Irimû rîa Nyakondo

Long long time ago when the Gikuyu were breaking the forest, that huge and dark forest called “God help me” or Mutitu wa Ngai Ndeithia, during the age of the tree cutters, Ndemi, when giants dwelt in the forest, there lived a dreaded giant deep in the forest called Irimu ria Nyakondo or “The giant of the great Kiondo bag”. The Kiondo is the Gikuyu bag that was traditionally hand woven from vegetable twine. It is still popular especially in the countryside as a carry-all and today it is still hand woven but made from all sorts of thread and twine.
Irimu ria Nyakondo or Mr. Big Bag always carried his bag behind his shoulder wherever he went and would throw anything he found on his way into the bag. If he saw some ripening bananas on a tree, he threw the entire banana, tree, fruits, roots and all, – into the bag. If he saw a nice fat goat grazing by the roadside – into the bag, shepherd boy and all. If he saw a child walking along the road alone, – into the bag. A big fat bull, – into the bag. Anything he fancied, – into the bag.
The interesting thing was that the bag never got full and the more he put into it the more greedy he became until there was a great outcry in the whole country. Nobody could kill him and many warriors lost their lives trying to waylay him in order to save the people. He had one single eye on his forehead that he never shut even while asleep and another eye at the back of his head therefore it was impossible to waylay him. All the warriors who tried to kill him found themselves where? In the bag!
How Mr. Big Bag was killed and the country freed of the evil is a story for another day because today, I was on another tack. I was wondering what this ciathire ciakurukire, “went down the river” story was all about and what the teaching was as all stories had a deep meaning and were not just so, so, ngano cia marimu stories. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that the stories were universal timeless metaphors and must be applicable yesterday, today and forever.
The question I posed was, WHO IS MR. BIG BAG TODAY? Where is Irimu ria Nyakondo today?
Mr. Big Bag is very much alive today. When you look at the conduct of most so-called Christian churches today you will agree with me that the Government Tax man is a mere pretender to the throne of Mr. Big Bag. The authentic, the re-incarnation of Irimu ria Nyakondo today is the modern Church. It is organized as an extortion racket in the form of a huge pyramid where the poor at the bottom collect and pay what are called tithes that are channeled to the top of the pyramid. One local church here of East Africa even prides itself publicly as “The Church of the Bag” – Kanitha wa Kiondo. The bag is their central symbol. It is the heavy cross they have to bear. Every other day there is this or that fundraising for this or that project for this or that group. Women’s week, youth week, etc. etc. The poor rural women at the bottom of the pyramid at the districts are given a specific figure they have to remit to headquarters which they are told is their promise to God, kariko, and woe to those who fail on “their” promise. They are told, “Your Shepherd, Your Keeper, Mutungatiri, will be withdrawn. That means that your dead will not be buried with the blessing of the Church. There will be no celebration of lives well lived for living well is paying your tithes.” The preaching and teachings every Sunday are all about funds, funds funds!. The unholy spirit of barter is everywhere. The rich literary buy their way to heaven. The bag is never full and merely grows bigger and bigger. The original Irimu ria Nyakondo would be envious.
The Greeks too had a story of a Cretan great animal, the Minotaur. This Minotaur was fed seven young men and seven maidens every year and it took a great warrior, Theseus, to destroy it.
Like of old, Gikuyu warriors today are called to battle Irimu ria Nyakondo. Is there a Theseus ready or is today’s hero the one who runs off with the 5 million after winning it on this or that TV reality show?
FB_IMG_16801623677655154.jpg

Híndí ímwe tene níkwarí na mútumia na múthuri wake, na matúraga hakuhí na Mútitú múnene. Mútumia úyú ní arí na ihu, na atanaciara múthuriwe ní athire búrúri múraya gútura. Múthuri úyú athire gútura indo ta hiú ona matimú endie nígúo mútumia wake one irio cia kúría.

Múthuri úcio athií, mútumia wake ní akorirwo ní irimú na ríkímúciarithia. Irimú ríú ní ríathire na mbere na gúikara múcií úcio atí níguo ríhiúhírie múciai-rí úcio. Irimú níríarugaga irio ona kwenja gwací no rítiaheaga múciai-rí úcio no kúmúcumíkia. Irimú ríarugaga irio, ríkanengereria múciai-rí, ríkamwíra atírí, “Wagaciai-rí ndúke túhiúhio”. Rígacoka ríkagutha, ríkamwíra atírí, “Warega ngaaría”, Irimú rígítúra ríkaga o úgúo matukú maingí múno.

