Kamba life: migration and settlement

On May 5 2012, I queried dad, my mason and Nduki on some aspects of Kamba migration. Dad said that kambas first settled around Mombasa before moving inland. Actually he made postulates about their earlier settlements. Before the 12th century they arrived in the area now called DRC/central africa. In the 14th century, they were already migrating and were in Tanzania. They were herders and farmers. In the 15th century, their migration route had brought them to the Kenyan coast and moved inland. (Some claim the Chaggas,Digos, Taitas, Kambas, kikuyu and likely others left DRC as one tribe/group and have differentiated along the migratory route) The first kamba inland settlement was in the general area covered by mbooni mountains. Apparently settling in mountains was a thing in ancient times. It is claimed there was a fight between 2 clans at Mbooni (Ekuua and Avai should be their names, need to confirm) leading to the first migration. One of these groups moved to the Kilungu mountains. I posit that expansion into areas around these 2 locations (Mukuyuni, Nzaui, Tawa, Mbumbuni, Kaumoni etc) has been organic. Later, some kambas moved to machakos area. The migration to Machakos and beyond is fairly recent; (late 19th century?) early 20th century. Some kambas from Kilungu (and mbooni?), including my grandad, Josephat Musembi Muthwa, moved to Machakos (c.1910) to be employed in white settler farms. Dad claims that the kambas who now occupy the greater kitui (kitui county) migrated from the Mbooni and Kilungu mountains in the 1920s. I said i find this hard to believe because im sure in the 1960s, these people were speaking the present well developed kamba dialect called kithaisu. I do not believe this was developed in 40 or less years. In 1940's (1942), kambas began settling in the part of Makueni district from wote inward/southward. Earlier, this area was uninhabited by humans. Only wild animals and birds; including leopards, rhinos, elephants, hyenas, antelopes, wildebeests, pythons, vultures etc; were found. Probably grandpa moved here with his family in 1947. My dad was born here in 1952. Mutua the mason said that rogue/failed whites are the ones who were sent as adminstrators to this area to oversee its being turned to a human settlement; if not to be killed by the wild animals. Nduki is my neighbor. She is definitely over 90. She was born in Kilungu. Later, their dad moved with the family to machakos area to work and live in the settler farms. This family later moved through kangundo area to kabati (kilimambogo?) area to work and live in the settler farms. She says that coffee and sisal is what the settlers grew in their large scale farms and life was much better than in these modern times. Acceptable housing, food and probably clothing was more easily available. Nduki probably married musyoka mwikuyu in kabati. They moved to makueni in the early years of the settlement. Some of her peers moved from kabati to settle in mwea.

Sections/Categories of posts

I have 3 in mind but this could change. There will be posts about Kamba life. Because this is a broad area of discussion, there will all so be subcategories such as migration and settlement, tribal/community life, kamba wars, dances, medicine etc. There will be posts about the kamba language. Finally, relevant comments and queries will form a category. I'm yet to know how i will tag each post. (suggestion?)

State of Kamba culture today (2012 onwards)

I would be surprised to meet any Kamba who knows or adheres 100% to Kamba culture. Its long been a globalized world where cultures have fused. Many of present Kambas are the modern westernized globalized type whose knowledge of Kamba is, on average, as good as knowledge of another or other cultures. A good example is me. My command of Kamba language, for example, is as good as my command of English and Swahili. No problem there, i feel; its a dynamic world (links to evidence of this modernization).

I therefore will not blog about this modern Kamba. I will blog about the Kamba who lived before and in early colonial times. It is in these times that kamba culture was fully adhered to. I will rely on reliable folklore. Many living Kambas, especially those born before the sixties, have good knowledge of kamba culture (some photos; Dad, Patrick, Nduki, Mbeke etc).

Practically all of Machakos and Makueni counties is modernized. But in remote areas of Makueni and especially Kitui counties; significant levels of Kamba culture are still practiced (map highlighting these areas). I hope to visit and verbally or otherwise capture these for record.

The purpose of the blog

To discourse generally about Kambas and their culture. Discourse on personal specific projects on kamba culture.Thus contribute to documenting and preserving the culture of the Kamba people. I believe this has academic and practical value. No tribal or racist agenda.