Eid Mubarak

Today is Eid ul Fitr. So, suddenly everybody knows Islam and every Kiongozi[1] knows how to choose their kanzu[2] The other week I saw Nabii together with our very own Riggy G yadeu[3] in North-Eastern side of Kenya. When will this drama end? The drama of trying to fit into everyone’s shoes. The drama of pretending to be congenial with all races, all religions, all tribes. The other day Jeremiah Kioni (Jubilee Secretary – General) was busy saying Asaramwareku in one of the meetings he attended with Muslim leaders. Now Kanzu market is booming. buibui[4] are now out of stock because Mama Taifa and every other female leaders bought some for themselves. Do we call this masquerading or pretending; that if today I landed in Dubai, the first thing is to get a new kanzu and an Arab Arafat and walk around looking like a freshly converted Muslim. That of today I went to Kiambu and met a Wagithomo[5] then everybody should be on a Kilemba[6]?

‘Camouflaging’ into a race, religion, tribe, ethnic community, and any other life aspect is not necessary. Why don’t you just be yourself when you visit a new place or a place that uses a different language from yours? You ever see Europeans trying to pronounce Swahili words and almost insult you? A whole mubaba saying “jambo, wewe iko pendeza mimi”. Like sir, why don’t you say whatever you want to say in your language, I can understand. It feels so weird when you try to please someone or look like someone and end up messing the way that

thing is done. Woe unto to you if you try it in India, with their food. That pepper is another thing. The other day I saw my friend tongue-tied in a hotel. Suddenly, his eyes were watery and was panting like a spent hound. But why? Why pretend to be someone for a short while, something you won’t sustain?

The other form of masquerade is common with ‘Nairobi’ people when they go to Mombasa. Kinuthia has just landed in Mombasa and now he no longer says ‘tunakula’ but ‘twala’. Nyambura and Ayango no longer put on trousers. They now walk in dera’s and with their hands in the air. Oganga is now in beach shorts even in the morning and on shades all over hauling mwanangu and vipusa. I don’t have a problem with all this, but can we please know the right way of doing these before we start doing them. If you want to adopt Mombasa culture, then take time to learn it, and drop that Meru accent of yours and say things the right way lest one of you will insult us with this Swahili dialect of theirs?

Eid Mubarak to you all!

[1] A Swahili word to mean leader.

[2] A religious attire worn by Muslim men.

[3] An Arab word to mean praying.

[4] A religious attire worn by Muslim women.

[5] A kikuyu word to mean Wakorino’s.

[6] A religious attire worn by Wakorino’s on their heads.