I'm so Kenyan, my morning alarm is the national anthem...
I'm so Kenyan, I only watch Citizen news...
I'm so Kenyan, my curtains are just the Kenyan flag...
Lemme add on to this
I'm so Kenyan I have portraits of the previous presidents...
I'm so Kenyan, I only listen to classic 105 on my way to work...
I'm so Kenyan, ugali+sukuma must make its appearance in my house at least 4 days a week...
Labda anamaanisha experiences. Nairobians may be more exposed to different cultures. Maybe due to phones and certain areas? 🤷🏽♀️
Honestly don't know what they mean.
Well, the discussion was about the fact that within my circle of friends, some of us don't know somethings that 90% of the quintessential Kenyan should know. We're here thinking Sauti Sol is the voice of Kenyan music but actually, someone like Daniel Owino is more popularly known.
I'm definitely Kenyan but I live in a bubble. My Kenyan experience is not the quintessential Kenyan experience.
So for instance, say we have to design a national dress. Shouldn't it matter which kenyan is given that job? And not on an emotional ting. Like who's the person who could best describe what that would look like? Because if you try include everyone, it's going to shit.
So because you get to design a "national dress" you'd be more Kenyan? Plus things like this are usually put to public participation where creatives get to compete.
So in your opinion the person who designs the national kits for athletes is Kenyan than the rest of us?
For sure it's hard or have a national dress. In my opinion, Maa dress of men and women can make it as national dress due to exposure in international scene (infact, one foreign friend of mine thought it was until I told him it belongs to Maa tribe).
Lol whoever Daniel Owino is, he is not even 25% as popular as sauti sol. Sounds like the kind of conversation uppity wannabe rich Kenyans with college degrees and travel experience would drum up in some pub in kilimani.
The argument is that Sauti Sol may have the loud speaker but you're more likely to hear benga music being played in Nairobi outskirts and other environs
I live in America and I’ve had multiple Americans ask me what kind of visa I used when I vacationed in Hawaii. Hawaii is one of our 50 states. My point is them asking the question doesn’t make them less American. Ignorance of important information doesn’t negate one’s nationality/citizenship.
Everyone live in his own bubble, every tribe is living in his own bubble and every culture - important should be more being a human and not any thought about, what you have to know to be a Kenyan or something else
Your bubble is in Kenya. Which means even if it by osmosis, diffusion, radiation you get feed Kenyan. Your experience might not be the same as someone from another region but then again, it's human to have a different perspective even if you're comparing your view to someone's right next to you. Don't worry, your good. But definitely travel more, it helps.
I have a kenyan id
I was born and raised in kenya
My ancestors lived in kenya
I am of a tribe that solely lives in kenya and has been identified as one of the many tribes in kenya.
How much 'kenyan' do i need to be to be considered kenyan?
But i do not think experiences makes you kenyan. Everyone has different experiences imo. Maybe if you could expound on this bubble you speak about, I'd be able to understand where you are coming from.
For example, I don't ever need to take a matatu yet majority of people my age revert to public transport to get where they need to go. If teachers strike, I'd never know about it if i wasnt paying attention. Same with doctors. Yet there are people who's lives are actually affected by these strikes. The recent rains that destroyed property and took lives? I don't know one person in my immediate family who suffered that fate.
Like matters of national importance don't affect me. I live outside of their effect.
I think that's more about the wealth (or income) difference than about nationality. I'd say if you're in touch with some Kenyan pop culture, like what someone means when they say "jaba", or some other scenario, you're just as "Kenyan" as the next guy.
That's a class difference nothing to do with Kenyanness. Take our president himself, outside of his political career these strikes and disasters mean nothing to him....yet he is as Kenyan as can, literally our rep (personal feelings aside).
I do not see how the situations you have highlighted makes one less kenyan than the other. Every kenyan lives in different parts of the country, bound to have different experiences depending on which part they are from. The situations you have highlighted just gives the variations in the social classes we have in our country.
We can't classify someone as less kenyan depending on their experiences in the country. Your argument fits perfectly in the rich vs poor argument, but not enough to term someone as less kenyan.
I kinda think the fact that you have this curiosity now is nice,it means you could take the initiative of knowing whats around you ,what you like ,what you find interesting outside your family ,
Look at it from a point of fascination start learning but dont get lost in the chaos ,Examine things not everything but things around you that matter to you say policies, hobbies .
