According to Desmond Tutu: “When the missionaries first came to Africa, they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, “Let us pray.” We closed our eyes. when we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land!” Was he right?
I don’t know where to start with this one. Normally i usually have a clue of what i actually want to say. With this shit, i dunno. It is strange and weird to question what i have always known. It is weird to think along those lines and i feel like i am wrong. Yet I can’t stop.
Religion; Opium of masses…. What we turn to. Where we go. Every human got this innate desire to look for a supreme power. For me, it has been Christ and God. I have never questioned that until when i was in my teens. My mum said something about wishing we always followed the old ways. She is a good Christian. When i questioned her, she said she only believed in Christ because he shed blood.
‘Blood has always been powerful. When our fathers wanted rains, they shed blood. When they sought out forgiveness, they shed blood. When they were breaking curses, they shed blood. So there is definite power in the blood. Those people born naturally with destructive powers for something they admire, they wre cheated into looking at blood and they lost that power for a while. Then it was repeated until they would learn to control it. Blood is really powerful.’
‘Why would you doubt the religion then?’ I ask.
She looks at me at shakes her head.
‘They came with the Bible. When we were busy learning about their religion, they took our land. They tortured our people.. They raped, they mutilated, they oppressed.. There is nothing they did not do. They turned us against each other. Yet, their religion is supposed to be about love.” This i hear from one of my friends who is in pursuit of our traditional ways.
I open my whatsapp messenger and am met by a song that is played currently but was composed by the freedom fighters as a prayer.. It is so close to our day in day out prayers, yet those who fought hadn’t embraced the religion..
As i look into it, one of my other friends sends me verses from the Bible that encourage slavery. I am going crazy trying to explain, just like my mum, I believe in the power of the blood. But, I can’t help question everything..
Well, here is the song in my local language, i will try my best to translate it and would love to hear any comments or thoughts..
Ngai Mwega we mûtangîri wa ita {Good God who minds the army]
Mwamûkîri magongona ma andû airû [Who accepts black people’s sacrifices]
Ngai ûrî mbere tûtingîhotwo nî thûû [God if you are before us, our enemies can defeat us]
Mwene Nyaga;Twakûhoya [owner of the dazzling light, we pray unto you]
Tûhoyaga wendani na gîtîo [We pray for love and respect]
Na thaa nyingî cia wendo wa rûûrîrî [Lots of mercy for the love of the tribe]
ûiguano wa Gîkûyû na Mûmbi [For good relations between Gikuyu and Mumbi]
Mwene Nyaga;Twakûhoya [Owner of Dazzling Light we pray unto you]
Twakûhoya tûkonana twî ithuothe [ We pray that we shall all see each other]
Kuuma Ngong’u nginya karîma tûra [ From Ngong’ to Tura mountains]
Hîndî îyo kîeha nîgîgathira [Then our sadness will end]
Njamba cia ita,na aciari aitû [Army warriors, and our parents]
Î kamatimù mûrûagîra ûkombo [Kamatimu fights slavery]
Njamba cia ita ikîrûîra bûrûri [Amy warriors fighting for the country]
Twatigîirwo nî Gîkûyû na Mûmbi [Left to us by Gikuyu and Mumbi]
Mwene Nyaga, Twakûhoya [Owner of Dazzling Light we pray unto you]
Ngai Mwega we mûtangîri wa ita
Mwamûkîri magongona ma andû airû
Ngai ûrî mbere tûtingîhotwo nî thûû
Mwene Nyaga;Twakûhoya
Tûhoyaga wendani na gîtîo
Na thaa nyingî cia wendo wa rûûrîrî
ûiguano wa Gîkûyû na Mûmbi
Mwene Nyaga;Twakûhoya
Î we Ngai, î we Ngai [Oh God, Oh God]
Ngai wa maithe maitû Nowe Ngai, [ God of our forefathers you the only God]
Nîwe Ngai ;Mwene Nyaga Ngai ,nowe Ngai [You are God, Owner of Dazzling light, the only God]
We no we Ngai [You are the only God]
We watoranîirie njamba cia ita [You won battles for the army warriors]
As I look at this prayer which makes more sense untranslated, i can’t help wonder what would have happened if they did not come all this way to teach us their ways?
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