A Life Superbly Lived.

On September 12, 2021, in the divine hour, my grandmother passed on at the age of 87 years.

Before you go, “Awh! My God! I am so sorry for your loss,” followed by, “My condolences,” which is the only way everybody reacts to such news. Kindly read this full letter of;

The Celebration of the life of Immaculate Wangui Wamaĩ. A loving, caring, driven, hardworking, passionate woman who lived a full life. A woman who is happy in heaven and with no regrets on earth. A woman who would want you not to mourn her passing but to forever remember her life with love, joy and peace. A woman who would want her 87 years on this earth to be remembered as life lessons for her children and her children’s children, children’s children’s children and forever in the Wamaĩ family.

My grandmother whom I shall reference to as Cūcū from here on out was a jewel. She was born in 1934 at a time when the Mzungu controlled the country. She was born in a typical kikuyu family in the village. She spoke of how she loved her Cūcū. She followed her every where she went as a child. Most of her childhood time she spent with her Cūcū, learning, laughing and enjoy life in it’s simplicity. She went to school till standard three and then joined her mother in the full time duties of the kikuyu woman.

In her own word, she told on different occasions of how they cooked mūkimo and gĩtheri, placed in the gĩtarāru in the ĩkūbĩ. She talked of how there were no watches and to tell time, she learned to observe the sky. She told stories of how in those days there were no roads and they had to pass through people’s farms to get to the Nairobi-Nyeri main road. Or, go through the farms to get to the hospital and or the chief’s camps. And she especially remembered her youth and the dances she attended. How she danced, laughed and loved. She remembered the Mau-Mau fight against the Mzungu. How the fighters would come through the villages, how young men joined in the fight and how the women would take food and information to the Mau-Mau fighters in the forests.

Cūcū had a traditional marriage to a young man. The man and his clan came to visit Cūcū and her family. The then brought cows to affirm their commitment to Cūcū as they asked for time to build the matrimony home. Cūcū bore two children for him but this matrimonial home, Cūcū never entered. The young man worked in Karatina town. One day, he met with Nguthĩiru, Cūcū’s uncle. The young man invited uncle to his home for a cup of tea. Upon arriving there, uncle found a young woman who lived with the man. He returned home and told Cūcū. She said, “Niĩ Huini ndarĩre. Ndarĩre mūno.” She carried her nursing daughter and went to Karatina. Cūcū traced her step to the house. There was a child in the house. She asked, “Mwene ekū?” The child told her she left for the market. Cūcū sat down and waited. The young lady came. No verbal words were exchanged between them. The lady got into the house and did her house duties. Night came, and the young man came. They ate. The man borrowed a matress from a neighbour and they slept. In the middle of the night the baby began to cry none stop. Cūcū and the young man went to the hospital. Nothing was wrong with the baby. “Nii Huini, diarĩ na iria.” In the morning as the man left for work, Cūcū left as well. He took her to the matatu stage. With all her heart she released herself, “Kuma umuthĩĩ, dukanere arata akū atĩ ndĩ mūtumia wakū. Ngo’mbe ciracokio kwanyū ūmothĩ.”

With two young beautiful children, she raised them and continued to focus on her life. Cūcū was always a hard-working woman and mother. As she worked in one particular residence, her life changed. A man who also had a failed marriage took interest in her. A few more years… Dr. Wamaĩ had seven children. Their marriage was filled with love and respect. Guka treated many people. Guka delivered his children to this life. Guka was a visionary. He shared his dreams and plans with Cūcū. In today’s psychologically progressed era, Guka would be an ENFP and Cūcū would be considered an ENFJ personality. In short, it was a match made in heaven and earth. Their life together was cut short. Guka passed on in a mining accident. She recalled once, “ Mang'otore maria Waithiegeni acukire namo auma duka na kumagaria gukagwo Waihuini, Mang'otore macio nimo ndambĩrĩrie namo kurera ciana ciakwa.”