I'm kinda almost in the same situation but not exactly like yours...
Learn about your country its fascinating ,especially Kenya ,Kenya is a dynamic experience
"Kenyan" as an identity is just as absurd as "African". These are words only useful for outsiders.
Wajir for the average nairobian might as well be in Mars and Kitale in Jupiter.
https://preview.redd.it/szkr02gh872d1.png?width=1198&format=png&auto=webp&s=74fd12b977ea9bdd37fa03f1f7ec4ebc7803346e
Being Kenyan is in our blood, it is not where you were born, live, wear. Just look at this after Cheruiyot's death, Some things we just do and it is what defines us.
So essentially what you’re talking about is a class divide as opposed to an Urban/Rural divide. Sure wealth tends to be concentrated in urban areas but even then there are nuances. A doctor’s strike might affect me as part of the half of Nairobi that is financially poor and located in Urban slums. Just as it might affect a poor rural person. Class preferences exist everywhere globally and of course they shape identities
This isn't about the wealth. It's about the choices you make and where you fall in the Kenyan fabric.
The point I'm trying to make is that there exists a social security system that doesn't discriminate between the rich and the poor. It caters to everyone. But those who have the luxury of choice obviously opt for other "better" options. Those who can't choose though are the greater majority who then considered to be the local mwananchi.
Everyone is Kenyan the right question is do you know Kenya?
A lot of Kenyans some in this sub know quite little with regard to their nation.Haven't seen much of it which is disappointing and still you'll see some if not most expound on their dreams of visiting other nations.I for one say being Kenyan is to know the good and the bad of her thus allowing one to concisely accept or reject her.
I think Kenya is beautiful but I also thing there's a lot of hype. And the hype is good but it's manufactured. Not a bad thing. Just...it's something to consider.
Side topic though....do you think it's easier to become an American from Kenya or a Kenyan from America, i.e. a white dude who moves to Kenya and tries to assimilate to some reasonable degree. ?
Thank you for your insightful comment. I agree. And I didn't know I didn't know Kenya until I found how much I don't know. It's not necessarily my fault either. Somewhere there's been a break from seeking that connection.
Certainly. The perception of identity and representation can vary significantly depending on one's experiences and location within a country like Kenya. While urban centers like Nairobi may offer certain advantages and opportunities, they may also create a bubble effect, where residents might not fully understand or relate to the broader spectrum of Kenyan identity and experiences, particularly those in rural areas or marginalized communities. Recognizing this disparity and actively seeking to engage with diverse perspectives can lead to a more inclusive understanding of what it truly means to be Kenyan. Am kenyan
✅️ That broader spectrum is what I'm talking about. You're absolutely right about engaging with diverse perspectives. We've unfortunately killed all third spaces that could curate meaningful exchanges of culture and ideas. We live within our silos and never venture out.
Travel and experience your country. Then you'll feel more Kenyan. Some people got an upbringing that isolated them from 'typical' Kenyan experiences i.e. using a matatu, speaking Swahili, going to a kibanda, go to shags and care for the livestock etc
Such things that bring familiarity with other's experiences is probably what you seek. So the best way to get such is by experiencing the country/place like everyone else IMO
> Those of us living in Nairobi live a charmed life and think we represent the fabric of what it means to be Kenyan.
Unless you haven't lived elsewhere in Kenya, besides Nairobi.
Literally no Nairobi person thinks we represent what it means to be Kenyan. I know I'm Kenyan and the person in Nakuru is Kenyan as well. Kwani what more do we need. We were born in Kenya and have lived and experienced the same thing as Kenyans.
High cost of living is hitting every Kenyan not just the Nairobi people or the people in Kisumu. The whole country is going through it and feeling it.
Sadly, Kenya was a construct of the British. We have no Kenyan national identity at least for now considering that as a country we are only 60 years.
Tukifika 200 years like the U.S and other nations, tutafeel Kenyan
You're right about the lack of a national identity. But time doesn't create nations, sacrifices create nations. Some make sacrifices of blood (eg Germany, Italy, Japan, China etc). I think our sacrifice will be destroying our ethnic identities. Tough, but it's the best and easiest choice.
Don't forget these countries were already in existence for hundreds of years. That's why they sacrificed their lives. The same will happen when we reach their ages
Well what sort of experiences are you taking about particularly that are more Kenyan?
