Facing Mount Kenya: The Traditional Life of the GikuyuEast African Educational Publishers, 31 janv. 2015 - 260 pages Facing Mount Kenya, first published in 1938, is a monograph on the life and customs of the Gikuyu people of central Kenya prior to their contact with Europeans. It is unique in anthropological literature for it gives an account of the social institutions and religious rites of an African people, permeated by the emotions that give to customs and observances their meaning. It is characterised by both insight and a tinge of romanticism. The author, proud of his African blood and ways of thought, takes the reader through a thorough and clear picture of Gikuyu life and customs, painting an almost utopian picture of their social norms and the sophisticated codes by which all aspects of the society were governed. This book is one of a kind, capturing and documenting traditions fast disappearing. It is therefore a must-read for all who want to learn about African culture. |
Table des matières
Chapter 1 Tribal Origin and Kinship System | 1 |
Chapter 2 The Gikuyu System of Land Tenure | 14 |
Chapter 3 Economic Life | 36 |
Chapter 4 Industries | 48 |
Chapter 5 System of Education | 67 |
Chapter 6 Initiation of Boys and Girls | 89 |
Chapter 7 Sex Life among Young People | 106 |
Chapter 8 Marriage System | 112 |
Chapter 10 Gikuyu Religion Ancestor Worship and Sacrificial Practices | 159 |
Chapter 11 The New Religion in East Africa | 185 |
Chapter 12 Magical and Medical Practices | 193 |
Chapter 13 Conclusion | 213 |
Glossary | 220 |
230 | |
Back cover | 237 |
Chapter 9 The Gikuyu System of Government | 128 |