Alienation in Agriculture: How the Shamba System Promotes the Degradation of Kenyan Montane Forests

Now Ngai used to go around inspecting and admiring the beautiful earth. One day He took Gikuyu on top of Kirinyaga (Mt. Kenya). It was the highest point of the mountain. He showed Gikuyu a spot in the center of the country where there were many mugumo (wild fig) trees. Gikuyu saw that the land was very beautiful. And Ngai said to Gikuyu, ‘Go. Build your homestead on that spot with mugumo trees,’ and he called the selected place where the mugumo trees grew Mukurwe wa Gathanga.” —Kikuyu creation myth Mugumo tree