I am Kenyan and have lived in the US for about 30 years. I always watch you, and this episode has made me embrace you more. I am jealous that you are home, and I am working on returning home. I know Kenya has challenges and growing pains, but when visitors like you thrive, you encourage the diaspora to return.
@@lilsojalilsoja we’re so glad to know you enjoy our channel. This seems to be a less popular topic for the community according to analytics as we have gotten lower views. Nontheless, we believe it is an important topic and good to expose things that have been fed to both Black Americans and Africans about one another. We look forward to the day you will tell us you’re returning home. 🎉 Karibu Kenya! Thank you for sharing!
@@TravelCheckIns Kenyans generally like to hear about themselves, including me. When the topic changes, we tune off. For instance, many UA-camrs visit Kenya to build a following and monetize by increasing subscriptions. However, as soon as UA-camrs move on to another country, Kenyan viewership falls off. The moral of the story is; don't leave. Stay put in Nairobi; you are good ambassadors.
@@lilsojalilsoja i doubt that these guys are aiming for Kenyans if anything they aiming more to blacks in America than locals. U get more dough if ur views are diaspora people
@tonygee5680 Most video bloggers of Kenyan content confess to have more Kenyan followers than whoever they may be targeting. Unless they started vlogging prior to Kenyan content. @Travelcheckins are simply genuine repping themselves and had been visiting long before they moved to Kenya.
Good video. As an older Black American, it does still hurt my heart to acknowledge that many bustle with pride when they talk about themselves or their children going to predominantly Caucasian schools as the road to success. It still remains true, but it really hurts to hear.
Well it’s not the fact that people are proud that them or their children went to those institutions. It’s the effort and over coming the adversity to get there.
Saidah and Germaine, your video addressing myths about African Americans in Kenya is incredibly important and thought-provoking. By tackling these misconceptions head-on, you're not only educating your audience but also fostering deeper connections between cultures, which is invaluable in today’s world. Your perspective as African Americans engaging directly with Kenya offers a fresh and necessary lens on identity, belonging, and the shared experiences across the African diaspora. One of the most intriguing aspects of debunking these myths is how it reveals the mutual misunderstandings that exist between African Americans and Africans. For decades, media portrayals and historical narratives have shaped inaccurate perceptions on both sides. Many Africans may see African Americans as disconnected from their cultural roots, while some African Americans may view Africa through a stereotypical lens of poverty or underdevelopment. Your effort to bridge this gap is commendable, as it allows for an honest and nuanced exploration of these issues. Kenya, in particular, provides an ideal backdrop for this discussion. It’s a country with a dynamic blend of tradition and modernity, a place where visitors can experience deep cultural heritage alongside thriving cities like Nairobi. Your insights into how African Americans are received in Kenya likely challenge both African and African American audiences to rethink their assumptions. For example, it's common for African Americans to wonder whether they’ll be welcomed in Africa as "long-lost brothers and sisters," and it’s enlightening to hear how Kenyans perceive and engage with this idea. At the same time, addressing these myths helps underscore the shared humanity between African Americans and Kenyans. By focusing on real interactions and lived experiences rather than stereotypes, you’re helping to dismantle the walls built by ignorance and misinformation. For example, myths about African Americans being overly materialistic or disconnected from traditional values are often challenged when Kenyans meet African Americans who are curious, respectful, and eager to learn about their roots. Questions to Consider: How do you think African Americans traveling to Kenya can best prepare to engage with the culture authentically and respectfully? In your interactions, did you notice any specific generational differences in how Kenyans perceive African Americans? For instance, were younger Kenyans more globally aware than older generations? Do you think Kenyans are aware of the extent to which African Americans view Africa as a place of cultural and ancestral significance? How do you feel they react to that perspective? How has your journey in Kenya reshaped your personal sense of identity as African Americans, particularly in the context of the African diaspora? Your video is a critical reminder of the power of travel in breaking down barriers and building bridges. By sharing your experiences, you’re not only enriching your viewers’ understanding of Kenya but also helping to create a narrative of unity and mutual respect between African Americans and Africans. Thank you for being part of this important dialogue, and I hope to see even more insights from your travels in the future!
The black Americans who came to Africa in the 1960s-1990s were mostly black political leaders. For a long time, it was never possible to see black Americans in Africa, but there have been a lot of white Americans coming to Kenya.
@TravelCheckIns I mean coming to Africa physically. There was a high chance of meeting a white American in Kenya than a black American either through church, field research, tourism, etc.
Reason for that ignorance at 9:10 is because the Kenyan school curriculum -- whether by design or accidental -- does not include African American history. Important figures such as *_Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King_* are never mentioned at all -- I only knew them through internet long after leaving school. Crucial events such as the _Civil War_ that ended slavery, the _Jim Crow_ era and the _Civil Rights_ movement are entirely missing.
It is the people who have changed our Kenyan Education System who have destroyed it in the name of patriotism. A modern person needs to have a global view of the whole world. When I went to high school in the early 70's we were taught about the American Civil War in form one and form two.
I moved to South east Asia from Kenya and here I was shoked when they referred to me as Negro 😢 that word hit me as outdated like 18th century name, I think very few Kenyans use that word especially older folks 😮
I have so many Kenyan friends who went to study America in the 90s and decided to settle there; they all have great things to say about America despite the negative publicity.
This was well thought to debunk or clarify misconceptions and myths. Seems like you are really in the remotest parts of Kenya going by some of the misconceptions. I have two things I'd like your indulgence: First, to what extent do you think trauma and discrimination that goes with it has affected black Americans as regards high numbers of black male imprisonment, single households led by women, violence and even education? Secondly, the microagressions especially in the professional circles/work paces, big cities and the general aura between races?