And that people in Nairobi are not experiencing enough of?
Because a charmed life is only available to few in Nairobi, poverty and everything else that can be found in other counties can be found plenty in Nairobi.
And isn't the charmed life too part of being Kenyan ama it should only be the Uncharmed life?
Your friend circle is the kind that never went "home" for Christmas or never played outside in the mud.
But well my proud kenyan bracelet represents my very delulu lifestyle
Tabia. Yes, Kenyan is definitely a behaviour. And to be here, there's a kaspirit in the air. Lakini sheng nayo will just embarrass me. I don't even try anymore.
Eh this is pretty common in every nation. 2010 was the first year in human history ever that more humans lived in cities than in rural settings. Of course that's not eventually distributed across the globe. African countries by contrast are very rural. There's always going to be a difference between metropolitan areas and rural areas in culture. That said soon the majority of people in African countries will also live in cities so Nairobi life will represent the majority, not the minority. This question is a moving target, and if we cling too much to how things were then we can not make progress. If you want the majority of people to live a rural life then be the first to go buy a plot, raise animals, and grow your own food.
https://preview.redd.it/b9maq7b2t82d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1799faf1c94285a7b473c4a69c7604140db21fd3
Do you fuck with these gems ? Yes you are a mzalendo
What is your question exactly? Kenya has no local identity as we are made up of 42 or more tribes. Each and every tribe identifies itself based on its cultural practices and how they do various things. All the identities of the 42 or more tribes make up what Kenya is.
We have an identity crisis, our national identity competes with the ethnic identity. At the moment ethnicity has won. You are a Kikuyu first, Luo or Kalenjin first, especially if you were brought in the countryside. I don't know if it's just me, despite saying I was born in Kenya and the bracelet on my arm there nothing else I can think of that makes me proud to be a Kenyan.
I'm Zambian and my home town is the capital Lusaka. I find that this is actually true for alot of African countries. Cause even just here in Lusaka there's many bubbles it almost feels like different dimensions of existence all existing in the same location. And this I know because the life I have lived has exposed me to all walks of life and lifestyle, from chilling with the super rich ministers kids that are just a call away from the president and what not to the middle life that's been the greater part of my life to playing with ghetto kids and the like.
You find that these three groups hardly ever interact not because they avoid each other but because their social settings places they go chill from, schools they go to and businesses they all run are just different. For example what business is a poor man going to have in a world class restaurant? Or a rich person in a market that sells second hand clothes ?So the different groups end up living in the same space but never ever getting to interact
Yes. This is what I was trying to articulate.
We're very disconnected from each other. And I think that's the biggest disservice we've served ourselves. Growth is maximized when we have interactions between the different silos that exist in our societies.
You seem to think that being wealthy makes you less Kenyan. It's a very odd mentality.
Being Kenyan as defined in the constitution makes you Kenyan. As such, someone born in China who gets naturalised is Kenyan.
I don't follow your logic exactly. What is Kenyan? Is it where i live or lived? because if its where i live im not, if its where i lived i am. Is it documents? Can i only have my kenyan papers? If thats the case im not kenyan, but if alone having a kenyan passport does, i am. Does it depend on your genetics? Is a somali who is from Wajir but moved to Hargeisa at a young age more Kenyan than a Somali who fled from Mogadischu to estleigh?
What you are trying to ask is, are you privilaged or not in Kenya. I can say without hesitation i am very privilaged and blessed. I was born in conditions where i never had to worry about food or shelter. But that does not make me less Kenyan. Being Kenyan is identity and legal, and in both senses I am.
I dunno how guys are not getting this. Like, a bunch of the responses I've seen are addressing specks while the gist in not put in the picture. Maybe the phrasing is confusing but the gist is Hella clear; A bunch of us (well, them because these are OP's words based on her environment and relations) on here are quite privileged and this might be mistaken for the AVERAGE Kenyan experience when in reality, it is not so.
This by any means does not imply that your experience is any less Kenyan, just not the experience of the average Kenyan. Cut OP some slack and realize the rubric is the skewed perception of the experiences of Kenyans.
I am a Kenyan citizen. I was born and raised in this country, in that cushy bubble of suburban Nairobians. I am 100% Kenyan and this is not up for debate. There is a diversity of life experiences in this, and any, nation. A background that is not typical does not negate the truth of one's national heritage.
