nark may refer to:* Narcotic, an addictive drug derived from opium* Narc, an Orc-like character in the parody Bored of the Rings* Narc , a 2002 film about dirty cops involved in policing the drug trade...
. This does vary from location to location, but would generally hold true. Developments under the multi-party experiment since 1992 have renewed an informal political alliance between GEMA peoples and much of the Kikuyu community.
List of prominent Ameru
- Field marshal Musa Mwariama
Field Marshal Musa Mwariama was a leader of the Mau Mau in Meru and the highest ranking Mau Mau freedom fighter who survived the war in the Forests and Jungles of Central Kenya from its inception to independence without being killed or captured. Together with Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi and Waruhiu...
,Mau Mau
- late Jackson Harvester Angaine, former Minister for Lands & Settlement, Kenya and self-proclaimed 'King' of Ameru
- Prof. Leah Marangu
Leah Marangu is a member of the Ameru tribe and a professor at Africa Nazarene University. She is the first black woman to be a college professor in Kenya and is considered one of Kenya's leading humanitarians.-External links:*...
, Vice Chancellor, African Nazarene University, first woman professor in Kenya
- Hon. Justice (Rtd) Aaron Ringera, Director Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC) (Resigned on 30-09-2009)
- Janet Mathiu, Director of Nursing Services - Nairobi Hospital,Kenya
The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
.
- Rueben Marambii, CEO, National Bank of Kenya
- Dr. Samuel Kobia, former secretary general of National Christian Council of Kenya (NCCK)
- Bishop Lawi Imathui, founder of Kenya Methodist University
- Bernard Mate
Bernard Mate was a Kenyan politician and one of the first group of black Africans to be elected to Legco, the then governing body in the British Colony of Kenya, representing Central...
Legco representative for Central Province KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
- Francis Muthaura
Francis Kirimi Muthaura is a prominent Kenyan civil servant.Muthaura is a close ally of President Mwai Kibaki. He is the Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet....
, Head of Public Service & Secretary of the Cabinet, KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
.
- Edward H Ntalami
Edward H. Ntalami is a leading business executive and the former CEO of the Capital Markets Authority ; an equivalent of the Securities Exchange Commission in the U.S. or the Financial Services Authority in the UK...
, Chief Executive, Capital Markets Authority, KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
.
- David Mwiraria
David Mwiraria was the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources previously Finance Minister of Kenya until December 2007 when Kenya held its General Elections...
, former Finance MinisterThe finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
,
- Kiraitu Murungi
Kiraitu Murungi is a Kenyan politician. He has been accused of involvement in the Anglo Leasing Scandal.-Education:Murungi was born in Meru. He attended Chuka High School and Alliance High School, then proceeded to the University of Nairobi and graduated as a Bachelor of Laws in 1977 and as a...
, Minister of Energy, KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
.
- Eng. Erastus K. Mwongera, former permanent secretary
The Permanent Secretary, in most departments officially titled the Permanent Under-Secretary of State , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
of Ministry of Roads, Ministry of Water and Ministry of Lands, KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
.
- Dr.Kilemi Mwiria, assistant Minister for Education,Kenya
The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
.
- Prof. Gerishon Ikiara, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport.
- Late Francis Kalung'e Mwenda, Chief Financial Officer, Office of the President.
- Mathew Kirai Iteere, commandant General Service Unit (Promoted to be Commissioner of Police)
- Prof. Alfred Mutema, Chairman, Kenyatta National Hospital.
- Henry Kinyua, former Managing Director, Kenya Planters Co-operative Union, Kenya
- Isaiah Kabira, Director, Presidential Press Services
- Prof. Julius Meme, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Kenya
- Gitobu Imanyara, Member of Parliament and civil rights advocate
External links