This is the first of twenty seven Christmases I have spent away from my family. I had to think back to verify, but it is true. Thankfully, the Pastor and his family were kind enough to invite me to spend the holiday with them 'upcountry,' so I wouldn't be spending Christmas alone.
Christmas for Kenyans is very different from Christmas for Americans. To try and understand these differences, I think it is essential that I try to explain, as best as I can, a little of what I have learned about the culture. Since I have heard, but not verified, that around 88% of the population in Kenya is Christian, Christmas is a widely celebrated holiday. Kenyans typically try to celebrate life's major moments by travelling 'upcountry', where their family congregates and many likely still live, closer to their tribe and ancestors. These events include weddings, funerals and holidays – and retirement. 'Upcountry' is not just a location; it means 'home,' and represents their present, past and future. Just as central as individualism is to Americans, each of us pioneering our own lives searching for the capitalistic American Dream, Kenyans believe they are their ancestors' contemporaries, living partially for and with their intervening spirits, with an obligation to pay them homage and seek their guidance. For this reason, they feel they must set their roots where their ancestors did, and one day hope to be buried amongst them.
Most Kenyans speak three languages; English (as Kenya was once a colony of Great Britain), Kiswahili (as East Africa has historically been a key trading post for the Middle East - the language has Arabic roots), and their 'Mother Tongue', which is tribe specific. Tribal identity is very prominent in Kenyan culture today; I will try to stay away from the political implications behind this for this post, but I will go into it at some point I am sure because it is such a source of pride as well as an obstacle to progress and peaceful integration. But by analyzing the various historical migration patterns, diets, languages, cultural practices and values of the many tribes, you begin to understand that none of the country boundaries we study as westerners do any justice to the many peoples who inhabit the country, let alone the continent. 'Upcountry' is their kingdom, their 'Boma' (sp?) where they are kings and queens; the land is under their dominion and empowers them. Few cultures allocate such value to land; we Americans simply assign a dollar value, and sell it in order to appropriately distribute deceased parents' estates. Kenyans may toil in the cities to earn a living, but their ambitions and hearts remain 'upcountry'. They even poor the first sip of their drinks onto the ground for their ancestors, much like we poor some out for our homies in Cell Block D. I feel honored that I was invited to join the Pastor and his family in their journey home.
Christmas Day itself is less media-sized in Kenya. While it is still recognized as the birthday of their savior (88% of them), few have heard of Santa Claus, and presents are not routinely given. Remember when you were little, raised to believe that Santa visited every good girl and boy around the world delivering presents - but just old enough to begin questioning how reasonable it was for one old, fat man navigating a flying sleigh to visit everyone in the world during a few hours of reluctant sleep, while still hoping for and believing in magic? Well, it turns out that he never did make it all the way around the world… maybe that's why, like Jesus himself, Santa is almost always portrayed as white. Here, with a large percentage of the population poor, families cannot afford presents on an annual basis, especially toys. Christmas does happen to be harvest season (maize specifically), so, Christmas Day typically consists of hard work and feasting. The men work in the field, the women cook, and all reflect on the magic of familial love and self sacrifice… it seems Christmas Day here has a little more relevance given the biblical story of the birth of Jesus; there was no Christmas Tree, no Santa, no stockings, neither a crib nor other luxuries, but only a new family amongst mud, straw and livestock, making the best of meager circumstances and few options.
It has been fun trying to introduce Santa Claus to the Pastor's children, though. Santa gives the opportunity to teach selfless giving and the possibility of magic. His children are 14 months, 4.5 years and 9 years old, and their reaction to the story is very similar to Americans of similar ages: at 14 months, you have no idea what is going on, 4.5 years you are just happy to receive toys, but by 9 years the questioning begins… one specific line of questioning that made me laugh was –
Q: why did Santa come?
A: well, he only gives gifts to good boys and girls around Christmas
Q: so I have been good?
A: yes.
Q: good this year, or in good life?
A: life.
Q: did he give you anything?
A: no.
Q: so have I been better than you in life?
A: yes.
I could see his ambivalent position of yearning to believe he was good and deserving of a reward, and seeing through my lies… I almost had resorted to my mom's age old adage, "well, if Santa is not real, maybe he won't come again." – I know that would have shut him up. Sure shut me up, 'til I was about 11.
Otherwise, travelling 'upcountry' has given me the opportunity to see Kenya outside of Nairobi. And let me tell you it is beautiful. Driving to Kitale, in western Kenya about 800 km away from the capital, we got a perfect view of the Rift Valley, the rolling green hills, the large variety of life, and farmland as far as the eye can see. Moving away from Nairobi, you get farther from the concrete factories, so the architecture of the homes changes from stone to wood and mud, and the fences are no longer cement walls topped with broken glass but wood posts connected by barbed wire. The air is cleaner, the cars are fewer and livestock is everywhere. The tension leaves your shoulders and it is much easier to relax. The Pastor's family is definitely in their element out here, and I understand now why people who have seen rural Africa think it is the best place on earth.
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