Goddess Ambe and a possible connection to the Swahili word Harambee.

[MWENE NYAGA]

Goddess Ambe, also known as Ambe Maa, Durga Maa, or Ambika, is a powerful and widely revered Hindu goddess, particularly in West Bengal and among various religions in India. She is often seen as a manifestation of Shakti, the divine feminine energy, and is associated with protection, power, and fertility. She is often depicted with multiple arms, each holding weapons given to her by the gods, symbolizing her power and ability to protect.

Harambee:

While "Harambee", meaning "all pull together" in Swahili, is Kenya's official motto representing unity and collective effort, there's a folk etymology that links its origin to the Indian Goddess Ambe (also known as Durga).

• Possible Origins: One theory suggests the word "Harambee" originated from Indian laborers working on the Uganda Railway during the British colonial era.
• Invoking Deities: These laborers might have invoked deities like Hari (referring to Lord Vishnu) and Ambe (a form of the Hindu goddess Shakti) while engaged in the strenuous task of lifting heavy loads.
• Evolution into Swahili: This invocation is believed to have gradually evolved into the Swahili word "Harambee" and adopted its meaning of "all pull together".
• National Symbolism: Kenya's first President, Jomo Kenyatta, embraced "Harambee" as a national concept to unify the country and encourage collective efforts towards building a new nation.

Harambee is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, e.g., fundraising or development activities. The word means "all pull together" in Swahili, and is the official motto of Kenya, appearing on its coat of arms.[1][2]

Following Kenya's independence in 1963, the first Prime Minister, and later first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta adopted "Harambee" as a concept of pulling the country together to build a new nation. He encouraged communities to work together to raise funds for all sorts of local projects, pledging that the government would provide their startup costs. Under this system, wealthy individuals wishing to get into politics could donate large amounts of money to local harambee drives, thereby gaining legitimacy; however, such practices were never institutionalised during Kenyatta's presidency.

The etymology of the term is unclear, but it has been cited as genuinely Bantu. It is thought to have been first used by Swahili porters when lifting heavy loads and was originally spelled Halambee.[2] However, according to a folk etymology, the word is said to have originated from Indian labourers responsible for building the Uganda Railway. According to this account, the labourers would invoke Hare, the divine energy of God, and Ambe, a Hindu goddess, during the construction.[1]

Kenyan Christians have criticised the use of the word harambee as an official term due to its alleged Hindu origin. This objection has been dismissed as being offensive to the country's Hindu community [3] and also on the basis that even if the supposed derivation from hare Ambeh (hail Ambeh) were true, it has become irrelevant to the term's modern usage and meaning.[4][5]

In February 2018, a petition was presented to the Kenyan parliament and senate, seeking to have the word "harambee" removed from the coat of arms on the claim that it represents a Hindu goddess.[6] The petition was rejected on the grounds that it would be discriminatory towards Hindus and the Hindi language, that the word Harambee is internationally recognised, and that the cost incurred in changing the coat of arms would be significant.[3]

Important Note: The link between "Harambee" and the Indian goddess Ambe is based on a folk etymology, meaning it's a popular belief about the word's origin rather than a confirmed linguistic fact. While it reflects a potential historical connection between the two cultures, it's not a direct, universally accepted relationship. In contemporary Kenyan culture, "Harambee" primarily signifies unity, cooperation, and community development.

[1] Musau, Mwende Mutuli (5 October 2020). "Harambee: The law of generosity that rules Kenya". BBC News.
[2] Ng'ethe, Njuguna (1983). "Politics, Ideology and the Underprivileged: The Origins and Nature of the Harambee Phenomenon in Kenya". Journal of Eastern African Research & Development. 13: 150–170. JSTOR 24325584.
[3] Ayaga, Wilfred (11 June 2020). "Keep 'harambee' in coat of arms, says Parliament". The Standard. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
[4] Wamuli, Muuna (30 June 2003). "Kenya: Some Christians Want National Motto Changed". African Church Information Service (Nairobi). Retrieved 25 August 2022.
[5] Warah, Rasna (5 May 2008). "Kenya: What's in a Name? Goddesses Have Always Been Worshipped". DailyNation.
[6] Psirmoi, Daniel (15 February 2018). "Petition over word 'harambee' splits senators". The Standard.