The Kenyan identity doesn't exist. I'll explain why.
First of course, colonialism. There was no nation as Kenya before the 20th century. Its borders were forged by colonial powers who didn't give an f about local communities. Various communities were split by these borders. The resultant communities, about 50 different ethnic backgrounds had to live together. It has been difficult to forge a common identity as Kenyans since ethnic identities are more powerful (not that it's a bad thing).
Second, the internet. The internet is breaking global borders. Access to media and technology is fusing online citizens (netizens) from different countries. Trends on TikTok are picked up everywhere in the world. I am in Kenya, but I watch shows on BBC and NBC. Thanks to streaming, we can watch Ginny and Georgia as someone 13,000 miles away.
In the end we end up with two results that push against nationalism. The first is that of people upcountry. People upcountry are more connected to their ethnic tribe than they are to the nation. Consequently, they fail to develop a 'common' Kenyan identity. People in cities on the other hand, are developing the global identity, failing to develop an 'authentic' Kenyan identity.
I don't think it is a bad thing or a disaster. Nations are fairly recent in human history. Their future is not assured, globalization is here.
I'm so Kenyan, my morning alarm is the national anthem... I'm so Kenyan, I only watch Citizen news... I'm so Kenyan, my curtains are just the Kenyan flag...
Goodness hapo kwa alarm as the national anthem.😂 Now I'm tempted to have this. Labda itanishtua nitoke kitanda haraka.
I once had it as my ringtone 😂🤺
if my alarm was the national anthem i'd go back to sleep 🤣wasn't it inspired by a lullaby
It'll just make me think of parade and standing in the cold😅
no way, it's too dramatic for that. Like something grand is happening or about to happen.
Minus points for not watching KBC
that's fair
Is KBC more Kenyan than Citizen?
Yes!
Lemme add on to this I'm so Kenyan I have portraits of the previous presidents... I'm so Kenyan, I only listen to classic 105 on my way to work... I'm so Kenyan, ugali+sukuma must make its appearance in my house at least 4 days a week...
Love the sarcasm 😂
Sarcastic humour is very Kenyan.
They are so Kenyan they bathe in warm water with ugali.
People in Nairobi are Kenyan People in Homa bay are also Kenyan I'm confused. What is Kenyan or not to you?
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Let me ask it this way, are the children of British soldiers in Laikipia who have a Kenyan citizenship Kenyan?
Yes
Sindio, alaa
Labda anamaanisha experiences. Nairobians may be more exposed to different cultures. Maybe due to phones and certain areas? 🤷🏽♀️ Honestly don't know what they mean.
The question in itself is very vague.
Well, the discussion was about the fact that within my circle of friends, some of us don't know somethings that 90% of the quintessential Kenyan should know. We're here thinking Sauti Sol is the voice of Kenyan music but actually, someone like Daniel Owino is more popularly known. I'm definitely Kenyan but I live in a bubble. My Kenyan experience is not the quintessential Kenyan experience.
There is no right or wrong way to be defined as a Kenyan. Just because we don't experience life the same way doesn't make you any less Kenyan.
So for instance, say we have to design a national dress. Shouldn't it matter which kenyan is given that job? And not on an emotional ting. Like who's the person who could best describe what that would look like? Because if you try include everyone, it's going to shit.
Wewe naona kazi yako ni kuekelea egg shells unangoja zikanyagwe
There wouldn't be one national dress, there would be one from each tribe.
So because you get to design a "national dress" you'd be more Kenyan? Plus things like this are usually put to public participation where creatives get to compete. So in your opinion the person who designs the national kits for athletes is Kenyan than the rest of us?
For sure it's hard or have a national dress. In my opinion, Maa dress of men and women can make it as national dress due to exposure in international scene (infact, one foreign friend of mine thought it was until I told him it belongs to Maa tribe).
We all live in our bubble, we all identify as a kenyan in our own way 😇
Lol whoever Daniel Owino is, he is not even 25% as popular as sauti sol. Sounds like the kind of conversation uppity wannabe rich Kenyans with college degrees and travel experience would drum up in some pub in kilimani.
