Gikuyu literature: development from early Christian writings to Ngũgĩ’s later novels

Abstract

Written literature in Gikuyu is one of Africa’s most dynamic and lively literatures. There are strong and active traditions of fictional and journalistic writing in the language. There have also been publications in a wide range of additional genres including studies of history and culture, autobiographical writing, and religious publications. Engagement with issues of human rights, economic and social equality, and political freedom has been central to many works written in Gikuyu and to nearly all contemporary writing in the language. Works written in Gikuyu were frequently banned by the British colonial government and more recent works have been suppressed by the two post-independence governments of Kenya. The earliest publications in Gikuyu were Gikuyu/English (1903, 1904, 1905) and Gikuyu/Italian (1910, 1919/1921) vocabulary lists and grammatical sketches produced by Protestant and Catholic missionary presses primarily for the benefit of British and Italian missionaries in their work converting Gikuyu speakers to Christianity. These publications were produced as part of conversion and Bible translation projects, but were not made widely available. The Gikuyu/Italian materials were produced by Catholic missionaries from Italy. The New Testament of the Bible was first published in Gikuyu in 1926. The Old Testament was not published until 1951, but some books of the Old Testament were available earlier. Early missionary press publications directed at converts included religious publications such as J. M. Kelsall’s Ũhoro wa Ngoma ĩrĩa Njũru na Mũgate (1931) (Information concerning the Njũru and Mũgate Dances). The major writers in Gikuyu have all been educated in Christian schools and have been familiar with biblical language, imagery, and narratives.