Music

No wonder Kenyans are such happy people - their music rocks! I went out over the weekend with some Kenyans and a UCSF med student who is in town for a few weeks. After finally getting going at 9:30 (despite our 7:45 meeting time...all expected, we chose to meet at a place where we could have a few beers while waiting!), we first went to the local dive. This was a cement walled room, bare lightbulbs and frequently patched walls, a mix of plastic chairs and what appeared to be old church pews squeezed in next to the pool table (more than one person was hit or nearly hit by swinging cue sticks - their concept of right of way or personal space is a bit different from ours), and warm Tuskers only - don't even think of asking for cold. The band was led by the percussion - a collection of six or so huge bongos, a few gord like things that rattled, and various other noise making instruments that combined to create some incredible rhythms - impossible to sit still while you are listening. Everyone was dancing - actually initially it was mainly just men. In Kenya, it is very rare to see a couple showing affection or even holding hands - however, totally normal for two men to walk along holding hands (and, in case you were wondering, I was told today there are no gay people in Kenya). So apparently its also totally normal for two men to dance together, normal for a Masai warrior in full dress, including a machete at his side, to be on the dance floor - but very odd to see a mzungu out there! The music was a take on traditional Luo folk music - ohangala.

Next we went on to a more traditional club with fake rock walls, black lights, and cold Tusker, where one of the local popular groups the Malo Malo Kings was playing sort of a mix of reggae, rock, and folk music. Definitely going to bring some of this back!