Múthenya úmwe mútumia ní onire Ndutura yatúraga íríaga mbaríki ciake akímíúria atírí, “We Ndutura íno tondú útúraga úríaga mbaríki ciakwa-rí, úngítúmwo wathií?”. Nayo Ndutura íkímúchokeria atírí, “íí úngíndúma nothií”. Mútumia úcio ríría aiguire Ndutura ya múcokeria úgúo agíkena múno. Mútumia akííra Ndutura íyo maúndú maría mothe ekítwo ní irimú na akímíra íthií oharía íríkora andú magítura ímahe úhoro ucio. Ndutura íyo níyombúkire na ihenya inene onginya haría múthúri wa mútumia ucio na andú angí maaturagíra. Yakinya hau íkíúmba mútí-iní na íkíina úú;

Múturi úgútura
Múturi úgútura-í , changarara í-ca

Tura tura narua-í, changarara í-ca

Múkaguo anaciara-í , changarara í -ca

Agíchiarithio ní irimu-í , changarara í -ca

Akerúo ndúke túhiúhio-í , changarara í -ca

Na warega ngaría-í , changarara í -ca

Andú acio ríría maiguire Ndutura íyo íkíina ní moranirie múndú úría watigíte mútumia wake ena ihu. Múndú úcio watigire mútumia ena ihu ní aamerire atí mútumia wake amútigíte ee hakuhí kúheo mwana.

Múndú úcio ní oire indo ciake na agícoka múcií.

Ríría akinyire, mútumia wake ní amúheire úhoro wothe wa úría aherithítio ní irimú. Híndí íyo irimú ríathiíte kuna ngú. Ríría múthuri amenyire atí irimú rí hakuhí gúkcoka ní oire indo ciake cia mbaara akíhaica itara akííhitha kuo.

Irimú ríría ríakinyirie ngú ríoigire ta úú ríkírekia ngú, “Wagaciai-rí úrí nyúmba íno úrogwa na múrurumo úcio”. Nake mútumia agícokia akiúga, “Onawe úrogwa naguo. Rígícokera ríkiuga ríngí o ro úguo. Nake mútumia agícokia o ríngí úría oigíte mbere. Irimú ríkírakara múno ríkíúria mútumia atírí, “íí wagaciai-rí wíkinyakinyíire atía ta maarí úturi-iní mokite?. Mútumia nake akííra irimú atírí, “Tiga kúnyarara nomagoka”.

O híndí íyo, múthuri akihuria itimú agíthecanga irimú ríú. Ríría ríakuaga ríkiúga, “No njugire! No njugire atí maarí úturi-iní ní mokite.”

The story above is a short version as written in the book “Míthomere ya Gíkúyú” by Patrick M. Kamau. A longer and more comprehensive version can be read in the book “Wírute Gúthoma – Ibuku ría gatatú” by Fred K. Kago

ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOURCE

https://mukuyu.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/irimu-ria-nyakondo/

Thank you though, that blog will make for interesting reading.

Kwari na karugano ga thithiya na irimu ria nyakondo kana kindu takiu uguo…

hii kanisa ya kiondo ni gani wakikuyu?

Reke ngurehere

Ūria Thithia Oragire Múndú Wa Gīcúgúma
Thithia arīkia gútigwo hau wiki nī nyina akīambīrīa gwīciria úrīa angīhota gútwarīra Múthamaki indo icio. Agīīciria aikúrúke athiī harīa meri ciahaicagīrwo nīguo aringio iria akinye narua, ningī agīcoka agīīciria atī nī wega agakombore meri yake e wiki nīguo aringe na ihenya makīria. No eciria múno akīona atī hatiarī na bata wa gúkinya kwa Múthamaki narua, tondú ithe nī aarīīitie kúriganirwo nīwe. Ningī tondú ithe aarī na ihīī ingī nyingī akīona atī ndangīamúkīrwo na gīkeno.

Agīīciria múno agīcoka akiuga atīrī,”Nīngúgeria gúcaria múno úndú úrīa úngīhota gútúma rīrīa akanyona anyende múno. Ngúgera njīra ya mītitú thīinī ngīcaragia marimú ona njangiri ndīciúrage. Ona ningī ngerie gúīka maúndú maingī manene na ma gītīyo nī getha rīrīa Múthamaki akanyona anyende gúkīra aanake acio angī.

Agītheca njīra agerete búrúri-inī agīturúkia ituamba o na akīhungurīra mītitú eyohete rúhiú rwake rúrīa arutīte ihiga-inī, kinya kīrīma-inī kīmwe gīetagwo kīa Mbúmbúī. Haú kīrīma-inī haatúraga njangiri īmwe yahehenjaga andú o ta úrīa Mbúmbúī īgwatagia ngi īkamīhehenja. Na rīrīa aambataga kīrīma kīu, akīona njīra nī yambīrīria gúthiī īgīkunderaga na hingo īyo akīambīrīria kwīhúga, na agīthiī akīroraga na mīena yothe. Na rīrīa aikirie maitho igúrú wake, harīa kīrīma kīeigīte wega akīona kīmúndú kīnene múno gīikarīire ihiga.

