Ruiki
Kikuyu Cultural Centre
Kenya
Cultural Tourism - Nairobi City Tour Program
(Riuki
Cultural Centre is located in Githunguri, Kiambu.
The Centre portrays Kikuyu rural life and culture
both in outlook and activities. To get there you drive
via Kiambu, Central Province District Headquarter
past Ndumberi, Tinganga and Ikinu Villages to Karia
Village through lush green agricultural Gikuyu country
until you reach Riuki Cultural Centre.
You
will be received by Dr. Kinuthia Njoroge in person,
the guide and a host of children)
 Kikuyu
Woman
Traditional Dancer in Kenya
|
 Kikuyu
Traditionally Dancers
in
Kenya
|
 Kikuyu
Traditionally built hut in Kenya
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Riuki
Kikuyu Culture
& Traditional Centre
Riuki
Cultural Centre View
Rates, Discounted Prices - Book & Save Now!
Riuki
Cultural Centre;
Riuki Cultural Centre is located about 25 km's outside
of Nairobi, Kenya in the Kikuyu Heartland of Kiambu.
Kenya
is famous for its 42 cultures, but other than the
nomadic Masai and Samburu, not many of these are widely
known to the outside world. Riuki Cultural Centre
is devoted to the Kikuyu, Kenya’s largest tribe
(forming approximately 25% of the total population
or 7 million people) and offers a unique experience
of this tradition rich culture existing in a modern
world.
Riuki
Cultural Centre is run by Dr. Kinuthia Njoroge, who
built a traditional Kikuyu village homestead to show
local children the history and customs of the Kikuyu
community. The Kikuyu are the largest community in
Kenya, and have always played a central role in the
development of the independent Nation. For this reason,
many may believe that modern influence has eroded
the traditional way of life for the Kikuyu tribe who
mainly live around the capital city and the highlands.
Now
visitors to Kenya can come to Riuki Cultural Centre
and spend a day learning more about the Kikuyu tribe
and their culture. Some of the cultural activities
available include a guided tour of the Kikuyu village,
Kikuyu traditional doctor cleansing ceremonies, Kikuyu
traditional food and drinks tasting, Kikuyu traditional
dances, a lecture on the Kikuyu tribe traditional
lifestyle.
Riuki
Cultural Centre
Lunch Tour (2.5
Hour Tour)
Riuki
Cultural Centre Lunch Tour
gives you the opportunity to enjoy traditional Kikuyu
food while being entertained by Kikuyu Traditional
Dancers. The lunch tour is normally between 1200 Hours
and 1430 Hours.
Return
transportation from Nairobi Included
Price:
80 US Dollars
Per Person
2012
Departures
Riuki
Cultural Centre 4
Hour Tour (Morning
or Afternoon)
Riuki Cultural Centre 4 Hour tour includes a guided
tour of the village, traditional doctor cleansing
ceremonies, traditional dances, traditional food tasting,
a lecture on Kikuyu traditional lifestyle, visits
to tea/coffee farms, factories, church, a local school.
The
morning tour departs Nairobi city at 0900 Hours and
returns back at 1300 Hours. The afternoon tour departs
Nairobi at 1400 Hours and returns back in city at
1800 Hours.
Return transportation from Nairobi Included
Price
: 100 US Dollars
Per Person
2012
Departures
Riuki
Cultural Centre Overnight Home-Stay
A
guided tour of the village, traditional doctor cleansing
ceremonies, traditional dances, traditional barbecue
lunch, a lecture on Kikuyu traditional lifestyle,
visits to tea/coffee farms, factories, church, a local
school, time to include overnight at Riuki Cultural
Centre with evening experience of culture with people.
Accommodation on banana fiber as in the past with
a bonfire.
This
is a Home stay with a Kikuyu family for a complete
African experience where you interact and dine with
a Kikuyu family and enjoy African hospitality. Guests
meet with community and participate in homestead activities
by living and sharing with them.
Return
transportation from Nairobi Included
Price
:
280 US Dollars
2012
Departures
Riuki
Kikuyu Culture Tour Itinerary
Riuki
Cultural Centre tour departs daily in the morning
(African Spice Safaris) will pick you up from your
hotel or residence in Nairobi) and travel to Kiambu
Town then through Ndumberi, Tinganga and Ikinu Villages
to Karia Village along lush and green agricultural.
