Homepage of Gĩchuka Bible

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The vision and mission of the Translation Project

Our core mission is to facilitate Bible Translation, Language development and sustainable Literacy programmes among the Chuka People.

We are interdenominational Christian organization, which partners with the Church in order to preach the Good News of Christ through provision of Scriptures.

We believe that people’s lives will be transformed, by the grace of God, when people use the Word of God in the language they understand best.

Gospel of Luke in Chuka Language

Gichuka Jesus Film

Launching of the Gichuka Jesus Film on 10th April, 2019 at PCEA Chuka Town Church.

Click here to watch the Gichuka Jesus Film online

You can find more information about us on this site.

Click here to read Gichuka Bible Online

Click here to download or to listen to Audio Bible

Gĩchuka Bible Mobile Apps

Click here to download offline Android Mobile App.

The app has the following Booksː Luke, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians, 1 Thessalonians and 2. Thessalonians. We shall continue to add more books, as soon as the books are ready.

Check out the webiste for the new release of the app with an additional Book of Acts of Apostles, which will be released by end of May, 2019.

For iPhones and Windows Phones Click here to download the offline Gichuka Bible e-pub file.

Bloom Books

You can download Bloom Reader from Google Playstore, for your Android phones and read interesting Bible Stories, excellent for teaching Sunday School and the youths. Interestingly, they contain audio for the very young kids to read with ease.

Here is a list of Bloom Books you can download for your Bloom Reader

Njĩcũ aboria kĩonje-Chuka.epub

Download1.25 MB
Njĩcũ arũngamia kĩbuubani-English.epub

Download1.36 MB
Nkoma ageria Njĩcũ-Chuka.epub

Download

Prof. Njoka and Bishop Gitari — From Left, Bishop Sammy Gitari of GCC and our Translation Project Patron Prof. Erastus N. Njoka, during the Dedication Day of the Book of Luke on 28th January 2017.

The Joy of receiving Scriptures

A woman reading the Bible — A woman reading the Scriptures in her own language.

Oral Bible Stories (OBS) Team

This is the team that narrates Bible Stories in Gĩchuka.

What is OBS? Watch the video for more information

An elderly man in Chuka reading the Bible — An elderly man from Ciambaraga, Chuka reading the Gospel of Luke.

Our Past events

Jesus Film Show at Ikuu Market

Dateː Sunday 21st April 2019

Timeː From 6.00 pm

In partnership with KAG Church, Ikuu

Jesus Film Show at PCEA Mũgwe

Dateː Monday 22nd April 2019

Timeː From 6.00 pm

In partnership with PCEA Mũgwe Church

Up to now, the Jesus Film has been shown in the following shopping centresː Mũtũbe, Ndagani, Karandini, Kĩbũgua, Kangũtũ, Kambandi and Werũ.

About 2,000 people have already watched the film. About 280 souls have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their lord and savior. We give God all the gloryǃ

Launching of the Gichuka Jesus Film

Ntukũ ya Kwamũra Cinema ya Njĩcũ ya Gĩchuka, Kanithani ya PCEA Chuka.

Atungatĩri makĩamũra Cinema ya Njĩcũ tarĩki 10/04/2019 Kanithani ya PCEA Chuka

Dedication of the Book of Luke (Saturday 28th January 2017)

The Clergy from Chuka dedicating the Book of Luke translated into Gĩchuka on Saturday 28th January, 2017 at Chuka PCEA Grounds

International Literacy Day (8th September) every year

This year the International Literacy Day shall be held on Friday 7th September since 8th of September falls on a Saturday.

International Literacy Day Celebrations — **International Literacy Day at the DC's Grounds Chuka.**

International Mother Language Day (21st February every year)

To read more about International Mother Language Day, click here.

About Gĩchuka Speakers

The Chuka People are located in Tharaka Nithi County of Kenya. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2009) Tharaka Nithi County has a total population of 356,330 people (male - 48% and female -52%). Majority of the residents in Tharaka Nithi County comprise the Tharaka, Mwimbi, Muthambi and Chuka. It is not known how many people Speak Gĩchuka language since the National census classified the Chuka among the Meru language cluster. According to ethnologue (1980) the estimated population of the Chuka language speakers was 70,000 and the population was increasing. Today we can project the population of the Chuka People to be about 160,000.

Gĩchuka language is intelligible with the neighbouring languages. Ethnologue places the lexical similarity of Gĩchuka with Embu [ebu] to be 73%, 70% with Gikuyu [kik], 67% with Kimîîru [mer], and 63% with Kikamba [kam].

Location of the Chuka People

Chuka Town is Located on the Eastern slopes Mount Kenya, and it is about 44 Km from Embu Town which is to the South and 54 Km from Meru, which is to the North. The town is mostly an agricultural and business centre hosting several institutions such as Chuka University, and Presbyterian Teachers College – Rubate. Chuka is home to the famous Chuka drummers and dancers troupe.

Map of Chuka

Cultural Heritage

The Chuka community have had a long history of peaceful coexistence with her neighbours namely the Mũthambi to the North, the Tharaka to the East, and the Embu and Mbeere to the South. The myths have it that the Chuka and Tharaka people descended from the same ancestral father called Ciambugi, and his two wives; Ciambandi and Ciangoi. The wives separated and Ciabandi moved eastwards and bore the Tharaka people, while Ciangoi remained behind in Chuka and she bore the Chuka people.

Among the Chuka, male circumcision is still one of the most significant rituals in their culture. This rite of passage transforms a young man into an adult, giving him the right to marry, acquire wealth and property, and make independent decisions. The circumcised men were the ones who were allowed to participate in the Mwĩnjĩro dance.

The Chuka people are known for their dramatic dances that are sometimes acrobatic. Here is the Mwinjĩro dance by Chuka Drummers.

Just like other Bantus, a bride price in the form of cows, goats is paid by the groom's family to the bride's family before marriage. A man is considered the head of the household and has defined roles and duties. Women tend to the farms and raise the children.

Traditionally, the Chuka had a strong clan (family) system that controlled the basic operations of all families within the clan. Some of the clans include Ĩgandaĩ, Ĩtarĩ na Mũrobo, Mũcekwa, Ĩgankida, Thona na Ĩbiga, Mũrũrũ, Marũgũ na Mbũtĩ, Ĩthe Mbugi na Njoguni, Nkui na Gakũya, Ĩgoki na Ũmũtho, Mũnari, among others. After the independence of Kenya in 1964, the Chuka people divided their land according to their clans.

Although the clan system has nearly vanished, the extended family still retains a very powerful influence on the lives of individual family members. The entire family is tasked with making important life decisions on behalf of each family member, such as during marriage ceremonies, burrials and inheritance of property.

The Chuka are agriculturalists, utilising the favourable soil and climate of the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya. The cash crops grown in Chuka region are mainly coffee and tea. Subsistence crops include maize, beans and bananas. The Chuka People are slowly embracing commercial dairy production. Generally the Chuka people are vey industious, generous and hospitable.

Food

The traditional food for the Chuka people was, mũthere, nyoni, mũthũra, ikwa, gĩtwero, kaboco, kĩbĩrĩ and many more.

Wisdom of the Chuka people

The Chuka people have very rich proverbs and sayings which store some of their wisdom. You can access some of the proverbs ad sayings on our facebook page. Click here to visit our facebook proverbs page.