Kīmúndú kīu kīehumbīte gīthii kīa ikami na gīkeigīrīra kīongo kīa mbogo mútwe. Na rīrīa kīonire mwanake úcio agīúka gīkīrúgama gīkīambīrīria gútheka múno kinya mútitú úkiania nīúndú wa mītheko. Gīgīcoka gīkīmúria atīrī, “We nī we ú úmīrīirie úú? Kaī útoī úkinyīte haha ndúcoka kumīra rīngī?” No Thithia ndagīcokeirie tiga o gúthiī athiaga erekeire na hau kīarī.

Rīrīa kīonire atī ndaretigīra gīkīgúthúka na múgambo múnene gīkiuga, “Ngi īno úmīrīirie atīa? úka o rīmwe haha ngúrīe, amu o na wageria kúúra no túhú.” Nake Thithia akīmúcokeria, “Wee nīwe ú nawe nyambe ngīkúmenye”? “Niī njītagwo Múndú wa Gīcúgúma.” Na kahinda o kau gīkīoya njúgúma yaigītwo hau thī, gīkīmīthukia gīkiuga, “Njúgúma īno ndaheirwo nī baba ya kúmondoraga andú arīa othe marīúkagīra haha. Ndehere karúhiú kau gakú amu no ga túhú o na iratú icio wī nacio na warega nī ngúkúraga o rīu.”

Rīrīa Thithia aiguire úgúo akīmenya rīu no hīndī. Agīcomora rúhiú rwake na agīthaya guoko na tama wake akīguthúka arorete na gwī kimúndú kīu. Nakīo gīkīoya njúgúma gakīo gīgītarīkia Thithia wega wega o kinya akīigua ta ahehenjetwo mahīndī. No rīrīa aiguire ruo agīkīnyita múmero akīambīrīria gúgīita, nao erī makīnyitana makīambīrīria kúgaragarania o gīitītwo na rīrīa eyúkīrīirie agīkora gītarahota kúhuhia nī úrīa agīitīte, akīoya gīcúgúma agīkīrumia kinya gīgīkua. Agīcoka akīoya gīthii kīrīa kīehumbite akīīhumba agīgītiga hau agītheca njīra.

Na rīrīa aikúrúkaga akīona handú haarī na gathima gatuamba-inī na hau hakomete arīithi maarīithagia na ma muona makīúra múno tondú meciragia nī gīcangiri kīrīa. No we akīmeta na kayú akīmera macoke, na moka akīmera,”Tigai gúcoka gúītigīra njangiri īrīa ītúúraga īmúthīnagia ndamītiga īkīrio nī nderi na ciihú.” Agīcoka agīthamba, arīithi nao makīmúrehere irio akīrīa o na akīnyua maī macio ma gīthima kīu. Na tondú wa mīnoga īrīa aarī nayo agīkoma hanini nīguo ahurúkīre atanacoka gúthiī.

Okīra arīithi acio makīmúthaitha atige gúthiī areke maikare kúu amu nī makenete múno nī úndú wa úguo ekīte; no we akīmeera, “Ndingīhota gúikara na inyuī gúkú amu ndī na mawīra maingī múno manjetereire ngarute, na ningī ngwenda gúthiī kinya ngaakinya kwa Múthamaki wa búrúri úrīa úngī.” Nao makīmúcokeria makīmwīra atīrī, “úgúthiī na ú na ndúhota gúthiī wiki njīra īyo tondú īī mīitú na njangiri nyingi múno?” Nake akīmacokeria, “Indo ici ciakwa, rúhiú rúrú rwa njora o na njúgúma īno ndatunya Múndú wa Gīcúgúma nī injiganīte.” Agīthukia gīcúgúma gīake na hinya wothe, agītheca njīra akīmatiga makīmúinīra makenete.

Thithia Part 2 Ūria Thithia Oragire Múndú Wa Gīcúgúma

Related Stories about Thithia
Part 1: Mwanake Njamba Nene Wetagwo Thithia
Part 3: úria Thithia Oragire Miitú yathīnītie andú múno
Part 4: úria Thithia Oragire Mútunyani úmwe
Part 5: úria Thithia Akinyire Kwa Múthamaki.
Part 6: úria Thithia Oragire Nyamú īrīa Yaikaraga Múngú thīinī
Other Resources
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Check out Other Stories

Source: “Wīrute Gīkūyū, Ibuku rīa Gatatū” by Fred K. Kago

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Modern Kikuyu
Learning and Sharing Agikuyu People’s History, Culture, Traditions, and Way of Life. Past & Present. #Kikuyu #KikuyuLand | Learn & Share your Knowledge of #Kikuyuculture

3 Comments

Matigari Muthaka
Great… such inspiration to our culture and all those who love it.

April 1, 2020Reply

Chege
GREAT! I think you should consider making a collection of all parts of “Rugano Rwa Thithia na Nyina” and put it in a pdf.
Please consider it done.
Thaai !

August 31, 2020Reply

Joseph gitonga
Comment weee negua nakena ni rugano rwa thithia ma

May 23, 2022Reply
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Had a chance of meeting this Mukuyu WordPress man,he is an interesting fellow with a passion of preserving the Gikuyu literal history.

Thank you! Interesting read.

Thengiū chibū