Cūcū’s hardworking abilities and wisdom was put to the test the following 30 years of her life. “Wanguku arĩ na miaka ĩri rirĩa Gukagwō atutigire”. Cūcū tilled her land and produced food from; maize, beans, potatoes, bananas, sweet potatoes, arrow roots, greens, among other foods. Cūcū’s main economic activity was her coffee trees. She took care of the coffee trees to maturity, picked the berries, selected the ripe berries from the green and the dried berries, and carried with her children to the factory. At the time, the coffee market was more favorable. Cūcū also had cows, goats and sheep. She planted thara for the cows and looked for mahuti for the goats and sheep. The cows produced plenty of milk which she used for tea and meals for her family. The excess milk she sold to the dairy factories and her neighbors who had no cows.

In many occasions she recalled how she would wake up very early in the morning, milk her cows and gave them thara. Then she would make tea for the family. Wake her children up and prepare them for school. She would then take the milk to the selling point at Mahigainĩ which was about a three kilometer walk and back. She would attend to her house chores first such as washing utensils and tiding the house before she left for the farm. She spend a majority of her day in the farm. This farm that we are in today. She would divide where to plant what in the planting season using mainly the rotation method. She would plan out how the weeding would be done and from which corner to which corner of the farm. She would carry her last born, tie him to a near by banana tree as she worked when he had not yet joined school. At lunch time, she would back back to the house, eat and prepare what she would cook for supper. After which she would go back to the farm till her children came from school. Her evenings were also spent at mūtaro planting, watering and weeding, spinach, kales, cabbages, and arrow roots.

Cūcū was a wise woman. She joined many groups and associations. Here at her home church Gatiko Catholic Church she was in the choir and the small Christian community. She served as their secretary as well. She loved Jesus. She loved praying the rosary. She also was in the women groups in the are, as well as matūra matatū and matūra mana. Apart from these groups, she joined associations where they would contribute money and buy pieces of land. Cūcū never shy from risk, bought land using these groups in different places. She knew the value of the coin and the importance of being a land owner.

Cūcū’s children grew up under love and discipline. She taught them the power of hardwork. She provided everything they needed and an education. Everyone of her children went to nursey school, primary school, secondary and or high school and to a college and or university. She knew the value and importance of education in their lives and she strived to educate them to her best ability. She once gave a story of her son who went to Nyeri Technical High School for form five and six. Another story of another uncle attending Egerton University. Auntie attending Nyeri Secretariat. She was proud of all her children achievements. Cūcū loved reminiscing of how she would walk long distances to various schools and colleges to get her children applications and enrollments. Bringing up her children was her greatest joy.

Cūcū was a highly blessed woman. She was blessed with grandchildren early on and just as she brought up her children, she helped her children bring up their children. She understood that during times had changed. People no longer stayed home and tilled the land but went into offices and worked there. As a result their children had to be looked after by house helps. So, when her grandchildren were around, she was happy because she could teach them. She could pass on her knowledge. This she did very well to anyone who was open to learning. She feed the us when we were babies, changed our nappies, and has nurtured her us through illness and brought them back to health. All school holiday were spent on this farm. Cūcū taught us to milk cows and goats, plant, and weed plants, harvest and store food among other various teachings. We cleaned sufurias with mūhu, we treated our burns and cuts with mūkindūri, we learned to pick, select and take coffee to the factory. We took milk to Mahigainĩ for selling. We planted arrow roots and watered the greens at the mutaro every morning and evening.

More joy befell Cūcū as she say and blessed the children of her children’s children. She had 10 great grandchildren The fourth generation from her. The children that called her “Maitū.”

Cūcū grew older and what seemed to be fulfilling work became harder to do. She was always the server and now, she became the served. Her children employed murutii wa wĩra to take on all her farm duties. She did not like the idea at first, but she understood it. She accepted her predicament, yes, but she knew no one would look after the land like she once did. This was also true. Only two or three arutii a wĩra ever did a great job. She never gave up. She embarked on teaching them just as she had been taught, she taught her children, taught her children’s children and taught other people as well. She still went to the farm, trust, once a farmer, always a farmer. She reserved herself to doing less tiring activities such as planting during the season and selecting the coffee berries that was picked from the farm.

