Hail the matatu, Kenya’s symbol of urban culture

By BEATRICE WAMUYU

Did Kenyans invent the matatu? Certainly not. But perhaps we discovered it. Kenyans turned the tiny 14-seater van into a phenomenon that has come to represent everything ugly — and beautiful — about the highways.

Since it came onto the scene in the 1970s, the matatu has lost and earned fans in equal measure. A Kenyan sojourning outside the country has not really told our story if he has not talked about the matatu. And if he or she does not tell it, the question must crop up.  Although it exists elsewhere, the matatu is really a Kenyan thing.

So much has been said about the accident rate on the roads. But besides that, the matatu represents a movement of rebellious, independent youth unhappy with their society. They want to be the ‘born frees’ — no law should stop them from doing whatever they wish to do.

With a society that has done so little for young people to provide jobs, decent housing or mere role modeling, the matatu culture represents a form of defiance against this society. One could say the matatu is Kenya’s hip hop.

You want to arrest them for using bhang? They display pictures of it inside their “pimped” up matatus.  Messages hail marijuana as the ultimate herb. There are numerous signs of rebellion, from graffiti on the walls to actual confrontations with police.

But it is the art that really catches the eye. When the “Michuki” rules were introduced in 2003, all matatus were to be painted the same colour with a yellow line running across the sides.  Some people really moaned at this decision, decrying that the beauty and the culture was now dead. But it did not die and is today deeply rooted as part of Kenya’s urban culture.

The art represents an entire industry. There are thousands of fans who follow it like a cult. Some young people will not enter a matatu unless it is a ‘Nganya’, beauty on wheels. Tourists yearn for a ride.

There are websites dedicated to promoting that culture. For example, the Facebook page ‘Matwana’ (matatu culture) keenly follows the art on the road. There are regular updates about new, “souped up” vans. Die hard fans, who number over 17,000 discuss their favourite matatus and trade barbs and bouquets on who is best.

The matatu culture channel on video sharing site Youtube has numerous videos of some of the best Kenyan matatu art. Sadly, death from accidents has overshadowed this unique Kenyan creation.

Note: Due to a mix-up in last week’s edition, we stated the the earliest humans lived near Lake Victoria. However, early humans lived near Lake Turkana, according to paleantologists. We regret the error.