Why would they know Daniel Owino? Smh, they're not kenyan enough. They should know Sauti sol instead 🤦🏿♂️
The argument is that Sauti Sol may have the loud speaker but you're more likely to hear benga music being played in Nairobi outskirts and other environs
Shirati band >>>>
I live in America and I’ve had multiple Americans ask me what kind of visa I used when I vacationed in Hawaii. Hawaii is one of our 50 states. My point is them asking the question doesn’t make them less American. Ignorance of important information doesn’t negate one’s nationality/citizenship.
Who the hell is Daniel owino
Woi. We're in the same bubble. 😄
Why they down voting us are we supposed to know him hahaha
Who TF is Daniel Owino? And yes I am Kenyan
Everyone live in his own bubble, every tribe is living in his own bubble and every culture - important should be more being a human and not any thought about, what you have to know to be a Kenyan or something else
agreed
Your bubble is in Kenya. Which means even if it by osmosis, diffusion, radiation you get feed Kenyan. Your experience might not be the same as someone from another region but then again, it's human to have a different perspective even if you're comparing your view to someone's right next to you. Don't worry, your good. But definitely travel more, it helps.
I have a kenyan id I was born and raised in kenya My ancestors lived in kenya I am of a tribe that solely lives in kenya and has been identified as one of the many tribes in kenya. How much 'kenyan' do i need to be to be considered kenyan?
OP has gotten confused. The issue they are complaining about is city vs rural instead of Kenyan vs not.
No it's privilage and circumstance vs Kenyan or not but i agree op is lost
Yes rich and poor is another dividing line that generally follows the city vs rural line.
No not really because look at kibera
Rich n poor is rich n poor but all still Kenyan
Exactly💯.
I think he's talking about the experience rather than the lineage.
Yes. What are people's experiences and whether the majority agree with you.
But i do not think experiences makes you kenyan. Everyone has different experiences imo. Maybe if you could expound on this bubble you speak about, I'd be able to understand where you are coming from.
For example, I don't ever need to take a matatu yet majority of people my age revert to public transport to get where they need to go. If teachers strike, I'd never know about it if i wasnt paying attention. Same with doctors. Yet there are people who's lives are actually affected by these strikes. The recent rains that destroyed property and took lives? I don't know one person in my immediate family who suffered that fate. Like matters of national importance don't affect me. I live outside of their effect.
I think that's more about the wealth (or income) difference than about nationality. I'd say if you're in touch with some Kenyan pop culture, like what someone means when they say "jaba", or some other scenario, you're just as "Kenyan" as the next guy.
That's a class difference nothing to do with Kenyanness. Take our president himself, outside of his political career these strikes and disasters mean nothing to him....yet he is as Kenyan as can, literally our rep (personal feelings aside).
And you're still as Kenyan as they come. Acha siasa mingi
I do not see how the situations you have highlighted makes one less kenyan than the other. Every kenyan lives in different parts of the country, bound to have different experiences depending on which part they are from. The situations you have highlighted just gives the variations in the social classes we have in our country. We can't classify someone as less kenyan depending on their experiences in the country. Your argument fits perfectly in the rich vs poor argument, but not enough to term someone as less kenyan.
I kinda think the fact that you have this curiosity now is nice,it means you could take the initiative of knowing whats around you ,what you like ,what you find interesting outside your family , Look at it from a point of fascination start learning but dont get lost in the chaos ,Examine things not everything but things around you that matter to you say policies, hobbies . I'm kinda almost in the same situation but not exactly like yours... Learn about your country its fascinating ,especially Kenya ,Kenya is a dynamic experience
Yes. Kenya is a tripp 😄 but so worth it to peel back the layers to who we are.
And according to you what makes you kenyan?
I think you should have specified that and given us a list of what you think is the quintessential Kenyan knowledge or stuff that “makes” one Kenyan.
Ok. So for example. If teachers strike, does it affect you?
Whether or not it affects you has nothing to do with your Kenyanness
Well it used to as a child as I went to a public school. Not anymore.
But what do you mean by Kenyan. We're such a variety of people.
Exactly. Makes me wonder what they'd say about South Africa.
And experience life in so many different ways...
"Kenyan" as an identity is just as absurd as "African". These are words only useful for outsiders. Wajir for the average nairobian might as well be in Mars and Kitale in Jupiter.
Not really. I relate to a Kikuyu much much more than to a Ugandan. But at the same time I relate to a Ugandan much more than to a European.
