About
Urban Swahili- Is the bastardization of the Kiswahili and English language
and also a representation of our Urban social culture.
Nairobi, Kenya and the East African Community in general boast some of the most gifted yet unrecognized artsistes,spanning from the performing arts,artists,poets,graffiti enthusiasts and fashion designers to name a few. This latent often fizzles into oblivion due to a lack of recognition and more importantly monetary remuneration for their endeavours.As a result the region lost a wealth of culture and experience over the years .This has seen the evolution of a ‘’cultureless’’ crop of youth and young adults who blindly ape the allures of the western world.
The region has a rich heritage that risks literally vanishing due to lack of solid documentation and appreciation of these custodians of talent. Art since time immemorial has always been the reservoir for culture. In a rapidly globalizing world, cultures are gradually ‘’disappearing’’ or ruthlessly plagiarized for selfish gain. East Africa is not only the cradle of mankind, but the home of some of humanity’s prolific dynasties such a s Buganda, the theatre of some of the most epic battles such as the Mau Mau rebellion, the Hehe uprising, it was also home to some of the earliest forms of settlement and commerce such as the city states along the coast. Swahili itself is the most spoken language in the region and was the result of intermarriage between Arabs and Bantu communities. The Akamba were passionate traders who traversed the coast and the region’s hinterland as far as Congo. East Africa is a kaleidoscope of lush landscapes, winding rivers, towering mountain peaks, rolling savannahs, serene beaches, placid lakes and rolling wildlife.However,the icing on the cake is its people, they range from Bantu speaking tribes such as the Anyankole,Baganda,Hehe,Mijikenda ,to the Nilotes the Kalenjin,the Maasai,the Luo,the Cushites comprise of the Somali,Rendille,the Galla.Semitic speaking languages include the Arabs who settled at the coast during the Indian Ocean trade dating as far back as the 15th Century.
East Africa was home to the pioneers of the Pan African movement.They were Mwalimu Julius Nyerere from Tanzania,Jomo Kenyatta from Kenya.They crafted a dream of the whole continent standing as a souvreign unified whole.
The fusion and symbiotic correlation of this unique paring of cultures, landscapes, personalities and biodiversity is a heritage we cannot take for granted. In a rapidly globalizing world, these cultures are gradually receding into the abyss of time, with a young generation that is apathetic and perpetually brainwashed into regarding them as ‘’backward, primitive and non progressive.’ As future custodians of this priceless heritage it is a worrying trend that needs to be reversed in earnest lest we lose it.
It is in this light that URBAN SWAHILI, a weekly magazine and TV Show will strive to highlight and showcase the abundant untapped talent in the performing arts in the region, giving them a platform to voice their ambitions, perspectives, inspirations and even challenges. While URBAN SWAHILI will endevour to showcase this young talent it will also strive to inculcate a deep sense of patriotism in the region’s youth by engaging them proactively in the documentation of the region’s heritage for ourselves and future generations.
URBAN SWAHILI will target young progressive youth in the region, to give them a voice and avenue to vent their talents that are often dismissed as ‘young, naïve, rash or lacking vision.
On the other hand, URBAN SWAHILI will equally endeavour to document and impart the region’s rich cultural heritage in this target audience.
Art will be the driving force in URBAN SWAHILI’s mission to document and safeguard the region’s heritage.URBAN SWAHILI proposes to organize and promote concerts, art and photo exhibitions, fashion shows, poetry readings in the region’s landmarks and historical sites. Urban Swahili will therefore engage the region’s youth in their passions and pastimes against a backdrop of East African Culture.
This fusion of youth and heritage will aspire to nurture a conscious and proactive generation, cognizant of their talents yet proud of their heritage. To supplement this, URBAN SWAHILI will hold interviews with eminent personalities and opinion leaders who will pass on valuable gems to our target audience.
Topical issues such as drug abuse, abortion and crime that present day to day challenges to this target audience will be tackled through incisive and stimulating interactive interviews.
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