Friday, April 30, 2010

Two Kenyan Guys

So, I was watching some TV with my din-din, and I saw this show called "Two Kenyan Guys" on NatGeo. It's about two Kenyan men: A Masai warrior named Lamarti and a Samburu warrior called Boniface. They are traveling around the US to learn more about our modern culture so they can learn to live in the modern world while still preserving their own traditions.

It's so funny! I can't get over it! I am watching an episode about their trip to Texas. They helped the cowboys push their cows around, and then went to learn to play football and cheerlead, ate some barbecue (where they talked with an African American man, which was interesting), and helped a wildlife rescuer. That was my favorite part. They helped him take a couple of raccoons out from under a house. Boniface went under the house with the worker. Lamarti described the noise from under the house, and it was hilarious! Also, they wanted goat meat and went to a farmer. The goats have this odd genetic condition where when they get scared, their muscle stiffen up and they fall over. It was sad to see, but really funny at the same time too.

In any case, funny show. A little weird because they dress like warriors all the time, even in their chaps and cowboy boots. Very tokenized in that sense but still a very good show. I think it's a fair balance of showing their culture but not in a patronizing "look at those goofballs in Africa" kind of way. It's almost the opposite way, actually. Or maybe that's just my pre-existing prejudice against Texas.

They did make me realize that cowboy culture in the US is really really aggressive. They are the cowboys of Kenya, and they don't need horses or cattle prods to get their cows to where they need to go. Their cows don't run away from them, but like them because they protect them. They sing to their cows so they know their voice and know they can trust those people. Cowboys in Texas trap their cows in cages, enrage them and then rope them and pull them to the ground for sport. Hmm....

<.< >.>

Cruel? I think so, but I'm sure there are those that disagree.

In any case, I like the show a lot, and I think you would too!

2 comments:

  1. I think it's spelled Maasai, but don't quote me. I'm a student studying Swahili (Kenya and Tanzania's national language), and most of what they say seems to be true from what I've learned from my Prof about East African culture. However, I would say that how they portray the Kenyans is a little off. There seems to be something too kitchy or inaccurate about it, but I guess you could say the same about how they portray American culture! There are cities in Kenya (such as Nairobi and Mombasa), so I think they are trying to show more of the original tribal characteristics of African culture. I don't know a lot about Maasai or Samburu culture, but someone else commented on Lamarti's earrings and how they are not traditional Maasai jewelery and that neither tribe wears chains on their faces. Still, it's a pretty interesting show!

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