Meru language
Encyclopedia
Meru is the language spoken by the Meru people (Ameru) who live on the Eastern and Northern slopes of Mount Kenya
, Kenya
, Africa
and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration
from the north.
This exodus
was accomplished by parting the Red Sea
using a rod given to the leader by God
. They crossed the sea in groups which later gave rise to different clan
s that are present today among the Meru people.
There have been several studies by scholars and historians to try to establish the location of this island with some suggesting that it could be Lamu
on the Indian Ocean or the ancient Meroe
civilization on the river Nile which sometimes is referred to as an island. Even more intriguing is the fact that no one knows where the people of ancient Meroe are today, and the linguistic resemblance in the name 'Meru' and 'Meroe' of these people. However no conclusive research has established the exact location of Mboa to this date and it still remains a mystery. By 2009 it has 12 districts.
The Meru language is similar to its surrounding neighbors, the Kikuyu and Embu
could have possibly adopted parts of Meru.
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and on the Nyambene ranges. They settled in this area after centuries of migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
from the north.
Tradition
Meru people are said to have originated on an island called Mboa where they were held captive by the red people or nguuntune (red-clothed). Their masters were cruel to them and a plan of escape was made.This exodus
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
was accomplished by parting the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
using a rod given to the leader by God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. They crossed the sea in groups which later gave rise to different clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
s that are present today among the Meru people.
There have been several studies by scholars and historians to try to establish the location of this island with some suggesting that it could be Lamu
Lamu
-Threats to Lamu:In a 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund identified Lamu as one of 12 worldwide sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and damage, citing insufficient management and development pressure as primary causes.- See also :* Juma and the Magic...
on the Indian Ocean or the ancient Meroe
Meroë
Meroë Meroitic: Medewi or Bedewi; Arabic: and Meruwi) is an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile about 6 km north-east of the Kabushiya station near Shendi, Sudan, approximately 200 km north-east of Khartoum. Near the site are a group of villages called Bagrawiyah...
civilization on the river Nile which sometimes is referred to as an island. Even more intriguing is the fact that no one knows where the people of ancient Meroe are today, and the linguistic resemblance in the name 'Meru' and 'Meroe' of these people. However no conclusive research has established the exact location of Mboa to this date and it still remains a mystery. By 2009 it has 12 districts.
Meru language
The Meru people are a fairly homogeneous community but all share a common ancestry. They speak the same language, Kimeru, but there are some slight regional differences, in accent and local words. The community comprises the following sub-divisions; from the north to south:- Igembe
- Tigania (Tiania)- (whose language and cultureCultureCulture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
are closely related to the Cushitic and NiloticNiloticNilotic people or Nilotes, in its contemporary usage, refers to some ethnic groups mainly in South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and northern Tanzania, who speak Nilotic languages, a large sub-group of the Nilo-Saharan languages...
neighbouring communities) - Imenti
- Tharaka
- Igoji
- Mwimbi
- Muthambi
- Chuka
The Meru language is similar to its surrounding neighbors, the Kikuyu and Embu
Embu language
Kîembu is a Bantu language of Kenya and spoken by the Aembu or Embu people. ISO 639-3 code is ebu....
could have possibly adopted parts of Meru.