Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- PREFACE -- FOREWORD -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- INTRODUCTION -- Rationale for the study -- Description of the literature -- The various groups interviewed -- CHAPTER 1: THE CULTURAL SETTING -- Gĩkũyũ society in the pre-colonial period -- Social organization -- Religious beliefs -- The concepts of irĩ and irĩĩri -- Changes that have occurred in Gĩkũyũ society since the 1880s -- Political changes -- Economic and social changes -- Religious and cultural changes -- CHAPTER 2: HONESTY (WĨHOKEKU) -- Views of early writers -- What is honesty? -- Honesty as uprightness (ũthingu) -- Honesty as truthfulness (ũũma) -- Honesty as generosity (uuma-andũ) -- Honesty as fulfilment of expectation (ũhingia) -- Honesty as diligence (kĩyo) -- Honesty in modern times -- Gĩkũyũ attitude to Christian vows and promises -- The effect of the money economy on people's honesty -- Conclusion -- CHAPTER 3: GENEROSITY (ŨTAANA) -- Views of early writers -- What is generosity? (ũtuuna) -- Generosity as hospitality (ũtugi) -- Generosity as help (ũteithio) -- Generosity as uprightness (ũthingu) -- Generosity as charity (uuma-andũ) -- The ideal practice of generosity -- Why generosity is valued -- Traditional ways of enforcing generosity -- Generosity in modern times -- Conclusion -- CHAPTER 4: JUSTICE (KĨHOOTO) -- Views of early writers -- What is justice? -- Justice described in terms of truth (ma) -- Justice described in terms of defeat (hoota) -- Defeat in connection with open dispute -- Defeat in relation to a state of tension between people -- Justice described in terms of uprightness (ũthingu) -- Contentment as an aspect of justice -- Reward and punishment -- Reward -- Reward through human agency -- Reward through superhuman agency -- Punishment -- Forgiveness, atonement and restoration.

Younger generations' understanding of justice -- Justice in modern times -- Conclusion -- CHAPTER 5: COURAGE (ŨCAMBA) -- Views of early writers -- Who is a courageous person? -- Courage as bravery (ũrũme) -- Bravery in physical fighting -- Bravery in litigation -- Courage as diligence (kĩyo) -- Courage as endurance (ũkirĩrĩria) -- Courage as gentleness (ũhooreri) -- Incentives to courage -- Material gain -- Good reputation -- Confidence -- Justice -- Conclusion -- CHAPTER 6: TEMPERANCE (WĨKINDĨRIA) -- Views of early writers -- Temperance as abstention (kwĩhinga) -- Abstention from sexual intercourse -- Abstention from beer drinking -- Temperance as self-control (gwĩthima) -- Self-control in beer drinking -- Self-control in eating -- Temperance as caution (wĩmenyereri) -- Temperance as steadfastness (ũkirĩrĩria) -- Temperance in modern times -- Factors influencing ideas about temperance -- Changing attitude to authority -- Lack of moral teaching and of good example -- Compromising moral standards -- Conclusion -- GENERAL CONCLUSION -- NOTES AND REFERENCES -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- ARCHIVAL MATERIAL -- INDEX -- ABOUT THE AUTHOR.