Lizzy Nyoike

Lizzy wears Kikuyu regalia. After colonialism, Agĩkũyũ people took up this dress as a way to name and honor their culture, its values, customs, and norms. It is contemporary dress with a long history behind it.

Kikuyu attire was once made from treated animal skins. The mũthuru, a long skirt, wrapped the waist and legs. The mwengu was an apron tied at the front. The iria was a headscarf. All of it was decorated with beadwork and shells.

It is worn for Kikuyu ceremonies, weddings among them, and for ruracio, the dowry negotiations that carry weight for both families.

For Lizzy, wearing it is a way of reclaiming Agĩkũyũ identity and tradition.

LIZZY NYOIKE · KIKUYU REGALIA, AGĨKŨYŨ PEOPLE, KENYA · MINNESOTA · ARCHIVE NOTE, 2026