Kenya's public buses show off colorful matatu culture

DW (English)

Kenya’s shared taxis known as matatus are like a living room on wheels racing through the streets, with dimmed lights, catchy music and bright eye-catching graffiti on the walls. REV goes to Kenya to check them out.

Transcript

00:00Imagine experiencing your living room on wheels racing through the streets, dimming lights,

00:09music playing in the background with bright eye-catching graffiti decorating the walls

00:14around you.

00:15The main reason why I prefer the pimp buses and the dope matatus is because the feeling

00:20is so thrilling as compared to other types of matatus.

00:24When you board a matatu which has a lot of graffiti and the crew is fun and the music

00:29is loud and considering I'm a young person, that's what we young people like.

00:43Through showcasing the matatus, I feel like it's a really good way of being an ambassador

00:49of Kenya because first of all you get to showcase the art, you get to showcase even

00:55the lifestyle behind it and this brings fulfilment to me.

01:00Award-winning Brian Nwanyama, also known as Graff, grew up in Nairobi's Buruburu estate,

01:06an area surrounded by garages, so it is no surprise that his love for buses runs deep.

01:12But how did he overcome the challenges to transform this passion for street art and

01:16public transport into an iconic cultural drive from 2010?

01:22My love for matatus has really been inspired by where I grew up.

01:25It had a lot of influences, especially from the matatu industry, music, art, so it's somewhere

01:33that really had a vibrant culture.

01:36From a young age, the matatus used to, you know, they pass you when you are maybe walking

01:41back to school or going to school.

01:42Even just the music from the matatus, it was something that really caught my attention.

01:47Some of the challenges that we faced when we were trying to document the matatu culture,

01:51there was this negative talk about matatus, so they used to call it matatu madness.

01:58So whenever we'd go to take photos or videos, the drivers or conductors would be very sceptical

02:04of how you'd use that content.

02:07Through civic education, we got to really make them understand our intentions and also

02:13the goals that we wanted to achieve.

02:16Matatu culture in Kenya has a rich and colourful history, rooted in the country's public transport

02:22system which began in the 1960s.

02:25The term matatu comes from the Kikuyu word for three, referring to the original fare

02:30of three cents.

02:32But what does it take to create the ultimate matatu experience, from the bold graffiti

02:37to the high-energy vibes?

02:41The reason why I started Matuan Matatu Culture was to brand how people perceive the matatus

02:47and also to build value.

02:49In terms of collaborations, we usually work with graffiti artists and also graphic designers

02:55in terms of developing concepts within the creative arts industry.

03:00Graffiti really plays a big role because it's the first thing you'll get to see when

03:04a matatu approaches you or when you see a video or even a picture of a matatu.

03:09One of the most iconic moments I've had was to work on vans that were provided by the

03:16British High Commission.

03:18That was for King Charles' visit to Kenya.

03:22Beyond the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife that draw millions to Kenya, matatu culture

03:27is also an attraction rolling through the streets.

03:31So why did Brian leave his work as a chef to transform Kenya's matatu culture to a

03:36new level?

03:37So career-wise, I started out as a chef, I worked for a while, but I needed something

03:44that would bring more fulfilment, that's why I decided to venture into the matatu industry

03:49and from there, the rest is history.

03:54The matatu industry solidifies Kenya's identity by the art that we showcase.

04:00It's something that is unique, not just in Africa, but throughout the world.

04:05And it also provides a very huge market for youth employment.

04:12So for the future of matatu industry, we're looking forward to many partnerships, collaborations,

04:20not just in Kenya, but also Africa and the world.

04:26In Kenya, riding in matatus feels like an adventure and the journey is as thrilling

04:31as the destination.

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