A man in Gatundu is alleged to have lost sanity this week after he pruned branches of an ancient Mugumo tree considered sacred by the Agikuyu.
The man from Mundoro location is said to have pruned branches using a power saw after he was unable to prune using an axe. He is said to have defied his 74 year old mother’s plea not to prune the tree. He sold the wood to a local saw miller.
Two of his grandchildren are also said to have been affected by the act which is considered a taboo among the Gikuyu community. The two children are said to have lost their sense of hearing.
A villager, Mr Paul Muiru said that it was confirmed that he had lost his mind when he went to him on Friday asking to see his deceased son whom they had been close friends before he died. The victim claimed they had agreed with the deceased to meet at his father’s home.
According to an Agikuyu elder from the region, Mzee Kamau Guandaru, the misfortunes must have befallen the man and his family because in Gikuyu traditions and customs, the tree is perceived to be sacred. It is associated with the community’s culture as a place where their God stays when descending from heaven to commune with his people.
Guandaru explained that the mugumo trees were sanctuaries where spiritual rituals were conducted and people brought gifts and food to the Agikuyu God- Ngai. He noted the practice may no longer exist among members of the community today, but the traditions are still alive amongst them.
Mzee Guandaru said that for this reason, any person who cuts the tree is required to plant another one on the same spot otherwise a curse befalls the whole community. A cleansing ceremony is supposed to follow this. He warned that despite the whole ritual, the culprit and his family are still likely to face the consequences which may include death.
“I want to urge the residents to refrain from cutting sacred trees as it has a lot of dangers to them and the entire community,” said Guandaru.
According to the area chief, Mr Samuel Iroji, four people have died in the past 13 years from the practice. He warned that that ignorance of traditions and cultural practices has caused a lot of problems in the area.
“Teachers and parents should educate their children on our traditions and customs to prevent incidences like this from happening,” he said.