Media personality Julie Gichuru holds up Agikuyu culture as son hits new stage in life

Media personality Julie Gichuru recently took to Instagram to share her joy as her eldest son reached a significant milestone in his life – the Ithemba ceremony, an Agikuyu cultural celebration marking the homecoming of young men from their initiation.

In her post, Julie explained the significance of the Ithemba ceremony, shedding light on the cultural practices and traditions involved.

She described how the riika, a group of boys undergoing initiation, separate from their families to embark on a journey into manhood, where they explore their histories, support each other, and build lifelong bonds.

The ceremony itself is a symbolic event, where mothers pray blessings upon their sons and symbolically hand them over to the custody of their fathers, marking the transition from childhood to manhood.

Julie Gichuru's son during his Ithemba Julie Gichuru's son during his Ithemba Pulse Live Kenya

READ: Media queen Julie Gichuru celebrates 50th birthday with stunning photo & birthday message

Fathers and uncles play a crucial role in providing support and guidance to young men during this transformative process.

Julie also highlighted the evolution of the Ithemba ceremony over time, incorporating faith-based learning and welcoming people from all communities to participate.

She acknowledged the program run by Dhahabu Themanini for its role in preserving and promoting this cultural heritage.

"This event has evolved over time to capture faith-based learning, as well as enabling people from all communities to participate. This particular program is run by Dhahabu Themanini," she said.

Julie Gichuru's son during his Ithemba Julie Gichuru's son during his Ithemba Pulse Live Kenya

READ: Tom Mboya, Beatrice Marshall & 8 other news anchors who lit up TV screens in the 2000s

Furthermore, Julie shared an interesting tidbit about the tradition of gūthembera, meaning to gift, where young men are given gifts to help them start building their herd as they transition into adulthood.

In her post, Julie encouraged her followers to contribute additional context and knowledge about cultural journeys and to share more about their heritage. She emphasised the importance of learning and celebrating diverse cultural traditions.