November 21, 2024

Celebrating Heritage: Kishutu Day in Kilifi County

The Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization’s Kilifi County Chapter is organizing an exciting cultural celebration called Kishutu Day, scheduled for November 28th, 2024, at Chumani Primary School. This vibrant event aims to honor and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Mijikenda community. Kishutu, a traditional attire worn by Mijikenda women, holds deep cultural significance. This…

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Erick Saddam

September 7, 2024

Chenda Chenda Cultural Festival 2024

Chenda Chenda Festival: A Celebration of Mijikenda Culture and Unity The coastal region of Kenya is set to come alive on September 9, 2024, as the annual Chenda Chenda Festival takes center stage in Kayafungo, Kaloleni Giriama, Kilifi County. This vibrant celebration of Mijikenda culture and heritage promises to be a day filled with music,…

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Erick Saddam

September 4, 2024

The Mijikenda Circumcision Tradition

The Mijikenda Circumcision Tradition: A Deep Dive into a Cultural Rite Circumcision among the Mijikenda community has always been a profound and celebratory tradition, reflecting deep cultural values and communal ties. This rite of passage, historically significant and richly ceremonial, highlights the intricate practices that mark a boy’s transition into manhood. A Community Celebration In…

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Erick Saddam

April 20, 2023

History of The Giriama people

  History of The Giriama people Giriama are part of Mijikenda people whose oral history relates that the ancestors of the Mijikenda, who were then one people, lived in a place called Singwaya, believed to be north of Tana River and south ofJuba River in Somalia. However due to conflicts with other communities there they…

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Erick Saddam

April 19, 2023

The ‘mad’ Kenyan woman who rattled the British

Mekatilili wa Menza Mekatilili wa Menza may have been in the freedom struggle scene for a short time, but her contribution in raising the African consciousness among the Giriama people of the Coastal Kenya was immense.Mekatilili was one of the first women in Kenya to rise up against the British in 1913. Her bravery, oratorical…

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Erick Saddam

February 1, 2023

Mepoho: The Tale of the Magical Giriama Woman

Mepoho: The Tale of the Magical Giriama Woman Mepoho was a Giriama woman who lived in the 13th century. The Giriama are a subgroup of the Mijikenda, or 9 villages, who largely reside along the the Kenyan Coast. Legend has it that, some women who had gone to get water one chilly morning found Baby…

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Erick Saddam

October 29, 2022

Mashujaa Day

Mashujaa Day is observed on October 20 every year. However, in case this date ever falls on a weekend, the day is shifted to the following Monday, which is then declared as a public holiday. ‘Mashujaa’ is the Swahili word for ‘Heroes,’ and because of this, Mashujaa Day is called ‘Heroes’ Day’ also. This significant…

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Erick Saddam

August 18, 2022

CHENDA CHENDA FESTIVAL

The Mijikenda people, a vibrant and diverse community along the Kenyan coast, hold a deep reverence for the number nine, known as “Chenda” in their language. This seemingly simple numeral carries profound cultural significance, serving as a unifying thread that weaves together the rich tapestry of Mijikenda heritage. The number nine is not merely a…

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POSTED BY

Erick Saddam