welcome to 2nacheki and a special welcome to the African history series where we take a look
at the great men and women who paved the path for us today in today's video we'll be looking
at one of the most influential women in East African history we look at mechatiliwa menza
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nekatilini was born in the early 1890s in the coastal region of Kenya in kilifi county
and lived through a time of great change and upheaval in the region she's the only
daughter in a family of five children and her birth name was nyanzi wamensa
mikatilini was married had a son katilini but later she was widowed
my katili came across a prophecy about the coming of strange people who had hair like slicer fibers
and moved in flying vessels she was told that the coming of these strangers would begin the erosion
of the giriyama cultural traditions and true to the prophecy it happened when the Imperial British
East African company ibea started building the railway in 1896 the British East Africa
protectorate established the colonial organization of the territory marked by the construction of a
railroad connecting the part of Mombasa to Lake Victoria this led to a long process of pillage
and exploitation and subjection of the people in the late 19th century those little contact
between the people and colonizers however in 1913 the British administrator Arthur Champion
assigned headmen and councils to preside over 28 established territories in that area including
the giriyama villages and turned them into communities dedicated to Colonial interests
in August 13 1913 the kiryama people held one of the most famous acts of rebellion during a meeting
with Arthur Champion the colonizer was trying to diminish local resistance and recruit youth to
fight in World War One the leaders walked into the venue with chicken and cheeks a challenged
Champion to get chicks from its mother hen but it picked at his hand and he could not the leaders
then say the same would happen to him if he tried to take the children away from the people
when World War one broke out most of Africa was under the colonizing rule of the European
countries that were waging it the continent was a source of raw materials and exploitation of Labor
that fed these imperialist powers in response to the rebellious action of the kiryama people
members of the ibea delegation opened fire killing people and destroying houses in the community
protested against them and were sent to kisi near Lake Victoria where they
were held in prison after six months in prison on January 14 1914 mekatili and
wanji walked free and checked more than 700 kilometers back to kilifi county in Kenya
the return of my cutting Lily and wanji that the colonialists to retaliate shooting dozens of men
women and children capturing their animals burning foodstocks and the Village Homes
mekatilini was arrested again on August 16 1914 this time she was sent to kismayo in Somalia
mekatilili was a Fearless Warrior for her people she stood up against the oppressive colonial
government and fought for the right and freedom of her fellow Kenyans have powerful speeches and
demonstrations inspired a movement and she quickly became a symbol of resistance and hope for those
fighting for Independence another fascinating fact about my katilini is that she was also a skilled
negotiator and mediator during a time of great tension between different communities in Kenya
she worked closely to bring people together and find peaceful solutions to their conflict
in 1919 mykati Lilly was released from prison and was able to return home taking on a role
of leadership in the women's Council the katilinua Mensa died in 1924 and
was buried in the dakacha Woodland every year a festival named after harp his tribute to her
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other videos with celebrate our Mama Africa we have the mysteries of Africa series and
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