The banana type known as “Gitogo Kiiru” grows best in loam soils that are rich in nutrients and have good drainage. It prefers climates that range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, with 1,000 to 2,500 millimeters of annual rainfall spread evenly throughout the year, and elevations that range from 600 to 1,800 meters above sea level. Compared to a regular banana, the fruits are shorter and plumper. When ripe, the flesh is light pink or cream colored, and the skin is a deep crimson or maroon tint. Kiiru, which translates to “black,” describes how the banana’s hue is dull.
Suckers are often used to propagate Gitogo kiiru banana plants around the start of the rainy season, which occurs in late March or early April. You may also utilize pieces of the corm that have one or two eyes. After creating a pit measuring one meter by one meter, manure or compost is combined with the topsoil. The sucker is inserted 30 cm down into this mixture. The banana sucker is mulched with dry debris to maintain moisture retention. The wheelbarrow, watering can, spade, jembe (hoe), and panga (machete) are among the tools and equipment utilized.
Gitogo bananas are collected at different stages of maturity according on market demands; the tree takes around 18 months to start bearing fruit, and the fruits itself take around 3 months to be ready for harvest. Once the fingers start to ripen, the bunch is removed from the stem for home consumption. The fruits will completely mature in 1-2 weeks from now. The primary purpose of gitogo kiiru cultivation is for domestic use. This cultivar is no longer seen in markets owing to its decline, although excess bananas are sold unofficially to make some revenue.
Gitogo kiiru bananas are sweet, with a hint of mango taste in some and earthiness in others. They are consumed by peeling the fruit first, just like yellow bananas. They may be baked, fried, or roasted in addition to being often consumed whole, chopped, or added to fruit salads. On exceptional occasions, the bananas and lablab beans can be mashed and served. On sometimes, they are offered for sale dry. Gitogo kiiru bananas are the primary component in traditional Gikuyu meals such mukimo, itaha, and salads that are offered at significant events including initiations, bridewealth payment rituals, and wedding ceremonies.
Because of its high nutritious content, the Gikuyu community values the gitogo kiiru banana. Nursing moms are given the ripe bananas to help them regain strength. During weddings and other social events, bananas planted at the house’s door and on the path up are a gesture of respect and a welcome for guests.
As a token of respect, significant guests are frequently presented a bunch of gitogo kiiru bananas.The expertise necessary for the gitogo kiiru banana’s cultivation is being lost to future generations as a result of cultural degradation, putting the banana in danger of going extinct. People now prefer hybrid kinds, which mature more quickly than conventional types, thanks to the introduction of tissue culture.