With time Cūcū’s body developed some complications. She took blood pressure medicine for years. She had heart burn and took medicine for that on several occasions. From what she told me, she had several surgeries. Her eyes had surgery to remove cataracts. She had an elective surgery on her reproductive system. She had serious back pain for a long time. It got to a point of bending forward as she walked and having the aid of a back belt. Cūcū also had a walking stick. Both he medical one and the original walking stick. Her illnesses never got her down. She laughed, cried and ached but was happy. It was part of life.

Cūcū loved when her family came to visit. In the morning, she would have breakfast right outside the house with the warmth of the morning sun blessing her face and feet. She would have lunch next to Uncle's house. She liked this spot as she used to say, “Nyūmba ya mwana wakwa ni ĩrigagĩria rūhuho.” And supper on her seat, taking with the visitors. There is a sofa seat in the house next to the fire place. We called it gĩtĩ gĩa Cūcū because never sat in any other seat longer than 10 minutes. She loved conversing with someone about their lives. She loved to be consulted about love, relationships, money, agriculture, and politics. Midnight would come and pass as the conversation followed. Recently, she spent most of her evenings with Waithiegeni. They would talk and or watch Inooro Tv which the fire burnt at the fire place warming the house.

The fire at the fireplace was symbolic to Cūcū. Most nights she would watch the fire burning, listen to the wood breaking and be quiet. She was a thinker. She was a deep thinker. Sure, she had a lot to think about. Even with the Tv on and or a few people in the house, she still would have moments of observing the fire. From her we all became and we will continue to produce. Ironically, Cūcū rarely asked for the fire to be lit. But once it was lit, burning, she looked at it. On this seat, she dozed off and waited for her family to finish their activities an they would all go to sleep. Rarely did she go to sleep early and leave the rest behind. With time she extended her sleep in the morning and her new normal was waking up at 10am or 11 am. Her sleep patterns did changed partly because she was older and needed the rest but also she thinking. “Maita maingĩ ndĩkoragūo toro… ng'oraguo ngĩciiria,” an answer that, yes, surprised me but I understood.

Cūcū was an extrovert. She gave us advice all the time, mostly unsolicited and on everything. It was the same advice, different ears. If you listened, you learned. The first time she gave you advice, it may have had little to no impact. However, years go by and when you hear the advice more times; you get the lessons embedded in them. She knew the value of repetition and every time she say you, you knew, these conversations would follow;

Cūcū cared. She cared a lot. “Huini wĩ handū?” is how she started the conversation. If you said yes, she would want to know what you do, where, how and with no. She listened. She was happy you had a source to provide for yourself. If you said no, “Wĩkaga atia? Wathomeire kii?” and the ever loving statement, “Aria na mamaguo aguethere wira!” Cūcū wanted everyone of her offspring’s offspring to be okay. “Huini wanyita kanyamū, dugatūmiri ūru. Dugaikari nyūmba ya goro kana wende maundū ma thii ĩno mūno. Ririkana maitūgwo. Mūikagirie kindū. Iga kawĩra na ūgūre migūnda.” These words she echoed to her grandchildren.

Love, relationships, christianity advice just like money was given. “Huini, nimwaragia na ithe wa Christian?” Initially the answers were, “Eh, nitwaragia” and the advice followed on how to keep a successful marriage. After some years the answer became, “Aca, tutiaragia” and the advice in terms of her love life followed. The story verbatim from her love life experience. Learn to let go of situations, circumstances and people that have proven not worth any of your time and or investment. Move on and never look back.

Two weeks ago, at 87-year-old Cūcū got diagnosed with an Aorta Dissection. This is a tear on the aorta artery, the blood vessel that takes oxygenated blood from the heart to the body. The medical solutions were either medicine, surgery and or both. The safest medical journey was to start on the medicine. The medicine worked and the dissection was clearing on its own.

On September 12, 2021, in the divine hour, Cūcū went to be with God, Jesus and Guka. Immaculate Wangui Wamaĩ, a life well lived.