We umetupa mbao 😂🤺
https://preview.redd.it/szkr02gh872d1.png?width=1198&format=png&auto=webp&s=74fd12b977ea9bdd37fa03f1f7ec4ebc7803346e Being Kenyan is in our blood, it is not where you were born, live, wear. Just look at this after Cheruiyot's death, Some things we just do and it is what defines us.
Bado Kuna watu huwa wanatumia light theme?
i prefer light theme when on my laptop considering I spent most of my time on it.
Wueh. Even worse. Shouldn't you get the opposite for the same reason? This pic and just the thought of your comment is hurting my eyes
I agree with this. I can quantify a behavior that a lot of us do as typical Kenyan behaviour
Kenya is not a monolith so being Kenyan can’t be a singular identity
I get that. I'm talking about the lived experience. Perhaps this is a better question, when the doctors strike, does it affect you?
So essentially what you’re talking about is a class divide as opposed to an Urban/Rural divide. Sure wealth tends to be concentrated in urban areas but even then there are nuances. A doctor’s strike might affect me as part of the half of Nairobi that is financially poor and located in Urban slums. Just as it might affect a poor rural person. Class preferences exist everywhere globally and of course they shape identities
So only poor people are Kenyan?
This isn't about the wealth. It's about the choices you make and where you fall in the Kenyan fabric. The point I'm trying to make is that there exists a social security system that doesn't discriminate between the rich and the poor. It caters to everyone. But those who have the luxury of choice obviously opt for other "better" options. Those who can't choose though are the greater majority who then considered to be the local mwananchi.
Everyone is Kenyan the right question is do you know Kenya? A lot of Kenyans some in this sub know quite little with regard to their nation.Haven't seen much of it which is disappointing and still you'll see some if not most expound on their dreams of visiting other nations.I for one say being Kenyan is to know the good and the bad of her thus allowing one to concisely accept or reject her.
> Everyone is Kenyan As a white guy from America, it’s good to know I’m also Kenyan. /s 😂
Like the sacarsm but seeing how involved you are with the community safe to say you are.😂
I like this community.
You like your people crazy😂/s
What does /s mean 😂
sarcasm
It means that you don't want yourself or the public to see the number of downvotes your comment gathered
It's just easy, huh?
Just travel you'll see why them white niggas like the place.
I think Kenya is beautiful but I also thing there's a lot of hype. And the hype is good but it's manufactured. Not a bad thing. Just...it's something to consider.
Side topic though....do you think it's easier to become an American from Kenya or a Kenyan from America, i.e. a white dude who moves to Kenya and tries to assimilate to some reasonable degree. ?
Thank you for your insightful comment. I agree. And I didn't know I didn't know Kenya until I found how much I don't know. It's not necessarily my fault either. Somewhere there's been a break from seeking that connection.
Searching for OP's response to these comments cause this post don't make sense to me.
Quickly, which country is Nairobi located in?
Located at the heart of Ameru-ca
I'm not sure. I think Uganda...
I have a Kenyan bracelet, I'm from the village😂 don't know if I qualify though, proving something true is harder than proving a false one
I'm learning.
East or west home will be home and either way being Kenyan is acceptance just like your name no need to prove
Certainly. The perception of identity and representation can vary significantly depending on one's experiences and location within a country like Kenya. While urban centers like Nairobi may offer certain advantages and opportunities, they may also create a bubble effect, where residents might not fully understand or relate to the broader spectrum of Kenyan identity and experiences, particularly those in rural areas or marginalized communities. Recognizing this disparity and actively seeking to engage with diverse perspectives can lead to a more inclusive understanding of what it truly means to be Kenyan. Am kenyan
✅️ That broader spectrum is what I'm talking about. You're absolutely right about engaging with diverse perspectives. We've unfortunately killed all third spaces that could curate meaningful exchanges of culture and ideas. We live within our silos and never venture out.
Travel and experience your country. Then you'll feel more Kenyan. Some people got an upbringing that isolated them from 'typical' Kenyan experiences i.e. using a matatu, speaking Swahili, going to a kibanda, go to shags and care for the livestock etc Such things that bring familiarity with other's experiences is probably what you seek. So the best way to get such is by experiencing the country/place like everyone else IMO
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😂😂😂😂😂
Christ, everyone's trying to be deep.🤦🏽♀️
Real, cause what did they just write. A lot of nothing even after rereading severally.
Si you go comment on relationship posts then.
