Issue 2 Winter 2008 (6.3 MB) - Blundell's School

Mt Kenya is thought to have been named by theAkamba people, who called it ‘Kiinyaa’ or ‘Mountain ofthe Ostrich’ because the dark rock and speckled icefields reminded them of the tail feathers of a maleostrich. It is, in fact, the remains of a ‘stratovolcano’which once stood over 6,000m. The jagged peaks ofBastian and Nelion are the remains of the plug ofmolten rock which cooled in the volcano’s vent. Themountain area was designated a UNESCO NaturalWorld Heritage Site in 1997.Batian (5,199m), the summit, was named by SirHalford Mackinder after Mbatian, the most famous ofthe Maasai medicine-men who died in 1890 when anoutbreak of rinderpest swept through E Africa. Henamed the peaks of Lenana and Sendeyo afterMbatian’s sons.“The view was spectacular,as the African sun slowlyrose over the horizon toreveal the breathtakingmountainous scenery fromthe highest point around.”When he was about to die, Mbatian called together theelders of the Matapato tribe and declared “I wish mysuccessor to be the son to whom I give the medicineman’sinsignia. Obey him.” He called for his eldest sonSendeyo to come by in the morning. However, hisyounger son Lenana had hidden in the calf shed andoverheard the conversation. Next morning he aroseearly and went to his father’s hut and said “Father Ihave come.” Now Mbatian was very old and had onlyone eye, so he could not see which of his sons wasbefore him. Consequently Lenana cheated Sendeyoout of his rightful position and the brothers waged waruntil 1902, when Sendeyo declared himself finallybeaten.7