Having lived in America for many years as a Kenyan it is extremely difficult to live in America into adulthood without experiencing racialism of one kind or another be it work promotion or rightful college grades. I remember a white professor who couldn’t give me my deserved grades. Even employment wise, it’s twice more likely to lose your job based on skin color than white folks. Being tailgated by white police was a very frequent experience of my life in America. If you live next to white folks, expect em to call police on you that your TV is loud or your kid is crying too much etc.. We put our child in a majority white private school & they'd call us frequently that our child is troublesome..When we moved back to Kenya he instantly became a normal playful child. Couple of months ago a Kenyan friend living in a very quiet white suburban neighborhood lost his child to gun violence.. Racial tensions in America are embedded in the American DNA. You always feel it & cannot escape the feeling of being unwanted
Having come from Kenya you are probably more sensitive to those things than we were. Since we were born in the US we are probably just used to certain things
@@TravelCheckInsActually that is the opposite. You can clearly see for yourself here in Kenya, we live our lives without even being conscious we are black. There’s absolutely no cause for making any kenyan race conscious while living here. However, that’s precisely the day to day life of many African Americans. I remember on arrival in America I was so naive & never could pick up racism . But thru years of living there & interacting with society I definitely came face to face with Racism. I wouldn’t say it was my daily experience but I experienced it on numerous occassions. It really never bothered me that much as I had the comfort of knowing I come from a home where just 17 hours of flight gets me leaving behind all that.
I left The USA because of the experience you described. Plus the tr-a-u-ma from seeing what is happening to our people there. Plus the history of our AAs there is tough to handle. I am seriously struggling with my recovery and I have been back in my country for 2+ years. I try not to watch the news of what continues to happen to our people there.
@@kuyahkudey3217I just don’t see how it is possible to live in America as a black person without encountering the race thing against you in one way or another. Black Americans actually feel more aggrieved due to America being the only home they know. Majority African immigrants living in America ignores it most of the time. That’s largely because of the comfort of knowing avoiding da nonsense is only a flight away
These guys are clearly in denial about what’s happening in black America, they live in a “white suburban bubble” so they feel disconnected and “SAFE”, they just forgive and keep it moving 😂
You all are Glowing, This is a relaxed after effects of staying in Kenya. Hakuna matata. Kenya is a diverse nation. it has about 45 tribes. All these tribes meet in Nairobi where english or swahili is spoken for easy communication. When a fellow African looks at another African, they will want to know where they come from, tribe and language or mother tongue. They listen to your language and then ask you questions such as where you come from, your surname because Surnames are unique and they tell your tribe, clan, then family. Your names are Muslim and white names, you speak American English and that is why they were asking where you come from? For example My surname is Alakonya which is a name from a Luhyia tribe, Marama Clan, in Butere town, in Kakamega County, in Western Kenya, when I am in rural lands I must speak Luhyia in respect of our traditions and customs.
😂. White names😂. I have never met a white Germaine. Washington does originate from white culture but it only use by AA. I have also never met a white male with the last name Washington but I do agree. 😂
In 2022 in US 12.6% of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 were neither working nor attending school . And 70% of young adults were unable to join the military due to various concerns including health, ethical and academic challenges . These challenges emanate from socio-economically and culturally deprived upbringing with the US having at least 33,000 street gangs or at least 800,000 gang members . By 2007, Los Angeles had been labelled the “Gang Capital” of the nation .
There is a difference between race, ethnicity and nationality . Black/African/Negroid . White/European/Caucasoid . Yellow/Asian/Mongoloid . George Bush Irish ethnicity, White/European race, US/American Nationality . Michelle Obama black American ethnicity(used interchangeable with race for historical reasons), Black/African race, US/American Nationality . Lupita Nyongo one of Nilotic ethnicity, Black/African race, Kenyan/Mexican Nationality . Elon Musk is White/European race , English/Dutch ethnicity, US/South African Nationality .
Obama Mixed race(Black/African race ,White/European race) . Identifies as Black American ethnicity due to social-cultural uptake/influence/proximity/US ethnic-identifier but ancestrally descended from one of Nilotic ethnicities due to his father ancestry and Irish ethnicity due to his mother ancestry . US/American Nationality by birth, Kenyan Nationality by ancestry .
At birth external racial manifestation a constant but external ethno-cultural manifestation can adjust based on social context but remain genetically constant . Different ethnic groups can share the same race but have different genetic variation and external ethnic features like Indian and Filipino same Asian race but different ethnicities and nationalities . Same ethnic group can also have racial variations like White Arab and Black Arab or White Jew and Black Jew or White Hispanic and Black Hispanic . Ethnicity at intersection of race, culture, context and history much more complex than race or nationality .
Black America and other Black diaspora such as Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Mexican, Afro-Palestinians, Afro-Jamaicans etc are ethno-racial groups not by choice but by circumstance . Humans collapse from individual, family, clan, ethnicity, nationality and race . Race is typically the most obvious social identifier . Race typically phenotypically a social construct based on underlying genetic dispositions . Transcends geography . Ethnicity can be both genetic/phenotypic and contextual . Race and ethnicity are most enduring but nationality is flexible and can be acquired .
Race is typically the most obvious social identifier . Race typically phenotypically a social construct based on underlying genetic dispositions/variations . Transcends geography . Ethnicity can be genetic/phenotypic and primarily contextual but can be exported like Arab or Indian in US maintaining cultural norms . Race and ethnicity unless mixed are most enduring but nationality is flexible .
After US annexed Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada etc from Mexico the residents of these jurisdiction acquired US/American Nationality by default despite ethno-cultural norms or racial identification . At birth external racial manifestation a constant but external ethnic manifestation can adjust based on social-cultural context but remain genetically constant unless mixed .
This is a really good video, the honesty and directness, I love that. Can't wait to see the DNA test, foreheads are East African, but honestly, I don't think you'll be East African too much (though I hope you are so we can claim you more and give you East African Names)
Thank you even though our son did take a test a few years back, we need to see the results ourselves. The percentages of most from US would west Africa but hopefully we’ll know soon
I'm still stuck at these two being parents of a 31 year old. My goodness they don't even look anything past forty. Saida herself looks under 30. I'm I tripping or something?