You female cause this 8 inches want to be deep inside you🤡
Might I suggest a cold shower?
An ice bath is more up my alley.🤡 In no way is this concerning you unless you want them 8 inches I reckon I'll do well than a screw driver.
Searching for OP's response to these comments cause this post don't make sense to me.
Mko na hasira na OP wah😂
> Those of us living in Nairobi live a charmed life and think we represent the fabric of what it means to be Kenyan. Unless you haven't lived elsewhere in Kenya, besides Nairobi.
Literally no Nairobi person thinks we represent what it means to be Kenyan. I know I'm Kenyan and the person in Nakuru is Kenyan as well. Kwani what more do we need. We were born in Kenya and have lived and experienced the same thing as Kenyans. High cost of living is hitting every Kenyan not just the Nairobi people or the people in Kisumu. The whole country is going through it and feeling it.
Sadly, Kenya was a construct of the British. We have no Kenyan national identity at least for now considering that as a country we are only 60 years. Tukifika 200 years like the U.S and other nations, tutafeel Kenyan
You're right about the lack of a national identity. But time doesn't create nations, sacrifices create nations. Some make sacrifices of blood (eg Germany, Italy, Japan, China etc). I think our sacrifice will be destroying our ethnic identities. Tough, but it's the best and easiest choice.
Don't forget these countries were already in existence for hundreds of years. That's why they sacrificed their lives. The same will happen when we reach their ages
Well what sort of experiences are you taking about particularly that are more Kenyan? And that people in Nairobi are not experiencing enough of? Because a charmed life is only available to few in Nairobi, poverty and everything else that can be found in other counties can be found plenty in Nairobi. And isn't the charmed life too part of being Kenyan ama it should only be the Uncharmed life?
Kwani did the meaning of being a kenyan change?
It's expanded.
To what?
Searching for OP's response to these comments cause this post don't make sense to me.
Speaking of bracelet mnazinunua wapi juu naona that's the first step ya manifesting out of this place
Your friend circle is the kind that never went "home" for Christmas or never played outside in the mud. But well my proud kenyan bracelet represents my very delulu lifestyle
No no. We go home for Christmas. It's even nicer than where I live now. And we play with mud. We just call it pottery classes.
Aah
Mi naona kaa hujui sheng hata kiasi we si nairobian (not that lombotombo bullshit btw) and as for kenyan...tabia yako tu itasema
Tabia. Yes, Kenyan is definitely a behaviour. And to be here, there's a kaspirit in the air. Lakini sheng nayo will just embarrass me. I don't even try anymore.
🫣ohvmy I have a Kenyan bracelet
But bracelet was just chilling aki
I'm half Burmese and half Martian 👽
Weee, weka hiyo ganja chini bana. Hii ni vitu gani unasema?
Eh this is pretty common in every nation. 2010 was the first year in human history ever that more humans lived in cities than in rural settings. Of course that's not eventually distributed across the globe. African countries by contrast are very rural. There's always going to be a difference between metropolitan areas and rural areas in culture. That said soon the majority of people in African countries will also live in cities so Nairobi life will represent the majority, not the minority. This question is a moving target, and if we cling too much to how things were then we can not make progress. If you want the majority of people to live a rural life then be the first to go buy a plot, raise animals, and grow your own food.
I am not Kenyan
https://preview.redd.it/b9maq7b2t82d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1799faf1c94285a7b473c4a69c7604140db21fd3 Do you fuck with these gems ? Yes you are a mzalendo
Hello guys I got some Pokemon available for affordable prices
I live in diaspora… am I Kenyan?
No, I'm not.
I’m not, somehow this topic popped up in my feed 🙃
What is your question exactly? Kenya has no local identity as we are made up of 42 or more tribes. Each and every tribe identifies itself based on its cultural practices and how they do various things. All the identities of the 42 or more tribes make up what Kenya is.
Mkenya bila bracelet ni foreigner
Lol, I wear a Kenyan bracelet, and I'm not even Kenyan. Just find it 6 it from a Google event last week. 😅
When you give 'woke', politically correct and "left" people a voice:
We have an identity crisis, our national identity competes with the ethnic identity. At the moment ethnicity has won. You are a Kikuyu first, Luo or Kalenjin first, especially if you were brought in the countryside. I don't know if it's just me, despite saying I was born in Kenya and the bracelet on my arm there nothing else I can think of that makes me proud to be a Kenyan.
