Embu Creation Myth Springing from the Historic Gogo Salt Lick 

Land is an asset among many Kenyan communities. It is held in high regard, not just for its economic value but also for its pivotal position in asserting a people’s belonging in a place. It is for this reason that the Embu people believe they have been residents of Embu County since the beginning of time. This belief is firmly asserted in their origin story whose grandstand is set on a fertile land trickling with salty water springs. 

The First Man 

According to the Embu, Ngai (God) is the creator of the universe and everything in it. So, in the beginning, He created a man called Mwenendega and placed him in a land where springs of salty, mineral water bubble from the ground, and a river called Gogo flows over rocks to become a stunning waterfall.  

One day, as Mwenendega took his cattle to drink at the Gogo River Salt Lick, he saw a gorgeous woman bathing by the river’s waterfall and was enchanted by her beauty. Unfortunately, she disappeared before Mwenendega could find out who she was. The next day, as Mwenendega grazed his cattle by the riverside, the girl was bathing again. This time, Mwenendega crept up on her. He left his cattle unattended and silently tip toed as he hid in bushes before startling her to a standstill. 

First Marriage 

When Mwenendega inquired about her name and her people, he was surprised to find that she had no name. Furthermore, the woman forbade him from asking about her people. Mwenendega took this as a sign that she was sent by God and asked her to be his wife. Reluctant at first, the lady gave in to Mwenendega’s charm and persistence, and she was named Ciurunji or Nthara after the waterfall – present-day Mbui Njeru Waterfall – at the river where they first met. 

Their union was blessed with abundant wealth and children, whom they raised in a small grove – known today as Mwenendega Grove.  

Unfortunately, Mwenendega’s and Ciurunji’s first children, Kembu and Werimba, engaged in an incestuous relationship which angered their father, who sent them away from their home. The two finally settled at Karungu, the eastern side of present-day Embu township where they bore more children. Mwenendega’s and Ciurunji’s other daughters, together with Kembu’s and Werimba’s children, intermarried, resulting in many descendants and were then referred to as Embu – children of Kembu. 

Land: A Sacrosanct Piece 

In all the regions of the county where they live in, the children of Kembu treasure their land. They gravitate towards arable, well-watered lands where their livestock and farming thrive year in year out. The Gogo Salt Lick and Mwenendega Grove remain central aspects of their being, and they retrace their steps occasionally to these sacred spots to remind themselves of their origin. 

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