the model shows new relationships were forged as a result of the critical Mau
Mau movement and societal needs (which included young men and women).
These changes took on a profound meaning for Kenyans and were embedded in
much larger social changes in Kenya.
The oath taker followed the instructions of the oathing administrator who
orchestrated all of the oathing activities and ceremony32 and was typically an old
or mature man.33 There may have been one or multiple individuals that took on
this responsibility. The administrator was very keen on the meanings, purpose,
and oathing process; he or she aimed to successfully transition the oath taker
into being a full Mau Mau fighter who pledged to fight colonial injustice. This
leader customized the oathing process based on the materials, artifacts, and
resources available at the time. There was not one standard oath process
because the administrator decided on the vows, the gestures and symbolic acts
to follow, the duration of activities, and all of the other activities.
One of the best ways to understand this role is to compare it to the current
role of specialists in Kenya. The specialist was an individual knowledgeable
about spiritual energy, traditional culture, and the invoking process. The work of
the specialist was extremely focused (i.e. pregnancy∕birthing, healing, rain
making, prosperity, cleansing, misfortune, death, and so on).34 The Mau Mau
32 KNA MLA 1/791 - CC 36/54 Rex vs. Masika S/О Nyanze
33 Interview, J.M. Malei, January 2009, Machakos District and interview J.M. Wambua, January 2009,
Machakos District. Both describe the oath administer as old∕mature men. However, women were also
known to have given the oath. These dynamics will be covered in Chapter on “The Mau Mau Oath and
Gender, Ethnicity.”
34 Interview, M.N.S. Munguti, February 2009, Machakos District; Interview L.N. Muli, February 2009,
Machakos District.
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