Kenya’s shared taxis known as matatus are like a living room on wheels racing through the streets, with dimmed lights, catchy music and bright eye-catching graffiti on the walls. REV goes to Kenya to check them out.
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00:00Imagine experiencing your living room on wheels racing through the streets, dimming lights,
00:09music playing in the background with bright eye-catching graffiti decorating the walls
00:14around you.
00:15The main reason why I prefer the pimp buses and the dope matatus is because the feeling
00:20is so thrilling as compared to other types of matatus.
00:24When you board a matatu which has a lot of graffiti and the crew is fun and the music
00:29is loud and considering I'm a young person, that's what we young people like.
00:43Through showcasing the matatus, I feel like it's a really good way of being an ambassador
00:49of Kenya because first of all you get to showcase the art, you get to showcase even
00:55the lifestyle behind it and this brings fulfilment to me.
01:00Award-winning Brian Nwanyama, also known as Graff, grew up in Nairobi's Buruburu estate,
01:06an area surrounded by garages, so it is no surprise that his love for buses runs deep.
01:12But how did he overcome the challenges to transform this passion for street art and
01:16public transport into an iconic cultural drive from 2010?
01:22My love for matatus has really been inspired by where I grew up.
01:25It had a lot of influences, especially from the matatu industry, music, art, so it's somewhere
01:33that really had a vibrant culture.
01:36From a young age, the matatus used to, you know, they pass you when you are maybe walking
01:41back to school or going to school.
01:42Even just the music from the matatus, it was something that really caught my attention.
01:47Some of the challenges that we faced when we were trying to document the matatu culture,
01:51there was this negative talk about matatus, so they used to call it matatu madness.
01:58So whenever we'd go to take photos or videos, the drivers or conductors would be very sceptical
02:04of how you'd use that content.
02:07Through civic education, we got to really make them understand our intentions and also
02:13the goals that we wanted to achieve.
02:16Matatu culture in Kenya has a rich and colourful history, rooted in the country's public transport
02:22system which began in the 1960s.
02:25The term matatu comes from the Kikuyu word for three, referring to the original fare
02:30of three cents.
02:32But what does it take to create the ultimate matatu experience, from the bold graffiti
02:37to the high-energy vibes?
02:41The reason why I started Matuan Matatu Culture was to brand how people perceive the matatus
02:47and also to build value.
02:49In terms of collaborations, we usually work with graffiti artists and also graphic designers
02:55in terms of developing concepts within the creative arts industry.
03:00Graffiti really plays a big role because it's the first thing you'll get to see when
03:04a matatu approaches you or when you see a video or even a picture of a matatu.
03:09One of the most iconic moments I've had was to work on vans that were provided by the
03:16British High Commission.
03:18That was for King Charles' visit to Kenya.
03:22Beyond the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife that draw millions to Kenya, matatu culture
03:27is also an attraction rolling through the streets.
03:31So why did Brian leave his work as a chef to transform Kenya's matatu culture to a
03:36new level?
03:37So career-wise, I started out as a chef, I worked for a while, but I needed something
03:44that would bring more fulfilment, that's why I decided to venture into the matatu industry
03:49and from there, the rest is history.
03:54The matatu industry solidifies Kenya's identity by the art that we showcase.
04:00It's something that is unique, not just in Africa, but throughout the world.
04:05And it also provides a very huge market for youth employment.
04:12So for the future of matatu industry, we're looking forward to many partnerships, collaborations,
04:20not just in Kenya, but also Africa and the world.
04:26In Kenya, riding in matatus feels like an adventure and the journey is as thrilling
04:31as the destination.