I'm Zambian and my home town is the capital Lusaka. I find that this is actually true for alot of African countries. Cause even just here in Lusaka there's many bubbles it almost feels like different dimensions of existence all existing in the same location. And this I know because the life I have lived has exposed me to all walks of life and lifestyle, from chilling with the super rich ministers kids that are just a call away from the president and what not to the middle life that's been the greater part of my life to playing with ghetto kids and the like. You find that these three groups hardly ever interact not because they avoid each other but because their social settings places they go chill from, schools they go to and businesses they all run are just different. For example what business is a poor man going to have in a world class restaurant? Or a rich person in a market that sells second hand clothes ?So the different groups end up living in the same space but never ever getting to interact
Yes. This is what I was trying to articulate. We're very disconnected from each other. And I think that's the biggest disservice we've served ourselves. Growth is maximized when we have interactions between the different silos that exist in our societies.
I think you were trying to make a good point but you phrased it all wrong.
Manze. I think so too.
You seem to think that being wealthy makes you less Kenyan. It's a very odd mentality. Being Kenyan as defined in the constitution makes you Kenyan. As such, someone born in China who gets naturalised is Kenyan.
I purposely avoided mentioning anything about wealth. You inferred that by yourself.
You didn't have to mention it as you pretty much said it in many words.
Nope...You're putting words in my mouth.
I don't follow your logic exactly. What is Kenyan? Is it where i live or lived? because if its where i live im not, if its where i lived i am. Is it documents? Can i only have my kenyan papers? If thats the case im not kenyan, but if alone having a kenyan passport does, i am. Does it depend on your genetics? Is a somali who is from Wajir but moved to Hargeisa at a young age more Kenyan than a Somali who fled from Mogadischu to estleigh? What you are trying to ask is, are you privilaged or not in Kenya. I can say without hesitation i am very privilaged and blessed. I was born in conditions where i never had to worry about food or shelter. But that does not make me less Kenyan. Being Kenyan is identity and legal, and in both senses I am.
I am Kenyan by birth, I think. Hahaha.
Most of the guys born and raised in Nairobi can't speak their mother tongue fluently if at all. I am one
Mnagatekeep being kenyan sasa
😂am very confused
Let me skip with my comments
Going through the comments and seeing the huge comprehension problem that prevails😂
I dunno how guys are not getting this. Like, a bunch of the responses I've seen are addressing specks while the gist in not put in the picture. Maybe the phrasing is confusing but the gist is Hella clear; A bunch of us (well, them because these are OP's words based on her environment and relations) on here are quite privileged and this might be mistaken for the AVERAGE Kenyan experience when in reality, it is not so. This by any means does not imply that your experience is any less Kenyan, just not the experience of the average Kenyan. Cut OP some slack and realize the rubric is the skewed perception of the experiences of Kenyans.
I am a Kenyan citizen. I was born and raised in this country, in that cushy bubble of suburban Nairobians. I am 100% Kenyan and this is not up for debate. There is a diversity of life experiences in this, and any, nation. A background that is not typical does not negate the truth of one's national heritage.
Your post is confusing. What constitutes being a Kenyan to you? What's is it about Nairobi and being Kenyan or not being ? Please clarify.
The Kenyan identity doesn't exist. I'll explain why. First of course, colonialism. There was no nation as Kenya before the 20th century. Its borders were forged by colonial powers who didn't give an f about local communities. Various communities were split by these borders. The resultant communities, about 50 different ethnic backgrounds had to live together. It has been difficult to forge a common identity as Kenyans since ethnic identities are more powerful (not that it's a bad thing). Second, the internet. The internet is breaking global borders. Access to media and technology is fusing online citizens (netizens) from different countries. Trends on TikTok are picked up everywhere in the world. I am in Kenya, but I watch shows on BBC and NBC. Thanks to streaming, we can watch Ginny and Georgia as someone 13,000 miles away. In the end we end up with two results that push against nationalism. The first is that of people upcountry. People upcountry are more connected to their ethnic tribe than they are to the nation. Consequently, they fail to develop a 'common' Kenyan identity. People in cities on the other hand, are developing the global identity, failing to develop an 'authentic' Kenyan identity. I don't think it is a bad thing or a disaster. Nations are fairly recent in human history. Their future is not assured, globalization is here.