 

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[Tausi 666]

Goddess Ambe, also known as Ambe Maa, Durga Maa, or Ambika, is a powerful and widely revered Hindu goddess, particularly in West Bengal and among various religions in India. She is often seen as a manifestation of Shakti, the divine feminine energy, and is associated with protection, power, and fertility. She is often depicted with multiple arms, each holding weapons given to her by the gods, symbolizing her power and ability to protect.

Harambee:

While "Harambee", meaning "all pull together" in Swahili, is Kenya's official motto representing unity and collective effort, there's a folk etymology that links its origin to the Indian Goddess Ambe (also known as Durga).

• Possible Origins: One theory suggests the word "Harambee" originated from Indian laborers working on the Uganda Railway during the British colonial era.
• Invoking Deities: These laborers might have invoked deities like Hari (referring to Lord Vishnu) and Ambe (a form of the Hindu goddess Shakti) while engaged in the strenuous task of lifting heavy loads.
• Evolution into Swahili: This invocation is believed to have gradually evolved into the Swahili word "Harambee" and adopted its meaning of "all pull together".
• National Symbolism: Kenya's first President, Jomo Kenyatta, embraced "Harambee" as a national concept to unify the country and encourage collective efforts towards building a new nation.

Harambee is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, e.g., fundraising or development activities. The word means "all pull together" in Swahili, and is the official motto of Kenya, appearing on its coat of arms.[1][2]

Following Kenya's independence in 1963, the first Prime Minister, and later first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta adopted "Harambee" as a concept of pulling the country together to build a new nation. He encouraged communities to work together to raise funds for all sorts of local projects, pledging that the government would provide their startup costs. Under this system, wealthy individuals wishing to get into politics could donate large amounts of money to local harambee drives, thereby gaining legitimacy; however, such practices were never institutionalised during Kenyatta's presidency.

The etymology of the term is unclear, but it has been cited as genuinely Bantu. It is thought to have been first used by Swahili porters when lifting heavy loads and was originally spelled Halambee.[2] However, according to a folk etymology, the word is said to have originated from Indian labourers responsible for building the Uganda Railway. According to this account, the labourers would invoke Hare, the divine energy of God, and Ambe, a Hindu goddess, during the construction.[1]

Kenyan Christians have criticised the use of the word harambee as an official term due to its alleged Hindu origin. This objection has been dismissed as being offensive to the country's Hindu community [3] and also on the basis that even if the supposed derivation from hare Ambeh (hail Ambeh) were true, it has become irrelevant to the term's modern usage and meaning.[4][5]

In February 2018, a petition was presented to the Kenyan parliament and senate, seeking to have the word "harambee" removed from the coat of arms on the claim that it represents a Hindu goddess.[6] The petition was rejected on the grounds that it would be discriminatory towards Hindus and the Hindi language, that the word Harambee is internationally recognised, and that the cost incurred in changing the coat of arms would be significant.[3]

Important Note: The link between "Harambee" and the Indian goddess Ambe is based on a folk etymology, meaning it's a popular belief about the word's origin rather than a confirmed linguistic fact. While it reflects a potential historical connection between the two cultures, it's not a direct, universally accepted relationship. In contemporary Kenyan culture, "Harambee" primarily signifies unity, cooperation, and community development.

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[1] Musau, Mwende Mutuli (5 October 2020). "Harambee: The law of generosity that rules Kenya". BBC News.
[2] Ng'ethe, Njuguna (1983). "Politics, Ideology and the Underprivileged: The Origins and Nature of the Harambee Phenomenon in Kenya". Journal of Eastern African Research & Development. 13: 150–170. JSTOR 24325584.
[3] Ayaga, Wilfred (11 June 2020). "Keep 'harambee' in coat of arms, says Parliament". The Standard. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
[4] Wamuli, Muuna (30 June 2003). "Kenya: Some Christians Want National Motto Changed". African Church Information Service (Nairobi). Retrieved 25 August 2022.
[5] Warah, Rasna (5 May 2008). "Kenya: What's in a Name? Goddesses Have Always Been Worshipped". DailyNation.
[6] Psirmoi, Daniel (15 February 2018). "Petition over word 'harambee' splits senators". The Standard.

Harambee word marked as one of the significant tool of uniting people in Kenya
Jomo Kenyatta used this word harambee and also moi era were it strongly influenced the people chanting
Harambee - NYAYO
Hail ambe- foot steps
Meaning follow the foot steps of goddess ambe