Of Kikuyus and alcohol

This is the Kikuyu community brewing industry narrative – wisdom I got from Fr. Dr. Dominic Wamugunda wa Kimani when he used to teach me at UoN.

It goes down this way:

Mwai – One who skillfully and with utmost expertise hives the beehive from a tree log.

Mwaniki – One who sets the new beehive on a tree so that bees can come in.

Wanjuki – One who has power and skills to attract bees into the new hive.

Muthui – The honey harvester the honey.

Wanjohi – One who converts the honey into muratina (traditional beer).

Kinyua/Munyua/Mukundi (like me) – One who can consume the muratina but he does not get drunk. In another language, he drinks responsibly.

Muriu – One who drinks and gets himself too drunk and silly. He behaves like our modern day Central Kenya youths. (Note that this was a negative title unlike the others above which were positive).

 

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