The Kikuyu country is rich with banana plantations
and coffee trees. Upon arrival you will be received
by Dr. Kinuthia Njoroge in person, the guide and a
host of the Centre.
Riuki
Cultural Centre tour begins with exploring a traditionally
built hut with an explanation of how the traditional
society operated. Communities always remained bound
by strict and strong ties of clan loyalty and an even
stronger sense of tribal unity - There was an age
set system among young men, known as Mariika, but
all clans and villages (itura) always paid deference
to the wisdom and law of the tribe.
After
the hut tour follows Riuki Cultural Centre traditional
Songs, Proverbs, Dances, Myths and Legends of the
Kikuyu to life. A group of local women perform for
visitors, with a series of dances traditionally performed
at weddings and initiations and to sing songs.
These
are simple love and courting songs, traditional hunting
songs and chants used when going to work in the fields.
The highlight of the tour is a chance to sample a
typical Kikuyu meal - delicious healthy food including
sweet potatoes, Githeri (a maize and bean stew), Mukimo
(a mashed combination of green peas and potato) with
roasted goat and Irio, a great Kikuyu favorite.
Riuki
Cultural Centre food is prepared by Dr. Njoroge’s
two wives. Riuki Cultural Centre
also displays of traditional medicine, healing and
divination.
Riuki
Cultural Centre Tour can include extended programs
to visit local farms and schools, or even spend the
night under the stars by a campfire on a traditional
banana fiber mat, or to spend the night in a specially
arranged Home stay in a typical Kikuyu home.
For
anyone with a free day in Nairobi, the Riuki Cultural
Centre is an excellent way to discover more about
the Kikuyu culture as you make many new friends on
your safari. Kindly contact African Spice Safaris
for a special arrangement to the above excursion.
Kikuyu
Woman |
The
Kikuyu Culture History
According
to Kikuyu mythology, all of creation began
at the summit of Mount Kenya. The icy
peak was the realm of Ngai, the Supreme
Creator, who descended from the heavens
to his mountainous throne to survey his
newly created lands.
The
mountain became Kirinyaga, his resting
place, and it was from here that he called
forth Gikuyu, the father of the Kikuyu
people. Ngai told him that all of the
lands around Kirinyaga would be the home
of Gikuyu and his children forever.
He
sent Gikuyu to grove of Fig trees, where
he found a woman called Mumbi. This grove
would become known as Mukuru wa Nyagathanga,
the birthplace of all Kikuyu, still revered
as a sacred place.
|
Among
the fig trees, Gikuyu and Mumbi produced nine daughters
- Wanjiku, Wanjiru, Wanjeri, Wambui, Wangari, Wacera,
Waithera, Wairimu, and Nyambura. (Traditionally all
Kikuyu girls should be given one of these names).
The
girls grew into beautiful young women, who each full
moon wandered the lands around Kirinyaga in search
of men so that they could bear children. They begged
their father to appeal to Ngai for help. Finally he
bowed before the Mountain, and Ngai commanded him
to make sacrifice among the figs and light a fire.
The
sacrifice of a goat beneath a fig tree is still considered
a way to call rain in times of drought, but in this
first case it was a different form of life sustaining
rain that Gikuyu sought. After the sacrifice he plunged
nine sticks into a fire, and prayed. The fire erupted
into an inferno, from which nine strong young men
emerged.
Giving
thanks, Gikuyu took them back to his daughters, and
the nine marriages were blessed by Ngai.
Each
of the daughters made her own homestead, and nine
separate clans of the Kikuyu were born. the unity
of these clans was known as the Nyumba ya Mumbi, in
honor of their Mother. The peak of Kirinyaga has since
remained the sacred home of Ngai. As at Riuki, all
Kikuyu homesteads were traditionally built to face
this Holy Mountain.
Booking
& Reservations for Riuki Cultural Centre Tour
in Githunguri, Kiambu - Kenya
Booking
Office Tel: + 254 (0) 20 2437871
Mobile
: 0721242711 (Safaricom) - Kenya
Email:
info@africanspicesafaris.com