@@marylee-l.a.6702 we credit God first, for it is He who gives and gives us abundant health, wellness, peace and youthfulness. Next, just eating well, exercise, and managing stress well. Our kids and now our grandchildren keep us youthful too.
Most of the information Africans consume about African Americans is from TV and movies, but this is general coz not all people are 100% the same and everybody has a different background and experience. About the Negro issue, its funny but i love Negro Spiritual and thats the only place i have ever encountered the word beacuse. And Negro Spiritual has also greatly inspired alot of African gospel songs. As a Kenyan i think African Americans are great and multi-talented and alot of people draw alot of inspirations from how they live, how they talk, how they wear almost everything. All in all, everybody has something to offer and we are all God's people.
There's this guy on Tiktok calling himself Brandon and he's really tainting B. A's image. Like why would he call Kenyans, Monkeys when he looks like us?? What level of self hate is that? Treating us the same way yt pple treat him back there, i honestly hope he feels good about himself after seeing us as monkeys. Man, i really hate that dude! Like tf!!!! 😣
i mostly feel pity.. like one looking at a car about to crush.... To be honest i am cautious when it comes to African Americans coz i know we may share the same skin but our experiences are quite different.. We do not know what it feels to be in a place you call home but experience bias. There is a lot of baggage we do not carry. However, in a church set up, the Cross unites us so it's way easier conversing without offending anyone.
As someone who has barely left Nairobi in my 33yrs of life.. I think of African Amerikans as people who had a twist of fate ..i.e. their success on the civil rights front in a society crafted by whites made their condition even better than many people who were never enslaved! Is it to say that civilization is a white-mans invention? NO! But as far as Kenya is concerned, I don't forsee a day this country will embrace the value of civilization in any meaningful capacity. So yeah, basically your Amerikan Visa is Job's charter in my eyes!
I live in a predominately black neighborhood and the schools are great and it’s quiet when I wake up birds chirping or woodpeckers. Going to a White school don’t make it better.
Thanks friends for debunking these myths about African Americans. Let me comment on some issues you have talked about. Issue no 1 Our Education system is made up of Primary school (in the US it is similar to elementary and Middle school), High school (in the US Grades 9-12) and University ( for both US and Kenya.) The person you interviewed said that they think that African Americans don't exist. That person did not probably go to high school or they was not aware of what was happening in the world around him/her. Let me explain. Here is the history of Kenya during the previous decades. The 70's In our high school days, we would be taught by American missionaries and peace corps volunteers (all of them US or UK and white). My Maths and English teachers were Americans. During the early 70's the media would show movies and soap operas with white people like John Wayne (the famous Marlboro man in cigarette advertisements). But then that changed after they started showing us pictures of black people appearing in some of them during the mid-70s. We used to admire the photos of them appearing in magazines with this wonderful afro hair. The 80's That was the time when Michael Jackson, Cool and the Gang, and Lionel Richie music would be aired in our radios and TV stations. Michael Jackson even came to Tanzania in 1992. Anyone who says that they never heard these people or saw them on TV must have been living on some cave. Could it be because whoever was teaching them history about slavery did not connect the dots? I will ask you to do two tests. Test one. Go to a rural primary school and ask any child in higher primary (middle school) to show you where America is. The clever ones can even show you where New York or LA is. Then ask an American (any) to name any one country in Africa. The reason why I am proposing these tests is to highlight the importance of your work. Thanks a lot for what you are doing. Issue no 2 I have heard some people (African immigrants to the US) saying that African Americans do not appreciate them over there. But again this cannot be generalized and perhaps that's the reason why both of us have more work to do.
The weird thing is two people that didn’t know we existed for a while learned at university. A few people commented that history of AA are not in their textbooks. It seems the millennial generation were missing those facts
In 1950 more than 80% Black married more than White . US marriage/family decline . Individualism/social issues . Marriage rate Asian 58-61%,white 48-52%,hispanic 42-44%,Black less than 30% . For millennial(28-43) marriage rate 44% . Less than 24% of Black millennial married . Black women median wealth $1,700, black family median $44K,hispanic $63K, native American $36K,white $285K,asian $321K .
Asian most collective group US leverage family . US individualist hence at least 50 million mental health . The median age for marriage in 2024 today 31 male 29 female . Median marriage rate in 1965 before civil rights act 23 male,21 female . In 2024 at least 25% of millennial 40 year old never married .
Kenyans don't know much about Transatlatic slave trade because it affected mostly west Africa. Yes there was slavery in the East African coast as well but it didn't flourish because the maasai who controlled the trade routes destroyed many Arab slave caravans and slaughtered Arabs. Therefore Arabs and swahili traders decided to kidnap Africans into slavery mostly from central and southern Africa countries, or coastal tanzanian tribes.
The Nilotic Maasai historically had very low populations and least interactions with Arabs who maintained east Africa coastal empires . Arabs along the coast had most interactions with Bantu groups . In 1900 the Maasai population in Kenya and Tanzania was less than 10000 and the Kenya population was 1.7million only . From the interior the slaves brought to Zanzibar were from Bantu Congo ,Angola and Mozambique by Arab slave traders including TIPU TIP .
When the Arabs conquered Egypt in 639 to 649 AD they attempted to advance Southwards into Sudan but were stopped by Nilotic and Nilo-Saharan groups hence slavery did not spread into the interior like in West Africa . Portuguese managed to capture slaves in Angola and Congo but were unable to spread into the interior where hostile Nilotic groups such as the Dinka, Nuer, Luo, Turkana, Maasai, Toposa, Karamoja existed in North East and East Africa .
