Mt. Kenya is the home of Mwenenyaga; God of the Tharaka people. Mt. Kenya is in the direction of the Sunset from Tharaka territory. In Tharaka cosmology directions are defined while facing the direction of sunset; the West. The other remaining directions are; right, left and the East. East is the direction of opening while West is the direction of shutting. All things come from the East and end to the West. Wind blows from the East to West. Rain comes from the East (windward) and ends to the West (leeward). Kirimo too comes from the East (Ruganka) to the West. At birth, delivering mothers face the direction of the East. At death, people are buried facing the West. Right is masculine while left is feminine. At birth, the boy is tied up with the piece of the ritual skin (nkooro) on the right hand and for the girl on the left. The same is done for the parents according to their sex. Men are buried lying on their right hand and women on the left. Number four is sacred in Tharaka cosmology. When rituals are performed, four days of abstinence from sex and other luxuries are observed before and after the ritual ceremony. At birth, the boy receives four ululations while the girl receives four twice, making it eight. When scheduling a ritual event e.g. initiation, the minimum counting is four days. The maximum is eight; four twice.
Researched by Simon Mitambo
