The River Between

by

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

The Gikuyu believe Mumbi was the first woman and the mother of the Gikuyu tribe.
Get the entire The River Between LitChart as a printable PDF.
The River Between PDF

Mumbi Term Timeline in The River Between

The timeline below shows where the term Mumbi appears in The River Between. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Colonialism Theme Icon
Tradition vs. Progress Theme Icon
Unity and Division Theme Icon
Long ago, the ancestors, Gikuyu and Mumbi, blessed the ridges and the Gikuyu lands. Both Kameno and Makuyu claim to be particularly... (full context)
Chapter 5
Colonialism Theme Icon
Christianity, Tribal Customs, and Identity Theme Icon
Tradition vs. Progress Theme Icon
On the sacred hilltop, Chege tells Waiyaki of Murungu, who created Gikuyu and Mumbi as the “father and mother of our tribe.” After them came Mugo the seer, who... (full context)