Podcasts · The Nitpicker Podcast
Primitive or Powerful? A Journey from Colonial Names to African Roots!
· 1 h 24 min · Episode 25
Episode Primitive or Powerful? A Journey from Colonial Names to African Roots!
"The more British we become, the more we deny who we are."
In this episode of The Nitpicker Podcast, we sit down with the incredible Dr Wanjiru Kamau—a counselling psychologist, socio-activist, and "granary of wisdom" who, at 85 years old, is still eating sugarcane with her own teeth and challenging everything we thought we knew about being "civilised".
Dr Wanjiru takes us through her fascinating life journey, from the 1960 Tom Mboya airlift to Oregon, to her realisation that her "Christian" name, Josephine, belonged to Napoleon’s wife, not to her. She shares the shocking story of being asked to pay 25,000 Kenya shillings just to reclaim her African name on her passport and explains why she spent a lifetime "killing" the Josephine identity.
We dive deep into her groundbreaking PhD research, "A Tapestry of Menopause Among Traditional Agikuyu Women." Dr Wanjiru breaks the silence on topics often hidden in Kenyan homes—bodies, sex, and the transitions of womanhood. She challenges the Western medical view of menopause as an "estrogen deficiency disease," instead offering the forgotten wisdom of her "co-researchers"—traditional women who taught her how to listen to her body and the power of fermented, natural foods.
About the Guest: Dr Wanjiru Kamau is a wife, a mother of four, a grandmother of eight, and a professional counselling psychologist. She is a fierce advocate for seed sovereignty, cultural identity, and the celebration of African life transitions.
Get the Book: You can find Dr. Wanjiru's book at Nuria Bookshop on Biashara Street or by calling 0734698424
Credits:
Gab Master (AKA The Host) - Carol Musyoka
Ball Juggler (AKA The Producer) - Kui Njoroge
Whip Cracker (AKA The Director) - Kui Njoroge
Kissungu Mingi (AKA Script Writer)- Zawadi Njeru & Kui Njoroge
Lights, Camera, Action – Snapnest Photography
Motion Graphics - Nyambura Irungu
The Big Kahuna (AKA Executive Producer) - Carol Musyoka
The Nitpicker Podcast – A Ficus Tree Production.
The views and opinions expressed by the guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Nitpicker Podcast or its affiliates. Any mention of people, products, services, or organisations does not constitute endorsement.
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