Tag Archives: Kenyan

Hakuna Matata Hakuna Haraka- Proverb

Text: 

Hakuna Matata Hakuna Haraka

Translation: 

No worries, no hurries

Context: 

“I know you heard this in the lion king but they only say half. The original proverb is a common Kenyan saying you use to tell people to enjoy life. The second half that Disney missed is actually the key part! Kenyans are fun people who love to party so we aren’t meant to rush or worry. We would use it whenever someone was stressing out or worrying to try and calm them down.”

Analysis:

Hakuna Matata is a well known phrase from Disney’s Lion King, and as the song states it means no worries. The second part of this proverb explains that by not hurrying or rushing things you can achieve a life without worries. This proverb has significant cultural importance as it serves for a micro chasm of the attitude of many Kenyans. This proverb is similar to western proverbs such as “stop and smell the roses”. Furthermore  Hakuna Matata has become a proverb that is known throughout the world and not just in Kenya.

Adhabu Ya Kaburi Aijuaye Maiti – Proverb

Text:

Adhabu Ya Kaburi Aijuaye Maiti

Translation:

Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches

Context:

“This is a common proverb in Kenya. It means that you can’t understand what someone is going through unless you are going through it too. So if you were complaining about something and someone tried to tell you it wasn’t that bad you would say “Adhabu Ya Kaburi Aijuaye Maiti”.

Analysis:

The people of Kenya have a long history of suffering similar to other African nations who experienced European colonialism. Due to this many people had unspeakable experiences that are hard to empathize with for someone who may not understand that level of suffering. It makes sense that in order to gain social credit and empathy from someone the Kenyans developed a proverb. This proverb is similar to the western proverb “walk a mile in my shoes” as both show that you may not understand someone’s situation or hardship if you are not in it yourself. 

Asifuye Imemnyea – Proverb

Text:

Asifuye Imemnyea

Translation:

He who presses rain has been rained on

Context:

“This proverb is also well known in Kenya. Whenever you need to vouch for someone or you are telling a story to make someone look good, if someone tries to tell you you’re wrong you say “Asifuye Imemnyea”. This means that you have pressed the rain or know this person so you have been rained on.”

Analysis:

Asifuye Imemnyea is an interesting proverb in that it is in defense of another person and invokes a strong natural image. To be rained on is to have met someone and experienced their kindness, similar to rain this leaves a mark on someone that can’t be ignored or removed easily. Thus like someone coming in from the rain to tell others about the weather, you are able to show your mark from pressing the rain and proof that you have been rained on and the person you are speaking about is a good person.

Jambo Bwana Song

Background: Informant is a 19 year old of Kenyan heritage. Their parents immigrated to Los Angeles from Kenya and the informant wears a bracelet to feel connected to their heritage. 

Me: Where did this song come from? 

Informant: When I think about a song in Swahili the first song I think of is what I learned when I was four or five because my Kindergarten for graduation they wanted to do a whole cultural thing. So, they asked my mom and another girls mom who was Indian to come and teach us songs. So they taught us songs in Hindu and Swahili. The song we learned in Swahili is… 

Transliteration: 

Jambo, Jambo bwana, 

Habari gani, Mzuri sana.

Wageni, Wakaribishwa,

Kenya yetu Hakuna Matata.

Translation:

Hello, Hello sir,

How are you

I very fine

The visitors are welcomed

To our Kenya, don’t worry.

Reflection: I loved hearing the informant sing this song. It was interesting how they knew this song due to their schools’ emphasis on diversity, and how their mother shared her culture with the class through music. I find it so amazing how music can be used to bring people together in the sharing of cultural heritage. This also reflects the use of folklore in children’s education, with folk music being something that mainly children know today. 

Audio:

If Kentai Can Tie a Tie

Piece:

Interviewer: “Do you know any Kenyan riddles or jokes?”

Informant: “I don’t know about jokes, but there is this one tongue twister my parents learned in Kenya.”

Interviewer: “That’s perfect, let’s hear it.”

Informant: “Okay.. haha. They learned this in primary school in Kenya I think, from their instructors. Here it is: If Kentai can tie a tie, then why can’t I tie a tie as Kentai can tie a tie?”

Background:

The informant learned this tongue twister from his parents, who learned it in school in Kenya. He is unsure that it has any significance beyond the play on words between “can tie” and “Kentai,” which sound especially similar with a Swahili accent.

Context:

This conversation occurred when the informant and I were speaking about the class’ readings on the Maasai tribes since he is from Kenya. He mentioned he might know some Kenyan or Maasai folklore since he grew up under Kenyan parents and has visited the country before. At this point I started recording and asking him probing questions.

Thoughts:

I thought this example was particularly interesting because the informant’s parents learned this tongue twister in primary school. I personally cannot remember being taught a tongue twister during any of my schooling years, except for maybe encountering one from a fellow student during recess. Also interesting is the fact that the informant’s parents learned an English tongue twister in Kenyan school. Perhaps tongue twisters such as these were employed in English classes in Kenya to familiarize students with speaking in English in a potentially fun way. Because there is far less emphasis in US education on learning a new language, especially in elementary school, we are not as familiar with the same strategies.