87Welcome to my HubPages profile, where I delve into the captivating world of the Kikuyu people, their rich culture, and their potential historical connections to Ancient Egypt. My passion for ancient civilizations, particularly Egypt's 18th Dynasty, fuels my comparative studies, offering unique insights into the Kikuyu's origins and traditions.
Kikuyu Language and Culture: A Journey Through Time
My most popular hub, 'Learn the Kikuyu Language: Vocabulary and Conversation Practice,' highlights the enduring interest in preserving this vital language. I believe that by understanding the Kikuyu language, we unlock valuable historical records that have survived for millennia. My comparative pieces, such as 'Akhenaten and the Kikuyu People of Kenya' and 'Secrets of an Ancient Migration from Egypt to Mount Kenya,' explore these connections, drawing parallels between ancient Egyptian culture and Kikuyu traditions. 'Akhenaten’s Grandmother and the Kikuyu' continues this exploration, focusing on potential ancestral links.
Beyond Egypt: Diverse Interests and Expertise
While Akhenaten and the Kikuyu hold a special place in my writing, I also explore a range of other subjects. As a lifelong aquarist, I share practical tips on aquarium setup and maintenance in 'Glass Fish Tank: How to Make Your Own Aquarium.' My experience in this field spans two decades, providing valuable insights for both beginners and seasoned enthusiasts.
Children's and Young Adult Fiction: Stories That Captivate
I am a published author of numerous children's and young adult fiction books, including the Jomo Kenyatta Prize-winning 'The Salem Mystery' and the Impac Dublin Literary Award-nominated 'The Red Coat.' My works, such as 'Safari ya Kombamwiko' and 'The Ole Sepei Mystery,' are available both in English and Kiswahili, catering to diverse audiences. My latest titles, including 'The Taveta Border Post' and 'Shadows in the Savanna,' are available on Amazon/KDP.
Art and Taxidermy: A Creative Exploration
As an accomplished artist, I work with acrylic and oil paints, as well as clay and fiberglass for sculpting. I have illustrated numerous books for Nairobi publishers and continue to illustrate my own work. My recent foray into taxidermy, showcased in my hub on creating a fiberglass Dodo bird, demonstrates my diverse creative pursuits.
Connect with Me:
Follow my HubPages for engaging content on Kikuyu culture, ancient history, language studies, aquarium keeping, and more.
Facebook: facebook@emmanuelkariuki.writer Twitter: @KariukiEmmanuel savannasitestudio.online
Below is a list of some of my published books.
A. Children’s fiction
1. Safari ya Kombamwiko (Kiswahili) – ISBN: 966 47 225 8 (A village cockroach that is lured by a friend to travel into town and live in a housed where there is a lot of food. These migrants face insecticides, war from resident roaches and hungry chicken.)
2. Kombamwiko na Hoteli ya Nyota Tano (Kiswahili) – ISBN: 966 47 256 8 (The same cockroach is this time lured by friend to try his luck in a five-star hotel. A very perilous journey)
3. Nigiri Mganga (Kiswahili) – ISBN: 966 47 236 3 (Warthog is the doctor in the animal kingdom. He falls asleep and when he wakes up, his two baskets of herbs have been stolen. This is where the investigation to catch the culprit begins)
4. Miraba and Proud Vuno – ISBN: 966 47 040 9 (Miraba the Zebra falls sick. Warthog recommends that Zebra should eat first, and drink first before the other animals contaminate the grass and water. But proud Vuno the Elephant thinks she is too cute and important to obey the doctor. Vuno eats first and drinks first, as Zebra’s illness gets worse. But Black and, small as he is has a trick to reign in the elephant.)
5. Kombamwiko's Adventure – ISBN: 966 47 035 2 (A village cockroach that is lured by a friend to travel into town and live in a housed where there is a lot of food. These migrants face insecticides, war from resident roaches and hungry chicken.)
6. The Savanna Laughing stock – ISBN: 966 01 110 2 (The hyena’s son marries the Leopards daughter out of love. But what follows lead to permanent enmity with parents on both sides sighing a sigh of relief. This is humour for children at its best.)
7. Python the Investigator – ISBN: 966 01 105 6 (Elephant falls asleep, when he wakes up one tusk is missing. The second tusk soon goes missing. Only Python the investigator and his assistant ‘snaillike the slimy sleuth’ can solve this mystery.)
8. . Kolo the Soothsayer – ISBN: 966 01 117 X (Kolo the colobus monkey discovers that animal believe him when he says that he knows what will happen before it happens. He starts to profit by charging the animals fees to know the future. Payment is with bananas which the animals go to great length to steal from humans. But old Totu the wise tortoise smells a rat and alerts the animals. Kolo is banished from the Savanna forever)
9. Eating is Hard Work – ISBN: 966 01 116 1 (The wildebeest migration is here. Some animals like crocodiles have easy meals but for others, including the wildebeests, eating is hard work)
10. The Taveta Border Post - Amazon/KDP (A man and his niece and nephew cross the Taveta border post. But an alert had been issued about two lost children who fit the description of the niece and nephew. It takes a while before the mistake is discovered and our friends are aloud to continue with their journey)
11.Who is Bullying Who? - Amazon/KDP (This is a story of bullies who hide in plain sight, making the bullied be mistaken for bullies when they retaliate. It a story about migrants and xenophobia.)
12.The Lamu Donkey Race - Amazon/KDP (This is another story about migrants and high-handed government officials who deny a migrant the right to participate in the donkey race, even though he has lived in Kenya long enough to earn automatic citizenship. His employer helps him to get the necessary papers and to participate in the donkey race and actually emerge as the winner.
13.Shadows in the Savanna - Amazon/KDP (animals have been disappearing in the Savanna. It turns out that some animals are colluding with the hairless apes (humans) to lure animals, make them lose their minds and become easy prey for poaching. But, trust Python the investigator to find out and save the savanna population.)
B. Young Adult’s Fiction
1. The Salem Mystery - ISBN: 966 25 025 5 (Winner of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, adolescent category, 2003, selected as a reader by Rwanda’s Ministry of Education)
2. The Red Coat - ISBN: 978 966 25 535 4 (Was nominated for the Impac Dublin Literary award – 2010)
3. The Ole Sepei Mystery - ISBN: 978 966 25 593 8 (Computers are stolen, and the watchman is injured, then murdered. Eva, on of the school girls start to investigate, is expelled from school, captured by the thugs but escapes to solve the case, but not before she suffers a gunshot injury.)
4. The Trail of Mercy (A children’s home turns to be a child trafficking trade. Two young adults suspect something is amiss, and at great peril to themselves get the culprits arrested and the children save.)
5. Mahari na Mali – Swahili (Mahuki thinks he can get rich by selling one plot of land to many people. That fails. Then he thinks he can get rich by collecting the dowry that was due to his father who passed on. That too fails and he is forced to think of legitimate business – Humour and adventure rolled into one)
6. The Guardian Angels
7. Nyumba ya Maithori - Picture novel in Kikuyu language (translated from the original English manuscript into six African languages, including Shona, Swahili and Luganda with funding from UNESCO). This is a picture book – an abridged version of ‘The Trail of Mercy’
8. Mombasa: Enchanting City on the Kenyan Coast – Amazon/KDP (This is a travelogue about a visit to Mombasa using the Madaraka Express train from Nairobi and back.)