In the Kikuyu community mythology, a mugumo (fig) tree is sacred and occupies a special place in their culture and customs.
They believe that the spirits of their ancestors dwell in mugumo trees and their canopies are shrines where they offer prayers and sacrifices to God.
For this reason, it is taboo to cut down the tree for any reason. In special circumstances where a mugumo tree has to be felled, special prayers and rituals must be conducted to appease the spirits.
That is what happened on Wednesday before construction work on the Kenol-Marua dual carriageway could proceed in Karatina.
The work stalled for several weeks in Mathaithi village, near Karatina in Nyeri County, because a huge fig tree stood on the road reserve, prompting the Chinese contractor China Wu Yi Co Limited to seek the intervention of Kikuyu elders.
On November 10, elders conducted a special ritual under the tree before it could be felled.
Some of the elders slaughter a ram that was used as a sacrifice to the gods to appease them.
Photo credit: Stephen Munyiri | Nation Media Group
They slaughtered a ram and poured libation around the mighty tree, asking the Gikuyu god for permission to uproot it.
The ceremony, which attracted scores of curious residents, was conducted by octogenarian Gikuyu high priest Mathenge Wa Iregi.
He hailed the contractor for seeking help from elders so as to avert an “imminent” calamity that could have befallen locals had the tree been felled without involving them.
“We found our great grandfathers worshipping under the tree and saw that their prayers were answered. Breaking the rules is sacrilege that can lead to untold suffering and calamities in the community,” he said.
“The ram is roasted wholly under the tree upon which the smoke is required to rise upwards and that confirms that Mwenenyaga (the Kikuyu god) has accepted our sacrifice. Should it not rise, then the tree is not supposed to be felled.”
Another elder, Wachira Ndei, said before such events, all members involved in the cleansing ceremony are required to fast for seven days, during which they are barred from sleeping in the same bed with their wives.
But the ram meat could not be consumed by anyone, because it was a special sacrifice meant for the gods, elders said. The remains, including bones and other parts, were supposed to be burned to ash at the site.
Senior elder Mzee Mathenge Wairegi (seated) performs some rituals under the fig tree on November 10.
Photo credit: Stephen Munyiri | Nation Media Group
The elders remained at the scene for several hours after slaughtering the ram, to ensure all the remains were consumed by the fire.
When Gikuyu, the community’s founding father, and his wife were created by god and placed at the Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga shrine, they chose mugumo as their sacrificial tree and passed the trees down to subsequent generations.
As for the tree itself, when it is finally felled, it cannot be used for firewood and must be left to rot where it falls.
Wednesday’s sacrifice, elders said, was accepted by the gods as smoke billowed steadily from the fireplace to appease them.
Two other fig trees, both in Kirinyaga County, that stood in the way of the road were felled following similar ceremonies.
