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Cierume, the warrior dancer of Embu

The story of the fearsome Kenyan tribal leader

17-01-2023 by Leni Frau

The legend of Cierume, the warrior dancer from Embu, a forest town in the eastern foothills of Mount Kenya, continues to inspire the women of the Mbeere and Aembu tribes in the area, who are said to be tenacious and unlikely to be brought into submission by men.
Cierume was said to kill men who bothered her and tried to kidnap her with her staff used for traditional dances, and she became a powerful and fearless leader until she lost her title as chief to a conspiracy by jealous men.
Cierume came into the world in the late nineteenth century; it seems that her name was derived from the term "urume," meaning ferocity or courage. This girl truly lived up to her name. As time passed, young Cierume became a woman, and forged her character, and people were not slow to take notice. One day, there was trouble in the land of Mbeere. A band of Kamba tribesmen, under the leadership of their fearsome and ruthless chief, attacked the villages, looting and killing, striking terror into the hearts of the Mbeere and Aembu people. Even the Aembu men were helpless and defeated. The land was hopeless. The brazen Cierume decided to join the Mbeere and Aembu men to fight against the intruders. She was truly brave and deserved her name. If a woman fighting alongside her men does not surprise you, perhaps you will be surprised by her choice of weapon. As the men ran into battle wielding machetes, swords, and spears, Cierume launched herself with her staff. A dancing stick that she and other women used in their traditional dances.

It is not known for sure whether it was the sight of a woman charging into battle or the fact that this woman carried a staff that surprised the Kamba warriors by confounding them in defeat. On the right and left, Kamba tribesmen were felled by Cierume's staff. Even the fearsome leader of the Kamba warriors was not up to the task. He was shamelessly defeated. He should have known better than to fight (or dance?) with a stick-wielding woman and lose. That is how Cierume got his first battle shield, a prize for victory against the Kamba.

News of his exploits was soon the talk of the town in Mbeere. It is said that in Mbeere and Embu no woman could be compared to Cierume. Even among the Kamba, Kikuyu and Meru, only two women could be compared to her. Ciokaraine, daughter of Barungu of Meru, and a Gikuyu woman named Wangu wa Makeri. Soon after, Cierume was appointed to a leadership position. The fact that she was the only woman leader in the Mbeere council created jealousy among some men who felt she had no right to lead them.

Some men even went so far as to speak ill of her, spreading rumors and questioning her ability to lead, claiming that traditions did not allow women to hold such positions. At one point, a man insulted her, but Cierume did not respond to him with a word. Rather, she confronted and beat him mercilessly in front of her peers and was saved from her anger only by his companions.

Her fame continued to grow so that she was appointed chief of the Mbeere and Aembu people during the colonial era. She fought fearlessly for the rights of her people against the British colonialists. She is said to have addressed with anger that intolerated even the European District Commissioner when she complained about the forced enslavement of her people. Eventually, Cierume lost his title as chief to a conspiracy of jealous men. Nevertheless, his legacy lives on and his name continues to inspire the women of Mbeere and Aembu to show determination in all they do. Cierume's area of origin is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya. The mountain is a key biodiversity area, a world heritage site, national park and forest reserve. Huge trees grow in the forests on the eastern slopes. They help capture, store and release rainwater.

Mount Kenya is the highest water tower in Kenya and supports the economy through power generation and irrigation of food crops. It is critical to conserve Mount Kenya's forests so that they continue to bring us water.

(information taken from the National Museums of Kenya)

TAGS: embuguerrieraballerinedanzetradizionileggenda

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