Mount Kenya

Symbolic Mountains

Mountains have long been regarded as sacred and mystical stations. Perhaps it is their proximity to the firmament and its life-sustaining rain clouds that has inspired such awe and reverence in the hearts of many people around the world from time immemorial. This is no exception in the African tradition. For instance, the Bavenda and Shona revere the Matoba (or Matopa) mountains as a divine manifestation of God, while both the Ga and the Tumbuka recognize divinities of the hills. The Akamba, for their part, attest to seeing “fires of the spirit” on the hillsides in the dark of night. Be it Mount Sinai in the Judeo-Christian faith, Mount Arafat in the Islamic tradition, Mount Fuji within the Shinto system of belief, or Mount Kailas in Hindu and Buddhist teachings, for example, mountains are considered by many around the world to represent the pinnacle of spiritual liberation and elevation.

The Gikuyu Myth

According to the Gikuyu creation myth, in the beginning, Mogai (God), the “Divider of the Universe and Lord of Nature,” summoned Gikuyu, the founder of his ethnic group, and gave him his share of the land, replete with rivers, rain, forests, vegetation, and diverse animals. At the same time, the Mogai (sometimes spelled Ngai or Mungai) made a gargantuan mountain, Kere-Nyaga, which is said to be his chief Earthly dwelling—although he is said to also occupy the four other lesser, sacred mountains visible from Gikuyu land. Some say that he inhabits the sky just beyond the mountain and that he frequently visits the Earth to mete out blessings and punishment. Above all, however, Mogai was known to regularly inspect and admire his creation—the beautiful, bountiful Earth.

Legend has it that on the day of creation, Mogai took Gikuyu to the top of Kere-Nyaga, with its panoramic view, and pointed out a place called Mokorwe wa Gathanga, a locale said to be the geographic center of Kenya and where there was a profusion of mogumo—sometimes called motamoyo, Mikoyo, or Mokoyo—(wild fig) trees. God commanded that Gikuyu should build his homestead there. Mogai then told Gikuyu that whenever he was in need, he should make a sacrifice a under a mikoyo (fig) tree and raise his hands toward Kere-naya and Mogai, the Lord of Nature, would come to his assistance.

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