according to kikuyu creation stories, ngai (their god) made a man, called gikuyu, and his wife, mumbi, and settled them on mount kenya. gikuyu and mumbi had nine daughters who form the major groups of the kikuyu people. due to the fertile soil on mount kenya and the hard work of the kikuyu people, they grew more than they needed and started trading with their neighbours, the maasai (a nilotic tribe). the kikuyus swapped their farm produce and crops for the animal products from the maasai, who kept livestock. it is also believed that the maasai are the ones who married the nine daughters of gikuyu and mumbi.