The Tree houses of Mbeere

I remember growing up I loved going up the little hideouts. Tree houses are such a nice place to hang out and very ideal for spying on any intruders. But the reason why they are built is to serve as a lookout for farmers at night. Often times you will find someone climbing up the tree house, usually built on the tallest tree on their farm late in the evening. From there, they are able to see any predators and chase then away from their crop.

But as kids growing up that was not how we used tree houses. Instead we would climb up there to escape the daily chores at home and remain hidden amongst the leafy hideout. I remember we would even take up our play things and continue to play up there on the tree. A tree house is made of trunks that are laid out across the tree branches. In those days there would be a hide (goat skin) spread out to cushion one from any discomfort (as if it would).

And so of hours would pass in our little hideout and I can tell you that nothing beats taking a nap with the wind swaying the branches on a tree house. For some reason we were not allowed up the tree house as kids which made it even more appealing to us.

Back to the real use of a tree house. Come nightfall, wild animals like to come out to feed on farm crops. These include wild hare, antelopes and wild pigs. Occasionally a leopard would also pass by in search of prey. At such a time a farmer might have to use his bows and arrows to fend off any attack of the wild animal and protect his life. The farmer relies mainly on instinct and a sharp sense of hearing to know of a visit from the wild.

It was not unusual to have a snake come up the tree and curl up under the goat skin. Mainly it would go unnoticed since it did not disturb the farmer perched up on the tree house. It was rumored that a particular species of snake specially liked to curl up to sleeping humans for warmth. I never heard of anyone who got bitten by a snake while on a tree house though (perhaps the snakes knew were trespassing).

A few tree houses remain to date. However, the very idea of lounging among the branches holds so much intrigue to the younger generation who have not had the privilege of seeing a tree house let alone going up one. That is just part of the dying culture of the Ambeere not to mention the grinding stones that were used to make real healthy ready to eat/drink porridge. But that is a story for another day.

The snakes of Mbeere

If you are driving to kindaruma dam on your way from Embu, you might meet a man named Njeru. Even though he has a common name,  that is all he has in common with other folk I know. A common looking fellow, he has some tales and an interesting character to book. Here is one story he told us.

We had heard about him from relatives who live in a nearby hilly village in the countryside of Mbeere. Since this is my home place, it is not unusual to find my family and I there anytime we need a change from the fast city life of Nairobi. The stories we had heard about him were curious enough to send us there on a fact finding mission. After all it is better to get the story from the horse’s mouth anytime.

On a hot Saturday afternoon we got to the village where he works, doing chores for the villagers. A relative of ours lives there and so we were assured of good accommodation since we intended to spend the night. We had been told that in order to get the best of his stories we needed to be able to sit up late into the night.

After receiving a warm welcome and taking a trip around the locality during which we saw some big caves (and a huge snake skin to boot) we were set to meet our hero come evening. I must mention that the place is very scenic since it is surrounded by hills and the evening breeze is unmatched anywhere. Our hostess saw to it that we were well catered for giving us a taste of the hospitality of Mbeere people.

While watching the evening news we got to finally meet the man we had come all the way to see. After introductions were made, we were soon chatting like old friends. He did not waste time before he started talking about his favorite stories.  Snakes.  He informed us that he was a snake catcher in his hey days often being sent to catch and relocate the troublesome reptiles every so often.

With endless mugs of tea(my aunt out host is very generous) we listened to him tell of the many types of snakes that inhabit the hills of mbeere. One that caught our interest was one he said lived in a nearby hill and came out to hunt for prey late at night. He said it was so big that should a car run over it most certainly it would tip over. But what he said next has lingered in our minds for a long time.

The reptile usually comes out at night to feed. It’s prey are small animals like squirrels and since they are usually retired for the night it has a way of drawing them out of slumber. This it does by cheating them that daylight has come. It is said to have a precious stone in the stomach which it then vomits and the blaring glow from it makes its prey come out thinking that morning has come. And then the reptile strikes! Slowly several small animals make it for its days meal.

We were still trying to take in this information when in the stillness of the night he stopped talking. With a finger to his lips he asked us to remain silent. We craned our ears for any sound but heard nothing. All this time he sat there, listening for whatever it was he could hear. Still we heard nothing. It was a relieve for us when he resumed talking and we could all get on with the conversation. What he told us will make a story for another day. It was as mysterious as it is scary!

Eventually tired out from the tales of the horror of snakes we retired to bed at 4am in the morning. I checked and double checked under my bed for a lingering snake and having found none fell into a troubled sleep dreaming of talking snakes and dragons. I am glad that was only a dream.

No man's land!

Should you go to mbeere you will hear many amazing stories. This small society, surrounded by hills carries many tales that are as intriguing as they are unbelievable. Today I bring you one such story.

Growing up in mbeere, storytelling was an evening pass time in most homesteads. While awaiting the preparation of the evening meal, children sat around the fireplace in a detached kitchen listening to grannies retell stories that had been passed down generations. The little ones did not notice the passing of time as they sat there, listening to the old folk narrate their own encounters and of others before them. The crackling fire and the silence outside only served to add to the mystery of the tales that spewed forth from the old folk.

It is reputed that up on the hills of mbeere, just before the rains, huge fires breakout and burn up most of the vegetation. These fires have no known source and will usually burn themselves out with time. Usually they start up at night and by morning are gone out. You see folks usually clear their land just before the rains in readiness for planting of crops. Some light up small fires to clear the bush in readiness but which are confined to a small area. The hills are left for grazing of domestic animals thus no one would want to burn the vegetation there since they are no man’s land. Yet the fires do happen according to folklore.

A story is told of a man who had taken a small piece of land for himself up on a famous hill. Having worked hard all day, he had retired up his tree house (I will tell you about these another day) for the night. However, he was woken up in the middle of the night by loud voices coming from around him. Now this was a surprise since no one ventured out in the night and he had no neighbors he knew of up on the hill.

He peered in between the tree branches on which he lay but could not see any human form in the direction from which the voices came. Yet the whole place was light up in a big fire whose source he could not determine. The man was so shaken by the bizarre happenings that he could not get courage to get down from the tree to investigate. The voices went on as the whole hillside was burnt and miraculously his tree house was spared. That was warning enough for him and he left the place at daybreak never to return to his farm on the hill. Many who heard his story laughed at him for not knowing that no one could lay claim to the hills that were no man’s land for ages.

AMBEERE

This is the story of my people, the Ambeere. Numbering about 200,000 people living in the Eastern province of Kenya, our is home to the famous power generating dams such as Masinga dam, Kamburu dam, Gitaru dam, Kindaruma dam and Kiambere dam. Other local places of interest include the Mwea National Reserve, and Kiangombe mountain, the slopes of which are  now littered with the famous Miraa plant which ranks second to the Meru District.

I seek to explore the culture of a people of whom I am very proud. I will be telling famous folklore about my people here. Mbeere holds a rich culture that remains unrevealed to date and I hope to bring it to fore with my stories. This way, others will have a new view of my precious people and our way of life will be open to the world to discover.

Welcome in the journey to a people that time almost forgot, a people so resilient that no matter that they live in an area of hardship and lack have found ways to keep up with modernization and who now boast of not only a rich culture but many development projects as well. These are my people and this is our story.