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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the father teach his son about plants and roots?

2. To what or whom does an elder recite a prayer at the planting ceremony?

3. What is done to the girl's body prior to surgery?

4. How many types of spirituality are there among the Gikuyus?

5. What serves as churches for the Gikuyu?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the three types of Gikuyu spirituality?

2. What is considered the sound of Ngai's movement? What is his weapon?

3. Describe the stages of youth in the Gikuyu society.

4. What happens when a man has a hut suitable for his wife?

5. How did the Gikuyu society become democratic?

6. What is circumcision required for among Gikuyus?

7. Describe the initiation of a Gikuyu girl.

8. What happens once all the dowry animals are paid to the parents of the bride?

9. How many wives does a Gikuyu man usually have? How many husbands does a Gikuyu woman usually have?

10. Whom do the Gikuyu worship as God?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two of the following essay topics.

1) Describe hate magic and when it is used.

2) What is destructive magic considered to be by the Gikuyu people? How do they view it? What happened to people who practiced it before the Europeans came?

3) Describe how witch's poison is made. Who knows how to make it? What does it contain?

Essay Topic 2

Choose two of the following essay topics.

1) Describe why Kenyatta is so well suited to write an ethnography of the Gikuyu tribe. What are his credentials?

2) Who is Bronislav Malinowski and how did he help Kenyatta with his book?

3) Explain Kenyatta's reason for writing the book.

Essay Topic 3

Choose two of the following essay topics.

1) Describe the harvesting ceremony.

2) Describe the ceremony to chase away illness and disease.

3) Describe the communion of Gikuyus with their ancestors. What does Kenyatta compare it with in European culture?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 706 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample