Elders dismiss Karen Nyamu coronation as a Nyakinyua

 

They say Karen is still at the level of Kangei (a woman who has young children) but the status of such a woman changes when her daughter gets married or her son gets circumcised.[Courtesy]

Kikuyu elders have dismissed the coronation of Nominated senator Karen Nyamu as a political gimmick, falling short of traditions.

The ceremony that was highly publicized online and which saw the controversial senator being honoured as a Nyakinyua while sipping Muratina, the Gikuyu traditional brew, has been labeled as a farce.

“Nyakinyua is a woman in Kikuyu land who has known societal qualifications and they are in black and white. The woman must have a daughter who is married or a son who hasundergone circumcision. Karen has none of the above and so she falls short of the qualifications and therefore the ceremony is null and void,” stated elder Ezekiel Kibugi.

According to Kibugi, at the moment, Karen is still at the level of Kangei (a woman who has young children) but the status of such a woman changes when her daughter gets married or her son gets circumcised.

This means, she will graduate to Nyakinyua and later to Ngatha.Karanja Mwangi, the founder of Gikuyu academy, took issue with the whole ceremonydismissing it as a political meeting disguised as a cultural ceremony.

“We saw Karen taking muratina from a horn. This is unheard off. As per Kikuyu culture, a woman can only take muratina with her husband’s horn. For us who understand this culture, we out rightly understood that the gesture implied Karen Nyamu has no husband,” noted Karanja.

Karen has been in a relationship with Samido Muchoki, the Kikuyu benga musician and one man guitar who is married to Edda Nderitu.

Even though Karanja was critical of Karen’s coronation, he clarified that women are not barred from taking traditional brew, which they must drink from a special small gourd called ndahi so that the horn is a reserve of men.

“It is unfortunate that, in Kenya, we can easily mix  cultural issues and politics and think it isalright. Even the elders who participated in the ceremony knew, deep down their hearts knew, it was wrong but probably they had been corrupted to preside over the event,” he said.

Wambu wa Kiboi from the Kikuyu Women Council weighed in, saying that they do not support politicisation of cultural ceremonies.

“What happened did not reflect our culture or traditions. Those are not members of Kikuyu Council of Elders. We do not know them. If Karen want to come back to us, she is welcome so that we take her through the proper steps,” stated Kiboi.