ahoi
the singular form of muhoi
cassava
an edible root that is used to make flour
Gikuyu
the largest tribe in Kenya, and at the time Ngugi wrote this novel, the most educated; most of the novel's characters are Gikuyu, which is also spelled Kikuyu
homeguard
members of a volunteer militia
jovial
friendly and lively
KAU
an acronym for the Kenyan African Union, a rebel group that formed in 1942 and remained active until Kenya achieved independence in 1963; it is often contrasted with the more violent Mau Mau
kihii
an uncircumcised man
Kikuyu
see Gikuyu
lorry
a truck
muhoi
people who rent the land on which they live and farm; similar to serfs
ni wega
a Gikuyu expression meaning 'all right'
njahi
a type of bean, popular in Eastern Africa and other parts of the world
njuka
a newcomer
panga
a large blade, similar to a machete
pyrethrum
a flower that grows in Kenya, and is used to make medicine and insecticides
rika
a generational group in Gikuyu society; all of the youths in a given rika are circumcised at the same time, thereby determining their place in the community
serikali
the British colonial government of Kenya during the period detailed in this novel
shamba
a small holding of land used for agriculture
thingira
a hut where Gikuyu people gather to socialize and discuss current events
ustaarabu
a term for civilization
wiyathi
freedom
