mbari
kinship group
Quick Summary
The term "mbari" refers to a kinship group within the Kikuyu people of Kenya. It is a patrilineal group consisting of males, their wives, and children, and can range in size from a few dozen to several hundred individuals. The mbari forms the local community unit for the Kikuyu, who are a Bantu-speaking people living in the highland area of south-central Kenya. The Kikuyu are the largest ethnic group in Kenya, and the mbari is a fundamental aspect of their social organization, alongside age sets and clans.1
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