Mau Mau Rebellion - Mau Mau Rebellion

An armed struggle for national liberation in Kenya in the 1950s. The name Mau Mau is said to come from the word Uma (oath) of the Kikuyu people, who were the main force in the rebellion. After World War II, the national independence movement became popular in Kenya, and the radical faction of the Kenya African Union (KAU) expanded the struggle against British colonial rule, focusing on agricultural workers in the White Highlands. The colonial government considered this to be the activity of a secret society called Mau Mau and intensified its oppression. In October 1952, a state of emergency was declared in the Central Province, and the leaders of the KAU, including the moderate J. Kenyatta, were arrested. The radical faction of the KAU launched an armed struggle, attacking government troops, police, white farms, etc., and at its peak, its forces grew to as many as 200,000. In October 1955, the supreme leader D. Kimajiga was arrested, and the rebellion came to an end, but 10,000 people were killed and 30,000 were arrested. Today it is seen not simply as a riot but as a struggle for national liberation.

[Ken Akasaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1950年代に起こった、ケニアにおける民族解放を目的とする武力闘争。マウマウMau Mauとは、反乱の主勢力となったキクユ人のウマ（宣誓）ということばに由来するといわれる。ケニアでは、第二次世界大戦後、民族独立運動が盛んになり、ケニア・アフリカ人同盟（KAU）の急進派が、ホワイト・ハイランドの農業労働者を中心にイギリスの植民地統治に対する闘争を拡大した。植民地政府は、これをマウマウという秘密結社の活動と考え弾圧を強化した。52年10月には中央州に非常事態宣言が布告され、穏健派のJ・ケニヤッタを含むKAUの指導者を逮捕した。KAU急進派は武装闘争に突入し、政府軍、警察、白人農場などを襲撃し、最盛期には20万人もの勢力に伸長した。55年10月、最高指導者D・キマジガが逮捕され、反乱は終息に向かったが、死者は1万人、逮捕者は3万人に上った。今日では単なる暴動ではなく民族解放闘争と評価されている。

［赤阪　賢］

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