In Sudan/Lower Egypt along the Nile the Nilotic Luo-Shilluk Kingdom under Reth fought the Turco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt and conducted raids on the Arab north therefore slavery did not advance southward into Eastern Africa . The Dinka ,Luo and Nuer created fierce warrior classes and these conflicts spilled over into modern times with the first Sudan civil war(1955-1971) known as Anyanya I rebellion against Arab North .
The Nilotic Luo invasion of Bunyoro Kitara in present day Uganda in the 14th and 15th century effectively ended any forms of slavery or slave trade in Uganda . The Luo(Obama,Lupita Nyongo WOMAN KING ACTRESS SHEILA ATIM) are diasporic(at least 25+ million Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, DRC Congo, Sudan/Lower Egypt,Ethiopia Gambella/Eritrea,Chad,Central Africa Republic) and like other Nilotic groups such as Dinka and Nuer resisted the advancement of Arab slavery in ancient and modern times .
The Nilotic Luo-Babito rulers in present day Uganda would then rule over Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom for 400 to 500 years until 1967 and later 1971 when it was stopped by the Uganda government under Idi Amin . The Nilotic Luo also provided ruler-ship for the Buganda Kingdom .
Thing is, it's not misconceptions when there are black Americans making content in Nairobi. You are showing us your thought processes. And there is some common denominator individualist behaviour/commentary - whether through a lens of adventure , coupling , christianity, red pill misogyny, or Stellas getting their groove back.
@@marylee-l.a.6702 It's a coherent paragraph, with proper punctuation. Perhaps it's the definition of gibberish that is misplaced. P.S Personally, when I struggle to understand something, I quote the specific section I don't understand, and request clarification. There is healthy communication and having conversations focused on mutual learnin : all depends on choice of words e.g "Kindly clarify x" Vs ".... gibberish"
@@marylee-l.a.6702i understood. the gist of it, is some of the myths are being proven true by the current AA in town simply by the thought processes they reveal in their videos.. hopefully i got it right.
@ as a young man on his own, one day my mother just gave me some paperwork that as an adult I should have, like a birth certificate. Never thought much of it. Every so often my wife and I do a paperwork check(insurance, bank accounts, passport, birth certificates…). One day recently I was reading my birth certificate again and I just happen to notice in the space where it asks for father’s race and mother’s race, both places it says “negro”. That makes me a “negro”. So that old Kenya man wasn’t totally off base lol.
@@TravelCheckInshello Germaine. Ok so every few months or so the wife and I go through our stuff to locate important papers and information. In my early 20s my mother sent me a copy of my birth certificate. Never really paid much attention to it until one day recently I just started reading it. On the lines where it says race of mother, and race of father in both places it says “negro”. I just noticed this, can’t make this stuff up
Your math is not mathing . When you count the years inclusive it should be 17-18 . From biology standpoint female ideal/peak reproduction years 16-26 . But human not just biology but psychology and spiritual/emotional and resources .
Maturity of age and/experience can benefit children . Experience/maturity can come before age like the old grandmothers when world life expectancy was 32 in 1900 so 15 would already be late .
Today society changes and higher life expectancy a healthy female 47 year old expected to reach at least 90 everything else remaining constant . Hence having kids after 30 has been normalized for female but not ideal unless they are healthy or have maintained healthy lifestyle . Michelle Obama struggled to conceive at 28-34 .
Kenyans have ENTIRE slums near wealthy areas and think Black Americans are “oppressed”. You all tried to explain but your perspective is a bit narrow given that you still associate white with “better” as far as social institutions go.
Where did you get that understanding of us. Statistically the University of Tokyo is the best in the world. I think to say that we think that is a little presumptuous. Personally I judge schools on the results of their graduates
I get it. But that wasn’t the main point. White doesn’t mean better at anything per se. But when you look at stats of say an Ivy League you…The average graduate makes more than the average school. Including other predominantly white institutions. I guess that was the point. Not saying that someone should go to school because it is mostly white.
😂. Nah it’s called get stuff done regardless. When blacks AA have a different opinion from others why is that always thrown out. Check our track record. We come to uplift and further the cause of thriving despite of… If you are putting in work then you can comment otherwise you are just as trapped as a slave.
I am Kenyan and have lived in the US for about 30 years. I always watch you, and this episode has made me embrace you more. I am jealous that you are home, and I am working on returning home. I know Kenya has challenges and growing pains, but when visitors like you thrive, you encourage the diaspora to return.
@@lilsojalilsoja we’re so glad to know you enjoy our channel. This seems to be a less popular topic for the community according to analytics as we have gotten lower views.
Nontheless, we believe it is an important topic and good to expose things that have been fed to both Black Americans and Africans about one another.
We look forward to the day you will tell us you’re returning home. 🎉 Karibu Kenya!
Thank you for sharing!
@@TravelCheckIns Kenyans generally like to hear about themselves, including me. When the topic changes, we tune off. For instance, many UA-camrs visit Kenya to build a following and monetize by increasing subscriptions. However, as soon as UA-camrs move on to another country, Kenyan viewership falls off. The moral of the story is; don't leave. Stay put in Nairobi; you are good ambassadors.
@@lilsojalilsoja i doubt that these guys are aiming for Kenyans if anything they aiming more to blacks in America than locals. U get more dough if ur views are diaspora people
@tonygee5680 Most video bloggers of Kenyan content confess to have more Kenyan followers than whoever they may be targeting. Unless they started vlogging prior to Kenyan content. @Travelcheckins are simply genuine repping themselves and had been visiting long before they moved to Kenya.
i cant believe yall have a 31 year old!wow! you need to share the location of that fountain of youth that youre drinking from🤪
Thank you for being so kind
@@TravelCheckIns Honestly speaking how are y'all parents of a 31 year old? Saida looks at most 30??? Make this make sense to me. How??
Black don Crack
Am asking the same question! I almost fell out of my seat!
Black don't crack!
