03/11/2024
MERU(Merucans)
The word Meru means Shining Light in Kimรฎรฎrรบ language. In Kiswahili, it is Ng'aa, a Bantu word meaning "Dazzling Shine" in both Kimรฎรฎrรบ and Kiswahili languages. Ameru in Kimรฎรฎrรบ language therefore means The Shining Ones or The Children Of The Shining One. The Ameru people comprise nine sections: the Igoji, Imenti, Tigania, Mitine, Igembe, Mwimbi, Muthambi, Chuka and Tharaka. The Tharaka live in the semi-arid part of the greater Meru and they, together with the Mwimbi, Muthambi and Chuka, form the Tharaka-Nithi County. The Ameru are however unrelated to the Wameru of northern Tanzania, other than both being avid farming Bantu communities.
Languages
The Ngaa people known as Meru speak the Kimรฎรฎrรบ language.Kimรฎรฎrรบ, Kikamba, Kiembu, Kimbeere and Kikuyu share critical language characteristics. The Kimรฎรฎrรบ language is however not uniform across the Greater Meru but comprises several mutually intelligible dialects depending on the area from which the speaker originates. More importantly, each of the dialect is a reflection of previous migratory patterns, the level of intra-community interactions, and the influences of other adjacent Bantu, Nilotic and Cush*tic communities. As a whole language scholars have demonstrated that the Kimรฎรฎru language exhibits much older Bantu characteristics in grammar and phonetic forms than the other neighbouring Bantu languages.
History
The Ngaa people are of Bantu origin. Like the closely related Kikuyu, Embu and Mbeere they are concentrated in the vicinity of Mount Kenya. The exact place that the Ameru ancestors migrated from after the initial Bantu expansion from West Africa is uncertain. Some authorities suggest that they arrived in their present Mount Kenya area of in habitation from earlier settlements further to the north and east,[4] while others argue that the Meru, along with their closely related Eastern Bantu neighbors moved into what is now Kenya from points further south.
The name "Meru" refers to both the people and the region, which for many years was the only administrative unit. In 1992, the Greater Meru was divided into three administrative units: Meru Central, Nyambene, and Tharaka-Nithi (Tharaka and Meru South). After the promulgation of a new constitution in Kenya on 27 August 2010, the Greater Meru was further re-defined and now consists of the twin counties of Tharaka-Nithi and Meru.The Greater Meru covered approximately 13,000 km2 (5,000 sq mi), stretching from the Thuci river, on the border with Embu County in the south, to the border with Isiolo County in the north.Meruโs long history begins well before 1911 when the area was proclaimed a township, and even before 1908 when British officer Edward Butler Horne arrived. Though he was responsible for the townโs first permanent structure, a building of stones pasted together by mud, in 1917.
Year after year since, Meru has grown to become one of Kenyaโs most vibrant and populated towns. Here, business is booming and the landscape has both greenery as well as buildings in equal measure. In urban centre fashion, there is traffic from time to time.
To get lost in this town is almost impossible; the Amerucans are welcoming and have no problem helping you navigate your way around their town.
Beyond the billboards, landscape and traffic, every few kilometres, you are reminded that you are indeed in Meru by the presence of thick bundles in the arms of a person or stashed in a Probox. Meru is the home of Miraa, or Khat โ the main income generator in this city. Miraa is a respected commodity linked to a time of yesteryear. In the Ameru historical times, the Tigania and Igembe ancestors were known to enjoy Miraa. Back then, Miraa was such an elite stimulant that its consumption was often restricted to elders alone. Today Miraa continues to be a respected item, not only among idlers as is the common misconception, but even the middle to high class in Meru are known to partake from time to time. Whatโs more interesting is that itโs sometimes one of the items included in bride price.
Meru is known to be the distribution capital for other smaller towns in the Mount Kenya region with most major businesses located in Meru. Among the businesses here is the agri-business. Because Meru is situated in a highland area with high altitudes, most of the land has rich volcanic soils suitable for the growth of coffee. Twice a year, coffee is harvested and sold to markets within this region.
For those that havenโt been, Meru is no different from the other urban centres, with a boda boda here, a ka-local there and open air markets in different corners of the town, thereโs everything familiar about this place.
