The traditional house is circular in shape to reflect harmony with nature and the cyclical nature of life. The entrance faces north-east, towards Mount Kenya, as a sign of respect for Ngai. Inside, there is an area for cooking, one for sleeping, one for storing seeds and ritual objects, and another for livestock. The central hearth represents the heart of the family.
The nyumba is not just a living space: it is a symbol of identity, motherhood and the continuity of the clan. Within the family complex (nza), each wife had her own nyumba, while the husband resided in the thingira, a separate house reserved for men.
The nyumba is a space for caregiving, but also for female authority, where women express their central role in the transmission of oral knowledge: it is there that mothers teach their daughters songs, proverbs, agricultural techniques and rituals.
