We gained freedom—but forgot who was meant to teach us how to use it.
The village we live in today is a far cry from the Gitithia we grew up in. The transformation is stark, and the essence of what once was a tightly-knit, orderly community seems to have faded into the shadows of modernization. The old Gitithia was a place where tradition reigned, where everyone knew their role and responsibility, and where the community worked as a cohesive unit to solve its problems.
In those days, it was almost unheard of to see young people smoking cigars, or engaging in the dangerous habits of chewing miraa and muguka or smoking bhang. The very idea of youth indulging in such activities would have been shocking to the villagers. Back then, only the elderly men, weathered by years of hard work and wisdom, would partake in home-brewed beer, muratina. The introduction of bars at Gitithia did little to change this custom initially. Bars were not places for the young; they were the evening meeting joints of the older generation, who gathered after a long day’s labor to share stories and enjoy a drink in each other’s company.
Back then, there was no such thing as a children’s office, yet children were well cared of. The elders of the village had a unique way of ensuring that men took responsibility for their actions. It was common practice for older women to escort young girls, who had been impregnated out of wedlock, to the homes of the men responsible. These early morning visitations were a powerful statement of accountability, and they left men with no choice but to step up and take responsibility for their actions. Such traditions ensured that the moral fabric of Gitithia remained intact, and men learned to be responsible from a young age.
Another defining aspect of the old Gitithia was the way children were raised. There was no such thing as free food for those who did not work. Children ate where they spent their day, meaning that they had to contribute to the household or the community in some way to earn their meal. This instilled a strong work ethic in the youth, as parents allocated tasks to their children from a young age. Whether it was herding cattle, fetching water, or helping in the fields, every child had a role to play in the daily life of the village. Today, such practices would be dismissed as child labor, but back then, it was simply the way things were, and it prepared children for the responsibilities of adulthood.
However, as time passed, the village began to change. The strictness that once defined Gitithia began to wane, and with it, the values and traditions that had kept the community together started to erode. The villagers became more lenient, and that was when everything began to face South in our beloved village. Children who had once been industrious and focused on their tasks became aware of the freedoms of loitering. The discipline that had been ingrained in them from a young age started to fade, replaced by a carefree attitude that prioritized leisure over hard work.
Beer, once a drink reserved for the old men in the evening, began to find its way into the hands of the younger generation. It was no longer something to be enjoyed after a day’s work; it became morning tea, consumed at any hour of the day. The respect for the traditional roles of the elders and the youth began to blur, and with it, the lines of responsibility started to fade.
Parents, who once expected their children to work for their meals, began to offer free food without expecting anything in return. The parents became the beast of burden, feeding even grown-ups. The idea of accountability, which had been so deeply ingrained in the old Gitithia, became a thing of the past. Mahu magítiga gûthínjanagwo. No longer did women accompany young girls to the homes of the men who had impregnated them or ask them whose pregnancy it was. The tradition of ensuring that men took responsibility for their actions was lost, and with it, the sense of honour and duty that had once defined the men of Gitithia.
Marriage, once a sacred institution that was highly valued, began to lose its significance. The traditions and customs that had surrounded marriage, making it a cornerstone of the community, were devalued. The old ways of courtship, where a man would work hard to prove himself worthy of a bride, were replaced by casual relationships that lacked the depth and commitment of the past.
Now, Gitithia is home to a new generation—a civilized generation, or so they call themselves. But this civilization has come at a cost. It is a generation without marriages, where the institution of marriage is seen as an outdated concept. Elders, who once set examples for the youth, now sit side by side with their grandchildren, drinking beer in the morning, a far cry from the days when such behavior would have been unthinkable.
The new generation doesn’t want tiresome jobs. They seek quick fixes, easy money, and a life of comfort without the hard work that defined their ancestors. Education, once seen as a pathway to a better future, is now disregarded by many. The value placed on learning and self-improvement has diminished, replaced by a desire for immediate gratification. Gambling has taken over.
The old Gitithia may have been strict, but it was a place where values were upheld, where every member of the community played a role in maintaining the social order. The discipline instilled in the youth ensured that they grew up to be responsible adults who contributed to the well-being of the village. The traditions that once defined Gitithia may seem harsh by today’s standards, but they were effective in creating a strong, cohesive community.
In contrast, the Gitithia of today, while more lenient and modern, is a village struggling to maintain its identity. The loosening of traditional values has led to a generation that is adrift, with little respect for the customs that once held the community together. The transformation of Gitithia is a reflection of the broader changes happening in society, where the push for modernization and individual freedom often comes at the expense of communal responsibility and tradition.
As we look back on the Gitithia of our childhood, we cannot help but feel a sense of loss. The village we grew up in was not perfect, but it was a place where everyone knew their place and their role in the community. It was a place where tradition guided daily life, where elders were respected, and where the youth were taught the value of hard work and responsibility.
The Gitithia of today is different, and while progress and change are inevitable, we must ask ourselves: at what cost? The new generation may have more freedoms, but they also have more challenges. They may have more opportunities, but they also face more temptations. The challenge for Gitithia, and for all of us, is to find a way to balance the old with the new, to hold on to the values that have served us well while embracing the changes that can make our lives better. The future of Gitithia depends on this balance, on the ability of the new generation to learn from the past while forging their own path forward.