Good video. As an older Black American, it does still hurt my heart to acknowledge that many bustle with pride when they talk about themselves or their children going to predominantly Caucasian schools as the road to success. It still remains true, but it really hurts to hear.
Well it’s not the fact that people are proud that them or their children went to those institutions. It’s the effort and over coming the adversity to get there.
Saidah and Germaine, your video addressing myths about African Americans in Kenya is incredibly important and thought-provoking. By tackling these misconceptions head-on, you're not only educating your audience but also fostering deeper connections between cultures, which is invaluable in today’s world. Your perspective as African Americans engaging directly with Kenya offers a fresh and necessary lens on identity, belonging, and the shared experiences across the African diaspora.
One of the most intriguing aspects of debunking these myths is how it reveals the mutual misunderstandings that exist between African Americans and Africans. For decades, media portrayals and historical narratives have shaped inaccurate perceptions on both sides. Many Africans may see African Americans as disconnected from their cultural roots, while some African Americans may view Africa through a stereotypical lens of poverty or underdevelopment. Your effort to bridge this gap is commendable, as it allows for an honest and nuanced exploration of these issues.
Kenya, in particular, provides an ideal backdrop for this discussion. It’s a country with a dynamic blend of tradition and modernity, a place where visitors can experience deep cultural heritage alongside thriving cities like Nairobi. Your insights into how African Americans are received in Kenya likely challenge both African and African American audiences to rethink their assumptions. For example, it's common for African Americans to wonder whether they’ll be welcomed in Africa as "long-lost brothers and sisters," and it’s enlightening to hear how Kenyans perceive and engage with this idea.
At the same time, addressing these myths helps underscore the shared humanity between African Americans and Kenyans. By focusing on real interactions and lived experiences rather than stereotypes, you’re helping to dismantle the walls built by ignorance and misinformation. For example, myths about African Americans being overly materialistic or disconnected from traditional values are often challenged when Kenyans meet African Americans who are curious, respectful, and eager to learn about their roots.
Questions to Consider:
How do you think African Americans traveling to Kenya can best prepare to engage with the culture authentically and respectfully?
In your interactions, did you notice any specific generational differences in how Kenyans perceive African Americans? For instance, were younger Kenyans more globally aware than older generations?
Do you think Kenyans are aware of the extent to which African Americans view Africa as a place of cultural and ancestral significance? How do you feel they react to that perspective?
How has your journey in Kenya reshaped your personal sense of identity as African Americans, particularly in the context of the African diaspora?
Your video is a critical reminder of the power of travel in breaking down barriers and building bridges. By sharing your experiences, you’re not only enriching your viewers’ understanding of Kenya but also helping to create a narrative of unity and mutual respect between African Americans and Africans. Thank you for being part of this important dialogue, and I hope to see even more insights from your travels in the future!
Thank you for your comments. We agree with everything you said and will definitely consider if we can craft a video tackling these questions.
I love your videos!
Raleigh NC now living in Nairobi
Your videos have helped me so much, take care & God bless
We glad that we could be of help. God bless
The black Americans who came to Africa in the 1960s-1990s were mostly black political leaders. For a long time, it was never possible to see black Americans in Africa, but there have been a lot of white Americans coming to Kenya.
Social media and the internet has made the world smaller
@TravelCheckIns I mean coming to Africa physically. There was a high chance of meeting a white American in Kenya than a black American either through church, field research, tourism, etc.
Reason for that ignorance at 9:10 is because the Kenyan school curriculum -- whether by design or accidental -- does not include African American history. Important figures such as *_Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King_* are never mentioned at all -- I only knew them through internet long after leaving school. Crucial events such as the _Civil War_ that ended slavery, the _Jim Crow_ era and the _Civil Rights_ movement are entirely missing.
We understand because most of African history is missing from our textbooks also
It is the people who have changed our Kenyan Education System who have destroyed it in the name of patriotism. A modern person needs to have a global view of the whole world. When I went to high school in the early 70's we were taught about the American Civil War in form one and form two.
Wow...that's unbelievable!
I moved to South east Asia from Kenya and here I was shoked when they referred to me as Negro 😢 that word hit me as outdated like 18th century name, I think very few Kenyans use that word especially older folks 😮
I thought AA were the only ones who we called that. We didn’t realize it was a global term for being black
Old British term @@TravelCheckIns
Y’all should move to Lower Kabete/Kitusuru/Karen areas. Westlands is a for a young hyper population
@@58andirangu we will be checking out some areas after the holiday. Lower Kabete is on the list.
I have so many Kenyan friends who went to study America in the 90s and decided to settle there; they all have great things to say about America despite the negative publicity.
It is the land of opportunity and our home. But sometimes the moral issues are too much
Watching you and following your episodes gives many Africans in diaspora the urge to relocate back to Africa. Wish you happy stay in Kenya.
@@soko-yetuwow!!!! We appreciate the feedback as it helps us broaden our perspective when creating content.
This was well thought to debunk or clarify misconceptions and myths. Seems like you are really in the remotest parts of Kenya going by some of the misconceptions. I have two things I'd like your indulgence: First, to what extent do you think trauma and discrimination that goes with it has affected black Americans as regards high numbers of black male imprisonment, single households led by women, violence and even education? Secondly, the microagressions especially in the professional circles/work paces, big cities and the general aura between races?
We’re in Nairobi but we did talk to some people in remote areas also. All those factors play a big part in the way we process things in the US
Thank you for the info
@@ajmwa1982 you’re welcome.
Some people are not that exposed , that's why education is important
Yes
Having lived in America for many years as a Kenyan it is extremely difficult to live in America into adulthood without experiencing racialism of one kind or another be it work promotion or rightful college grades. I remember a white professor who couldn’t give me my deserved grades. Even employment wise, it’s twice more likely to lose your job based on skin color than white folks. Being tailgated by white police was a very frequent experience of my life in America. If you live next to white folks, expect em to call police on you that your TV is loud or your kid is crying too much etc..
