The journey to the unknown began. Some of the NGUU-NTUNE discovered that the Ameru had escaped. They pursued. But the waters came together. So all of the pursuers drowned. Only one NGUU-NTUNE man managed to cross to the other side. The NGUU-NTUNE man who crossed to the Ameru side told them that he wanted to join them and that he intended no harm. The Ameru were suspicious of this man but allowed him to join them in the journey to the unknown.
They proceeded Westwards wandering here and there with only one aim, to be as far away as possible from the NGUU-NTUNE. Never to be slaves again.
THE NGUU-NTUNE MAN IS KILLED.
The Nguu-Ntune man was tricked to be married to a Meru girl. However, the Ameru did not want to give him time to have children for fear of breeding more enemies.
A plan was then made to kill him. The girl was told that some Meru Men would be sent at night. They would put a rope through the holes of a wall of her hut. This would be near the bed she slept with her husband. At night the men came while the Nguu-Ntune man was asleep and passed the rope as agreed. The girl, after making sure that her husband was asleep, put the rope aroung his neck. Those outside pulled the rope hard until the man died. He was buried together with all his belongings. Some Meru old men claim to know where the grave of the Nguu-Ntune man is even to-day.
The Ameru then proceeded again Westwards for fear that they would be followed by the Nguu-Ntune in search of their kinsman. They eventually came to a place in present Meru District commonly known as NKUBIU and settled there. By this time the old generation had passed away. Komenjwee and the other wise elders had died. They did not reach the famous place called NKUBIU.
The Ameru decided to build a settlement in this place. They called it NKUBIU Nobody appears to know the exact meaning of the name but it is said that it simply meant "Our new home." It is from here that the Ameru tried to organise themselves. They had no leader. Each of them did what he thought was right. There was lawlessness because people were always on the move and there was no time to teach the young generation the customs and ethics of the tribe.
They took an oath of unity and swore to defend their freedom from any enemies and to fight to the last man in case the NGUU-NTUNE came to them again. It is also here that circumcision was introduced.
The woman who was married to the Nguu-Ntune man revealed to the elders that the Nguu-Ntune man was circumcised. They believed the circumcision made them brave. All young men were then to be circumcised to make them brave. They were circumcised by the woman, the widow of the Nguu-Ntune man. Her name was CIOKIBULI. The style of circumcision was what they call to-day Kikamba or Kiswahili. There is also MASAI circumcision which we shall refer to later.
The elder Ameru were still disturbed by the fact that they had no leader. Prayers were said and a decision was made to sacrifice a lamb to ask God to help them choose a leader.
A LEADER IS CHOSEN
The sacrifice was made. A voice came from heaven and said, "You will find a flat stone under a Kiroo plant, whoever steps on it and leaves a foot-print, he and his descendants will be the leaders of the Ameru." Many tribesmen including women had a go. Some tried many times but nobody made a print.
A young man who sat near enjoying what the others were doing was pursuaded to try. He tried and made the print. He was immediately carried by the others and made the leader. That is how a MUGWE or MUKIAMA was chosen.
THE COUNCIL
It is important to mention at this stage that the title MUGWE and MUKIAMA mean the same thing. I will therefore here after refer to the chosen one in the title of MUKIAMA.
The leader chosen by God for the Ameru was a young boy. The elders therefore had the duty to train him and assist him in the Administration of the tribe.
The elders sat down and selected 9 elders from among themselves to train a public matters for good of the tribe. This was the first known NJURI by the tribe (It is interesting to note how close the term is with the English word JURY) This Njuri made the First Rules regarding the office of MUKIAMA.
(1). Future AKIAMA were to be the descendants of the first Mukiem.
(2). He had to be a son of the first wife, or a first son of a subsequent wife.
(3). He must have no scars on his body and must be physically fit.
(4). He must be an upright man i.e. man of good reputation and discipline.
(5). He was banned from any type of labour, involvement in wars excessive drinking or indulgence in sex outside marriage anything that was regarded as unholy according to the tradition.
(6). He was banned from practising traditional medicine or witchcraft.
(7). He was to be maintained by the tribe.
These nine elders were allowed to assist or deputize the Mukiama in all matters of Administration or Religion. To this day only descendents of the nine elders are allowed to perform sacrifice with exception of certain cadres of the NJURI-NCHEKE as we will see later.
Rams for sacrifice and bulls for slaughter and celebrations during the installation of MUKIAMA have to be donated by descendants or clans of these nine wise men.
The official attire of MUKIAMA was designed and cut. It consisted of a skin cloak, a hairy band or belt to be worn on the head, a black rod, sandals and a fly whisk.
MUKIAMA BECOMES OF AGE.
The nine elders who formed the NJURI Council were said to have become too powerful, proud and arrogant. Human nature being what it is, some other seven elders formed a rival group. They had supporters and a serious dispute over the leadership of the tribe was eminent.
When Mukiama had become of age, the nine elders and their supporters arranged to install him at night. Using stick torches in a moonless night, the elders led MUKIAMA to a selected place, and he was given oath to be the father of the tribe. (It is not agreed by the elders I have interviewed whether this place was MIORI, RWERIA, NKUBIU or KIROONE but they say it must be one of them). He was officially dressed and took over the functions of the office. To this day the MUKIAMA is installed at night, in a moonless night "MWERI JWENAMA".
It is said that when the seven rival elders heard that MUKIAMA was being installed they summoned their supporters and met in a bush to plan on what to do. As they met, they were attacked by hyenas and the seven elders killed and most of their supporters had injuries. To this day seven (7) is bad luck to the Ameru. Push the like and share button we reach as many people as possible.
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