Field Marshall Muthoni explains why she let Mama Ngina shave her dreadlocks
By Judy Jerono
Field Marshal Muthoni Wa Kirima has explained the reason for letting Former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta shave her dreadlocks.
Dismissing reports alleging that Mama Ngina made her shave her hair, Muthoni said that she resorted to shaving her hair to signify that Kenya had finally gained full independence.
"I had to cut it because it has been a long journey. I started keeping this hair in 1952 and after more than 70 years, I needed to get rid of them. I now feel like a young girl," Muthoni stated.
"Nobody can shave my hair without my consent. If they attempted to do so, I would have given them a proper beating," she added.
[caption id="attachment_16548" align="alignnone" width="1000"]
Collage image of Mama Ngina Kenyatta shaving Field Marshall Muthoni Wa Kirima's dreadlocks. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption]
Muthoni chose her hair to be shaved by mama Ngina on Saturday, April 2 after donning them for over 70 years, as a testimony to the fight for independence.
Muthoni’s six-foot-long dreadlocks were shaved by Mama Ngina who led the celebration, as the two recalled their youthful life, friendship and freedom fighting.
She said she chose Kenyatta’s family to cut down her dreadlocks as a way of honouring the family to bless President Uhuru Kenyatta.
She said the dreadlocks signified a lot of perseverance she underwent under the harsh colonial rule.
"Dreadlocks were the hairstyle associated with the Mau Mau while fighting in the forest as they barely had time to properly groom their hair, making it to lock," Muthoni stated.
She recounts that, unlike other women whose duties were to spy and deliver food, she was actively involved in the real fight in the forest.
She recounts that, dissimilar to other women whose duties were to spy and to deliver food, her together with other men in the forest participated in the real fight spending seven years in the forest as one of the Mau Mau fighters on the frontline in the battle for independence.
The shaving exercise was conducted after a closed-door meeting between Mama Ngina and other traditional elders at her home in Tatu estate, in Nyeri Town.
After shaving the freedom fighter’s dreadlocks, Mama Ngina stated that she was highly honoured to be the one chosen to cut them.
Collage image of Mama Ngina Kenyatta shaving Field Marshall Muthoni Wa Kirima's dreadlocks. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption]
Muthoni chose her hair to be shaved by mama Ngina on Saturday, April 2 after donning them for over 70 years, as a testimony to the fight for independence.
Muthoni’s six-foot-long dreadlocks were shaved by Mama Ngina who led the celebration, as the two recalled their youthful life, friendship and freedom fighting.
She said she chose Kenyatta’s family to cut down her dreadlocks as a way of honouring the family to bless President Uhuru Kenyatta.
She said the dreadlocks signified a lot of perseverance she underwent under the harsh colonial rule.
"Dreadlocks were the hairstyle associated with the Mau Mau while fighting in the forest as they barely had time to properly groom their hair, making it to lock," Muthoni stated.
She recounts that, unlike other women whose duties were to spy and deliver food, she was actively involved in the real fight in the forest.
She recounts that, dissimilar to other women whose duties were to spy and to deliver food, her together with other men in the forest participated in the real fight spending seven years in the forest as one of the Mau Mau fighters on the frontline in the battle for independence.
The shaving exercise was conducted after a closed-door meeting between Mama Ngina and other traditional elders at her home in Tatu estate, in Nyeri Town.
After shaving the freedom fighter’s dreadlocks, Mama Ngina stated that she was highly honoured to be the one chosen to cut them. What's Your Reaction?