We put our child in a majority white private school & they'd call us frequently that our child is troublesome..When we moved back to Kenya he instantly became a normal playful child. Couple of months ago a Kenyan friend living in a very quiet white suburban neighborhood lost his child to gun violence..
Racial tensions in America are embedded in the American DNA. You always feel it & cannot escape the feeling of being unwanted
Having come from Kenya you are probably more sensitive to those things than we were. Since we were born in the US we are probably just used to certain things
@@TravelCheckInsActually that is the opposite. You can clearly see for yourself here in Kenya, we live our lives without even being conscious we are black. There’s absolutely no cause for making any kenyan race conscious while living here. However, that’s precisely the day to day life of many African Americans. I remember on arrival in America I was so naive & never could pick up racism . But thru years of living there & interacting with society I definitely came face to face with Racism. I wouldn’t say it was my daily experience but I experienced it on numerous occassions. It really never bothered me that much as I had the comfort of knowing I come from a home where just 17 hours of flight gets me leaving behind all that.
I left The USA because of the experience you described. Plus the tr-a-u-ma from seeing what is happening to our people there. Plus the history of our AAs there is tough to handle.
I am seriously struggling with my recovery and I have been back in my country for 2+ years. I try not to watch the news of what continues to happen to our people there.
@@kuyahkudey3217I just don’t see how it is possible to live in America as a black person without encountering the race thing against you in one way or another. Black Americans actually feel more aggrieved due to America being the only home they know. Majority African immigrants living in America ignores it most of the time. That’s largely because of the comfort of knowing avoiding da nonsense is only a flight away
These guys are clearly in denial about what’s happening in black America, they live in a “white suburban bubble” so they feel disconnected and “SAFE”, they just forgive and keep it moving 😂
You all are Glowing, This is a relaxed after effects of staying in Kenya. Hakuna matata. Kenya is a diverse nation. it has about 45 tribes. All these tribes meet in Nairobi where english or swahili is spoken for easy communication. When a fellow African looks at another African, they will want to know where they come from, tribe and language or mother tongue. They listen to your language and then ask you questions such as where you come from, your surname because Surnames are unique and they tell your tribe, clan, then family. Your names are Muslim and white names, you speak American English and that is why they were asking where you come from? For example My surname is Alakonya which is a name from a Luhyia tribe, Marama Clan, in Butere town, in Kakamega County, in Western Kenya, when I am in rural lands I must speak Luhyia in respect of our traditions and customs.
😂. White names😂. I have never met a white Germaine. Washington does originate from white culture but it only use by AA. I have also never met a white male with the last name Washington but I do agree. 😂
@@TravelCheckIns George Washington the first president of America was White.
🤣. We know that. 🤣. We mean modern day. George has been dead for almost 300 years. 😭
Neat!
@@Hendricana thank you
In 2022 in US 12.6% of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 were neither working nor attending school . And 70% of young adults were unable to join the military due to various concerns including health, ethical and academic challenges .
These challenges emanate from socio-economically and culturally deprived upbringing with the US having at least 33,000 street gangs or at least 800,000 gang members .
By 2007, Los Angeles had been labelled the “Gang Capital” of the nation .
There is a difference between race, ethnicity and nationality . Black/African/Negroid . White/European/Caucasoid . Yellow/Asian/Mongoloid . George Bush Irish ethnicity, White/European race, US/American Nationality .
Michelle Obama black American ethnicity(used interchangeable with race for historical reasons), Black/African race, US/American Nationality .
Lupita Nyongo one of Nilotic ethnicity, Black/African race, Kenyan/Mexican Nationality .
Elon Musk is White/European race , English/Dutch ethnicity, US/South African Nationality .
Obama Mixed race(Black/African race ,White/European race) .
Identifies as Black American ethnicity due to social-cultural uptake/influence/proximity/US ethnic-identifier but ancestrally descended from one of Nilotic ethnicities due to his father ancestry and Irish ethnicity due to his mother ancestry .
US/American Nationality by birth, Kenyan Nationality by ancestry .
At birth external racial manifestation a constant but external ethno-cultural manifestation can adjust based on social context but remain genetically constant .
Different ethnic groups can share the same race but have different genetic variation and external ethnic features like Indian and Filipino same Asian race but different ethnicities and nationalities .
Same ethnic group can also have racial variations like White Arab and Black Arab or White Jew and Black Jew or White Hispanic and Black Hispanic .
Ethnicity at intersection of race, culture, context and history much more complex than race or nationality .
Black America and other Black diaspora such as Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Mexican, Afro-Palestinians, Afro-Jamaicans etc are ethno-racial groups not by choice but by circumstance .
Humans collapse from individual, family, clan, ethnicity, nationality and race . Race is typically the most obvious social identifier . Race typically phenotypically a social construct based on underlying genetic dispositions .
Transcends geography . Ethnicity can be both genetic/phenotypic and contextual . Race and ethnicity are most enduring but nationality is flexible and can be acquired .
Race is typically the most obvious social identifier . Race typically phenotypically a social construct based on underlying genetic dispositions/variations . Transcends geography .
Ethnicity can be genetic/phenotypic and primarily contextual but can be exported like Arab or Indian in US maintaining cultural norms . Race and ethnicity unless mixed are most enduring but nationality is flexible .
After US annexed Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada etc from Mexico the residents of these jurisdiction acquired US/American Nationality by default despite ethno-cultural norms or racial identification .
At birth external racial manifestation a constant but external ethnic manifestation can adjust based on social-cultural context but remain genetically constant unless mixed .
