matatu beatz.

rather than write about all of the wonderful things I’ve been fortunate enough to take part in or even try to depict the unreal amount of energy and enthusiasm that Athanai school had this week, I wanted to paint a picture of what’s always going on in the background. specifically, as courtney described earlier as bumping beats and 90's rap remixes we all forgot existed, I’m going to focus on the music of the matatu.

so far, it has been hard to describe all of the things we’ve seen, felt and experienced, as words can hardly do any of these experiences justice, as reuben would say. music has added an immeasurable amount to each and every one of these experiences.

as project this year has reached out to more rural and remote secondary schools, we have spent many hours in the matatu driving to and from school each day. this time in the mat has allowed us to become quite familiar with the minimal CD selection, and we’ve started to compile our very own kenya project 09 playlist:

• To the Ceiling – Isaac Blackman
• Nakuamini – we're working on the artist.
• Hauna – Cleptomaniacs
• Mac Muga - Ali Kibi
• Sura Yako - Tid
• Kushoto Kulia - Cleptomaniacs
• Kidato Kimoja - Lil Ghetto
• Don’t Let Him Go – M.O.G.
• Tafadhali – Pili Pili
• Atoti – Giddy Giddy Maji Maji
• Kwani Jana Kuliendaje – Tony Won’t Tell Us Who.
• Pressure – HAFSA
• Temptation – P. Square
• Sweetlove – Wahu
• Repent – Shaggy
• Life is a Flower - Ace of Base
• and everything and anything remixed to a new and improved reggae version, including but not limited, to celine, shaggy and r. kelly.

sing-a-longs to our obvious favourites in both Swahili and English consist of everyone’s unique and somewhat made-up, mumbled version of the versus, with everyone coming together for a louder, more correct and coherent version of the chorus. countless sitting dance parties have taken place in the mat, which wouldn’t be complete without dave’s version of the running man and mumbi’s infamous ‘head shake’. a drive in the matatu also wouldn’t be complete without witnessing the unreal dance moves we’ve seen from our windows by the local professionals, and by that, I mean the children who also appreciate the music from the mat.

music is essentially always playing, especially at volumes decibels louder than anyone would think is acceptable at home. for us, music acts as a signal that it is time to go to school, as we can hear the music blaring as the mat rounds the corner to our house. throughout all the car trouble that we’ve experienced, from frequent police road checks to tires popping and falling off, the music has always managed to remain on at full volume. on the rare occasion, the music has been turned down, but not off, for a cell phone conversation. we've become so accustomed to the music, that something seems wrong if it isn’t blaring and your body isn’t slightly vibrating with the base. in a sense, it feels like we have our own personal entrance and exit music, everywhere we go.