Society Travel Guide: Kenya
“99% of what you’ve been told about africa……is a lie”
- Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (nigerian musician & political activist).
to be completely honest…..im still searching for the meaning of this one. to the ignorant and unfamiliar africa is just this far-off place filled with huts, exotic plains and animals galore. and while the mysticism is all true…..there’s a selfish undertone when you hear people talk about africa like its a scene out of “the jungle book”. because if you spent any amount of time within these 54 sovereign countries, then you know. its a place where your preconceived notions will be tested; a land of many cultures, tribes and community. a place where the terrain / landscape can take your lif.e. and like a guide on the plains of the masaai mara told me….”you blink once and you disappear”. but its also a place that rewards you for taking a step forward. If you can muster the courage to travel and touchdown on this beautiful continent….. then i guarantee africa will leave you with deeper meaning. I’ve traversed the southern cape and played around in spots like johannesburg or zimbabwe. Western africa has showed me lots of love; from the slave castles of elmina to the nightclubs of accra. but this time we did it for the eastside; right next to the indian ocean. here’s the goodsociety guide to kenya.
keep an open mind and humble heart
the city of mombasa. What a lovely, anxiety inducing surprise. It is a coastal port city; the second largest and oldest city in kenya. one of the most profound and sincere lessons in life is to know that one knows nothing at all. africa always seems to push that notion to the forefront; you’re always an inch away from some new discovery, revelation or epiphany. As a veteran world-traveler its almost first nature to bring a confidence of “i got this” to the scene. But after touching down in country It became clearly evident that my perspective and understanding were about to be tested. after 17 hours of flight travel from NYC to nairobi, we landed at moi international airport in mombasa. Erase your american ideal of huge terminals or jetways; this was a world war II era airport with planes on the tarmac that you walkup to. After hopping into some passenger vans and settling down in our accomodations at severin sea lodge, it was off to the races. one of our first stops within country was to Praise chapel kenya, a ministry located on General Mathenge Road. The compound seemed to double as both a church ministry and school; as there were various rooms of children huddled together over discussion and text. Classrooms with open windows, picnic style chair seating and antiquated desks / tables & infrastructure set the scene. And while these children and educators may not have a sprawling modern campus filled with the newest technology and provisions….they are present and dedicated.
About 20 miles up the hilly terrain inland from mombasa is a town called kwale. Seated in greater kwale county, this area is dedicated largely to agriculture and small elements of tourism, whilst also holding a largely untapped reserve of mineral resources from titanium to lead / copper and rare earth elements. The greater county seat comprises a very youthful population, with about 79% of community members aged 0 to 34 years. (per county government statistics). after a van ride from city center up the winding hills and mountainous terrain, we entered a small compound in kwale that had group of community members waiting for us. It was at this moment the idea of “open mind humble heart” really took over. all the elements of developing countries and communities are present; from the outhouses with open-pit sewage to the tales of children whom walk miles to school; even toddlers whose form of entertainment is to push around inflated bicycle tire inner-tubes. The site of all this may have made it easy to feel overwhelmed, but it seems as if social justice & equity has only so much need for pity or commiseration. you have to sit with the people; come to understand their needs, desires and hopes. ideas like access to education, skills-training or infrastructure and resources take effort and application. to make change this conversation needs to happen on a level “where the people are’, removing ones preconceived notions or ideals as to what is right. Our time spent in the compound saw us do everything from eat, dance and rejoice with the community. I personally latched onto the youth and kids; openly handing our canon camera / microphones to any child with open arms. To see the babies light up with enthusiasm, running around taking pictures or me showing them how to record video & audio felt like a gift from the highest power. I can only hope that the brief moment I had to share some of my skills & passion inspired some of the youth in kwale. In honesty, i feel a deep seeded sense that more needs to be done.
find your community; experience awaits
when it comes to travel…you got to get past front street. If you want experiences of feeling and substance then you have to go beyond the normal tourist traps, lures & attractions. Find your tribe / community. But be careful when you say tribe in the motherland though…..these are people who actually have knowledge of their tribal ancestry and genealogy; not just some colloquial phrase we’re tossing around here. so before travel even started i made sure to seek out mombasa’s movers and shakers in terms of art and all things creative. In this search I was truly blessed to discover Africa nomads art space. founded in 2021 by benjamin livoi who then brought in lead artist Raphael Muchomba, this multidisciplinary contemporary cultural hub brings many offerings to the mombasa creative scene; from gallery space showcasing contemporary african paintings, sculptures, photography, and mixed media to artist residencies, support, workshops, a performing arts space and more.
when kindred hearts come together; magic happens. Finding the crew over at africa nomads was a true example of searching out for ones community, as everyone from benjamin to raphael, sally, dan, lou and a few others were extremely hospitable and welcoming. they took us on a true locals tour of mombasa. It was everything from restaurants and nightclubs, to showing us the space and even letting us sit in on an artists workshop for an upcoming festival they are curating. We rode on tuktuk’s and motorbikes in mombasa’s chaotic but organized traffic, did a quick business deal in mombasa’s port area and tried a smorgasbord of all the local food and drink offerings available. so keep in mind whenever you are in a new place….find your community; because the experiences you will unlock when connected to those who share the same interests and outlooks as you cant be replaced.
venture out, but question authenticity
The final stages of our trip saw us to the beautiful vast rural region of Kenya known as the Maasai Mara. 580 square miles of wildlife conservation area. This is where those images of wild game and animals ranging from zebras, lions, giraffes or even the strikingly pretty secretary bird roam freely. If you’ve ever been to a domestic zoo where nature is chained in captivity; well this is the complete opposite. Countless species that roam free…all with their own purpose within a unique ecosystem where rank and file, life and death plays out on a daily basis. It was here we spent days roaming around vast landscape (including a brief hop over into Tanzania where we had lunch on the infamous Serengeti plains). We even spent a few moments in a modern day Maasai tribal village. The juxtaposition of natural landscape and cultural heritage versus the encroachment of modern ideals and way of life was a conflict that still resonates in my heart.
The tales of Maasai warriors who travel into the bush as rites of passage seem overshadowed by the fact this is a place where ancient culture is assimilating; complete with tourist-centered resorts and Toyota landrovers filled with camera wielding foreigners paying whatever amount to experience “culture”. But this unique interplay is one that can only be experienced as it plays out. For me the true question was “is this a fair exchange?”. While I love expanding my horizons and experiencing the ebb and flow of new destinations, I ultimately was left to consider if this place with such a deep and rich heritage was moving forward towards a new reality which it loves and desires; or was this a puppeteer play on people who have little choice but to surrender towards the dynamic and different customs of the 21st century. But then again…who am I? So my best advice would be to venture into the unknown but bring a healthy amount of skepticism. If you fall into the regular tourist traps laid out for all to experience, cool. But seek out authenticity and connect with the locals on a level that hopefully resonates and true and equal. The foreigner on the opposite end of your camera lens deserves a fair chance at speaking their truth; not your subjugation under some fantasy roleplay. And you deserve the chance to experience their life as they see and feel it. Not because they feel forced to offer it in a palatable manner.
Let’s keep it short. This wasn’t the usual “go here visit this” Society travel guide we usually offer. My trip to Kenya and East Africa was fast paced, full of surprise and wonder plus a healthy amount of skepticism. But I enjoyed every single second of it. You deserve a chance to see this beautiful country and all its offerings. But you got to take a chance….step forwards towards risk. Towards the unknown. And trust me life will reward you for doing so. We’ll be back soon. More details and more insight to come. Just stay tuned. - @Brazi-p (goodsociety founder and owner)