This is a really good video, the honesty and directness, I love that. Can't wait to see the DNA test, foreheads are East African, but honestly, I don't think you'll be East African too much (though I hope you are so we can claim you more and give you East African Names)
Thank you even though our son did take a test a few years back, we need to see the results ourselves. The percentages of most from US would west Africa but hopefully we’ll know soon
I'm still stuck at these two being parents of a 31 year old. My goodness they don't even look anything past forty. Saida herself looks under 30. I'm I tripping or something?
Thank you! 😊
@@TravelCheckIns I'm not even kidding, tell us thy secret...
@@marylee-l.a.6702 we credit God first, for it is He who gives and gives us abundant health, wellness, peace and youthfulness. Next, just eating well, exercise, and managing stress well. Our kids and now our grandchildren keep us youthful too.
Most of the information Africans consume about African Americans is from TV and movies, but this is general coz not all people are 100% the same and everybody has a different background and experience. About the Negro issue, its funny but i love Negro Spiritual and thats the only place i have ever encountered the word beacuse. And Negro Spiritual has also greatly inspired alot of African gospel songs. As a Kenyan i think African Americans are great and multi-talented and alot of people draw alot of inspirations from how they live, how they talk, how they wear almost everything. All in all, everybody has something to offer and we are all God's people.
Amen
There's this guy on Tiktok calling himself Brandon and he's really tainting B. A's image. Like why would he call Kenyans, Monkeys when he looks like us?? What level of self hate is that? Treating us the same way yt pple treat him back there, i honestly hope he feels good about himself after seeing us as monkeys. Man, i really hate that dude! Like tf!!!! 😣
I would say don’t watch content that will upset you. I watch things that are enjoyable to me. I stay away from those things.
i mostly feel pity.. like one looking at a car about to crush.... To be honest i am cautious when it comes to African Americans coz i know we may share the same skin but our experiences are quite different.. We do not know what it feels to be in a place you call home but experience bias. There is a lot of baggage we do not carry. However, in a church set up, the Cross unites us so it's way easier conversing without offending anyone.
He is simply a misplaced Nugu
Yes it does
@@karonebuguss2616 People in Kenya experience tribalism in their own country
We need these kind of conversations. ❤❤🇰🇪🇰🇪🫶🫶💉💉
Thank you
As someone who has barely left Nairobi in my 33yrs of life.. I think of African Amerikans as people who had a twist of fate ..i.e. their success on the civil rights front in a society crafted by whites made their condition even better than many people who were never enslaved!
Is it to say that civilization is a white-mans invention? NO! But as far as Kenya is concerned, I don't forsee a day this country will embrace the value of civilization in any meaningful capacity.
So yeah, basically your Amerikan Visa is Job's charter in my eyes!
I can’t say that I disagree
@TravelCheckIns I have to ask, having transversed interior Masailand.. might you have any perspective shift on Female Circumcision?
No. I’m still not a supporter of that
I live in a predominately black neighborhood and the schools are great and it’s quiet when I wake up birds chirping or woodpeckers. Going to a White school don’t make it better.
Good for you. 👏🏾 Thanks for watching.
Money definitely "has a voice" - "The more money the more problems "~ BIGGY SMALLS a. k .a NOTORIOUS B.I.G - New York East Coast rapper (1972-1997) .
Thanks for watching! 😊
@@TravelCheckIns 👍
Thanks friends for debunking these myths about African Americans.
Let me comment on some issues you have talked about.
Issue no 1
Our Education system is made up of Primary school (in the US it is similar to elementary and Middle school), High school (in the US Grades 9-12) and University ( for both US and Kenya.)
The person you interviewed said that they think that African Americans don't exist. That person did not probably go to high school or they was not aware of what was happening in the world around him/her. Let me explain.
Here is the history of Kenya during the previous decades.
The 70's
In our high school days, we would be taught by American missionaries and peace corps volunteers (all of them US or UK and white). My Maths and English teachers were Americans. During the early 70's the media would show movies and soap operas with white people like John Wayne (the famous Marlboro man in cigarette advertisements). But then that changed after they started showing us pictures of black people appearing in some of them during the mid-70s. We used to admire the photos of them appearing in magazines with this wonderful afro hair.
The 80's
That was the time when Michael Jackson, Cool and the Gang, and Lionel Richie music would be aired in our radios and TV stations. Michael Jackson even came to Tanzania in 1992. Anyone who says that they never heard these people or saw them on TV must have been living on some cave. Could it be because whoever was teaching them history about slavery did not connect the dots? I will ask you to do two tests. Test one. Go to a rural primary school and ask any child in higher primary (middle school) to show you where America is. The clever ones can even show you where New York or LA is. Then ask an American (any) to name any one country in Africa. The reason why I am proposing these tests is to highlight the importance of your work. Thanks a lot for what you are doing.
Issue no 2
I have heard some people (African immigrants to the US) saying that African Americans do not appreciate them over there. But again this cannot be generalized and perhaps that's the reason why both of us have more work to do.
The weird thing is two people that didn’t know we existed for a while learned at university. A few people commented that history of AA are not in their textbooks. It seems the millennial generation were missing those facts
In 1950 more than 80% Black married more than White . US marriage/family decline . Individualism/social issues .
Marriage rate Asian 58-61%,white 48-52%,hispanic 42-44%,Black less than 30% . For millennial(28-43) marriage rate 44% . Less than 24% of Black millennial married .
Black women median wealth $1,700, black family median $44K,hispanic $63K, native American $36K,white $285K,asian $321K .
Asian most collective group US leverage family . US individualist hence at least 50 million mental health .
The median age for marriage in 2024 today 31 male 29 female . Median marriage rate in 1965 before civil rights act 23 male,21 female . In 2024 at least 25% of millennial 40 year old never married .
Thanks for watching! 😊
This is a bot, obviously
@@tomatosoup6440 what's a bot?
