HISTORY OF M'MWOTHIRU AND KATHIKA FAMILY TREE

HISTORY OF LARGE FAMILIES IN MERU

By: TARCISIO F.B.GICHUNGE RICHARD A. GITONGA HEZEKIEL GIKAMBI PETER M'ITUIRI

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

INTRODUCTION
By Gichunge WA M'Thirua and Jacob Mugambi Kamau

AMERU of Meru Kenya arrived in Meru from Mboa approximately AD1660, after they had escaped from Mboa when their hunting as slaves by the Nguuntune (the Portuguese) intensified in the latter part of AD 1500, and after they had been used as slaves who constructed Fort Jesus in Mombasa. When the Nguuntune realized that Ameru were strong and muscular men, they seriously hunted them as slaves for export to America, through AD 1590's and AD 1600's when Ameru managed to escape from Mboa (Manda Island) Kenya.

Their epic journey through the wilderness of Tulla, Kora and Murera made them strangers in the country they were to discover and accept to be their new homes, after they had been subjected to another disastrous journey from Egypt to Mboa; a journey that had taken them over two centuries to accomplish.

Ameru people meandered in the wilderness for another century trying to find their bearing after escaping their pursuing enemy (the Nguuntune) when many of them died of diseases and on being hunted by teaming wild life. Those who escaped managed to do so by God's grace; families in those days were composed of one or two sons and a few daughters. Very few families had more than three sons because most of them died in wars and raids against their warring communities.

The story of M'Mwothiru and Kathika, the sons of Thinibu of Athiru is narrated to show how the Ameru survived the odds and difficulties of the 17th, and 18th, centuries to be what they are today. The story is written to teach people how people should endeavor to preserve their culture and traditions in writing their Families' Biographies.

This story gives information stretching over two centuries as if what happened in the past two centuries happened only yesterday. Read on to learn how to preserve your family history so that you will maintain it and avoid intermarrying your own kith and kin which would result to consequential effects in your precious family in future. Good luck in your reading.