Cultural Revival among Kikuyu Christians: Impact and Implications in the 21st Century
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Date
2024-05
Authors
Kamau, Patrick Maina
Katola, Michael T.
Humphrey M. Waweru
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SJAHSS
Abstract
The Kikuyu people were exposed to Christianity in the year 1900 following the arrival of Reverend
McGregor. Subsequently, an overwhelming majority of individuals have adopted Christianity, with
more than 90% identifying themselves as Christians. Nevertheless, the amalgamation of Western
and Christian cultures throughout history has posed difficulties for the revival of Kikuyu traditional
rituals. However, Anglican Christians have observed a revival of Kikuyu cultural traditions in
Murang'a County, Kenya, during the twenty-first century. This return signifies a deliberate embrace
of traditions that were previously forsaken. The objective of this study is to discover and examine
the revived cultural traditions within the Anglican community, such as the reverence of ancestors,
the categorization of individuals by age, the act of sacrificing animals, traditional marriage
ceremonies, and the use of traditional brew. The study investigates the impact of cultural revival on
Kikuyu Christianity through qualitative methodologies, including observation and interviews. The
primary findings indicate that cultural revitalization entails both benefits and drawbacks. On one
side, it assists in resolving identity challenges and enhances relationships with the community and
family. Nevertheless, it also cultivates duplicity, undermines the Christian belief system, and
engenders discord within the Christian community. These findings emphasize the necessity for
dialogue among Kikuyu Christians to reconcile traditional behaviors with Christian principles. This
will promote an authentic African Christianity that embraces Christian values while recognizing
and integrating indigenous heritage. This study adds to the current discussion on the relationship
between culture and religion in modern African settings by examining the intricacies and impacts
of cultural resurgence in Christian communities.
Description
Article
Keywords
Age grading, Culture, Cultural Practice, Entangle, Rejuvenation, Resurgence
Citation
Kamau, P. M., Katola , M. T., & Waweru, H. M. (2024). Cultural Revival Among Kikuyu Christians: Impact and Implications in the 21st Century. Sprin Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(5), 53–57. https://doi.org/10.55559/sjahss.v3i5.301