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In The Beginning
The story starts off talking about how the group/religion was created. A man named "Ngai" lived alone on top of a mountain. The mountain was called "Kirinyaga". Ngai created three sons, who had sons that created three races. The Kikuyu race stayed in top of the Kirinyaga mountain. -
The "White Man"
The Kikuyu stayed on the mountain until the, as they called it, "white man" came to take their lands. Even when the "white man" left, the Kikuyu never returned. They stayed in the cities. They stayed "wearing Western clothes and using Western machines and living Western lives." They never returned to the mountain, and ended up calling it Mount Kenya. -
Created A New World
They created a new Eutopian world of Kirinyaga. In this new world they honor Ngai. They honor him with sacrifices and slaughtering of certain animals. They live out the Kirinyaga traditions. The Maintenance, for the most part, does not bother them. -
Koriba Kills An Infant
Koriba, the mundumugu, says the Maintenance stays their distance from interfering with Kirinyaga. This is until Koriba kills a baby. An hour later, the paramount chief tells Koriba that was a bad decision. But Koriba tells him not to worry because it was part of their religion and the Maintenance can't get involved. -
Maintenance Lady
Koriba comes into contact with a lady from Maintenance. Her name is Barbara Eaton. She asks him questions about the baby killing. He tells her that according to their tradition, they must kill any baby born feet first, for the baby is cursed. She tells him that the Maintenance most likely won't be happy, but he does not care because it is their tradition. -
Koriba Marries Two People
After talking to the lady, he goes to marry two people. Their names are Njogu, a young man, and Kamiri, a girl from the neighboring village. Koriba slit the throat of a fat ram that the girls father brought to him for the ceremony. They said their lines. Then they drank their "pombe" and the people cheered for them. -
Group Meeting
Koriba receives a message from Barbara Eaton regarding the Maintenance. The message says they are in violation of the Kirinyaga's charter. Koriba attends the Council of Elders. There, people start to freak out and think maybe they should just give into the Maintenance, but Koriba says no. They will fight for their rights. -
Creates Warriors
After the meeting, Koriba talks to a young man named Ndemi. He is very strong and not afraid of anything. Koriba decides he is perfect to train to become a warrior to protect their traditions. He tells Ndemi to find ten friends, all young. He tells him to come to a pond in the south of a forest, and to come after sunset. They all must not tell anyone about this. The story ends with him thinking about how these kids are their future, and they are about to enter a season of "Uhuru."