😂
Kenyans don't know much about Transatlatic slave trade because it affected mostly west Africa. Yes there was slavery in the East African coast as well but it didn't flourish because the maasai who controlled the trade routes destroyed many Arab slave caravans and slaughtered Arabs. Therefore Arabs and swahili traders decided to kidnap Africans into slavery mostly from central and southern Africa countries, or coastal tanzanian tribes.
The Nilotic Maasai historically had very low populations and least interactions with Arabs who maintained east Africa coastal empires . Arabs along the coast had most interactions with Bantu groups .
In 1900 the Maasai population in Kenya and Tanzania was less than 10000 and the Kenya population was 1.7million only .
From the interior the slaves brought to Zanzibar were from Bantu Congo ,Angola and Mozambique by Arab slave traders including TIPU TIP .
When the Arabs conquered Egypt in 639 to 649 AD they attempted to advance Southwards into Sudan but were stopped by Nilotic and Nilo-Saharan groups hence slavery did not spread into the interior like in West Africa .
Portuguese managed to capture slaves in Angola and Congo but were unable to spread into the interior where hostile Nilotic groups such as the Dinka, Nuer, Luo, Turkana, Maasai, Toposa, Karamoja existed in North East and East Africa .
In Sudan/Lower Egypt along the Nile the Nilotic Luo-Shilluk Kingdom under Reth fought the Turco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt and conducted raids on the Arab north therefore slavery did not advance southward into Eastern Africa .
The Dinka ,Luo and Nuer created fierce warrior classes and these conflicts spilled over into modern times with the first Sudan civil war(1955-1971) known as Anyanya I rebellion against Arab North .
The Nilotic Luo invasion of Bunyoro Kitara in present day Uganda in the 14th and 15th century effectively ended any forms of slavery or slave trade in Uganda .
The Luo(Obama,Lupita Nyongo WOMAN KING ACTRESS SHEILA ATIM) are diasporic(at least 25+ million Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, DRC Congo, Sudan/Lower Egypt,Ethiopia Gambella/Eritrea,Chad,Central Africa Republic) and like other Nilotic groups such as Dinka and Nuer resisted the advancement of Arab slavery in ancient and modern times .
The Nilotic Luo-Babito rulers in present day Uganda would then rule over Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom for 400 to 500 years until 1967 and later 1971 when it was stopped by the Uganda government under Idi Amin .
The Nilotic Luo also provided ruler-ship for the Buganda Kingdom .
Thing is, it's not misconceptions when there are black Americans making content in Nairobi. You are showing us your thought processes. And there is some common denominator individualist behaviour/commentary - whether through a lens of adventure , coupling , christianity, red pill misogyny, or Stellas getting their groove back.
Thanks for watching! 😊
What are you trying to say? You sound gibberish
@@marylee-l.a.6702 It's a coherent paragraph, with proper punctuation. Perhaps it's the definition of gibberish that is misplaced.
P.S Personally, when I struggle to understand something, I quote the specific section I don't understand, and request clarification.
There is healthy communication and having conversations focused on mutual learnin : all depends on choice of words e.g "Kindly clarify x" Vs ".... gibberish"
@@marylee-l.a.6702i understood. the gist of it, is some of the myths are being proven true by the current AA in town simply by the thought processes they reveal in their videos.. hopefully i got it right.
@@marylee-l.a.6702
I agree with you. The whole statement is poorly written.
I’m 55 born in what was all black DC, and my birth certificate says “negro”
I know you lying. We need receipts. Are you serious or joking?
@ as a young man on his own, one day my mother just gave me some paperwork that as an adult I should have, like a birth certificate. Never thought much of it. Every so often my wife and I do a paperwork check(insurance, bank accounts, passport, birth certificates…). One day recently I was reading my birth certificate again and I just happen to notice in the space where it asks for father’s race and mother’s race, both places it says “negro”. That makes me a “negro”. So that old Kenya man wasn’t totally off base lol.
Wow. I’m(Germaine) 51 and that’s not on mine. And I was born in the South.
@@TravelCheckInshello Germaine. Ok so every few months or so the wife and I go through our stuff to locate important papers and information. In my early 20s my mother sent me a copy of my birth certificate. Never really paid much attention to it until one day recently I just started reading it. On the lines where it says race of mother, and race of father in both places it says “negro”. I just noticed this, can’t make this stuff up
If your first son is 31 and you're 47 that means you got pregnant when u were 15 damn Germaine 🤔
Your math is not mathing . When you count the years inclusive it should be 17-18 . From biology standpoint female ideal/peak reproduction years 16-26 .
But human not just biology but psychology and spiritual/emotional and resources .
Maturity of age and/experience can benefit children .
Experience/maturity can come before age like the old grandmothers when world life expectancy was 32 in 1900 so 15 would already be late .
Today society changes and higher life expectancy a healthy female 47 year old expected to reach at least 90 everything else remaining constant .
Hence having kids after 30 has been normalized for female but not ideal unless they are healthy or have maintained healthy lifestyle .
Michelle Obama struggled to conceive at 28-34 .
🙂
Kenyans have ENTIRE slums near wealthy areas and think Black Americans are “oppressed”. You all tried to explain but your perspective is a bit narrow given that you still associate white with “better” as far as social institutions go.
Where did you get that understanding of us. Statistically the University of Tokyo is the best in the world. I think to say that we think that is a little presumptuous. Personally I judge schools on the results of their graduates
@ I simply listened to how you said it. 🤷🏾♀️
I get it. But that wasn’t the main point. White doesn’t mean better at anything per se. But when you look at stats of say an Ivy League you…The average graduate makes more than the average school. Including other predominantly white institutions. I guess that was the point. Not saying that someone should go to school because it is mostly white.
This video is disturbing on so many levels, it’s giving house kneegrow vibes
😂. Nah it’s called get stuff done regardless. When blacks AA have a different opinion from others why is that always thrown out. Check our track record. We come to uplift and further the cause of thriving despite of… If you are putting in work then you can comment otherwise you are just as trapped as a slave.