Magical trip into holy forest of the Mijikenda

A group of youths visits Kaya Kauma Forest in Kilifi County. The forest is sacred to the Mijikenda. PHOTO | SAMUEL BAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Conservation of kaya forests faces challenges related to illegal tree cutting and encroachment by farmers.

The Mijikenda forests are spread over some 200 kilometres along the coast and harbour remains of fortified villages known as kayas.

I had longed to visit Kaya Kauma Forest in Kilifi County, one of the most revered indigenous forests along the Coast.

My wish was fulfilled when I joined a group of youths who were visiting the kaya to learn more about the Kauma traditional values and cultural rites.

Kaya Kauma Forest covers 92 hectares and is listed among United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco)World Heritage Sites. It is also one of the sites in the care of World Wildlife Fund.

When our team, consisting of cultural and heritage ambassadors from all the 47 counties, arrived at the entrance of Kaya Kauma, we had to undergo some traditional rituals before being allowed into the forest.

VITAL RITUALS

Mzee Hillary Mwatsuma, the county chairman of the Kaya elders association, briefed us on how to conduct ourselves in the forest.

Mzee Barisa Mbaruk is the chairman of Kaya Kauma. “Inside this forest you will find five Kauma clans; they are descendants of the first families that lived in this forest,” Mr Mbaruk said.

“There are steps which you should follow; if you don’t you will be punished by spirits of our ancestors,” warned Mr Mwatsama. The rules include walking in the forest in one row.

After walking for about 50 metres, we were asked to cut small twigs and carry them in our left hands. It was a call on ancestors to protect us from evil attacks.

After 30 minutes of walking, we arrived at the first prayer centre known in the local dialect as Kadzumba Ka Mulungu, meaning the place where ancestors used to worship before going into their huts.

REVERENCE

We stopped there and Mr Mwatasama took us through a prayer session.

At the shrine is a mortar and a pestle which store holy water used for praying. We were asked to remove our shoes.

“You cannot go past this place with your shoes on, as you will court problems from evil spirits in this forest,” said Mr Mwatsama.

Two metres from the first shrine we were directed to throw the twig a meter away.

Then we walked for about half an hour before arriving at the centre of the forest. Elders meet there to deliberate on issues in the community.

Before sitting down, we visited a place where five decorated and carved wooden posts known as vigango were kept to symbolise the main five clans of the Kauma community.

CONSERVATION

The Kauma are part of the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes.

“These vigango represent the five main clans of the Kauma. They are Mvitsa, Mongwe, Mdzunza, Mndarari and Mdzakaa. They represent the 27 sub clans of the Kauma," said Mr Mwatsama.

Before the meeting started, Mr Mwatsama was given a goblet of palm wine (mnazi) to bless the visitors. He poured a small portion of the wine on the ground and drank the rest.

Then the elders told us more about the Kauma culture.

Kenya National Commission for Unesco (KNATCOM) culture programme director John Omare thanked the elders for safeguarding the forest.

He said that conservation of kaya forests faces challenges related to illegal tree cutting and encroachment by farmers.

“Your efforts in conserving this forest should be praised as this shows your commitment towards preventing it from destruction. There is need to have a long lasting solution, which includes re-surveying the Kayas in order to re-establish buffer zones. This should be followed by fencing off the land belonging to the kayas,” he said.

AWARDS

After the meeting, we planted more than 6,000 seedlings. The KNATCOM gives awards to the best managed and conserved kaya.

This year, Kaya Gandini/Mtswakara in Kwale emerged victorious. The Kayas were feted at Vwevwesi village in Kilifi.

Dr Evangeline Njoka, KNATCOM chief executive, attended the event together with other top officials.

The two kayas scored 74 points, a point ahead of 2017 winners Kayafungo, which garnered 73 marks.

The award comes with Sh750,000, a certificate, a trophy and three wheelbarrows to help in conservation efforts. Kayafungo, the second, received a cash award of Sh500,000.

Is there a site you want us to feature? Write an e-mail to [email protected]