Harrambee

When Kenya first became independent the country was a mess. There had just been a civil war with 100,000 dead, the British who had run everything were pulling out, tribalism was rampant, and the country had zero cash. On top of this, Jomo Kenyatta, the new president had made various promises on improving the country and the people had assumed all kinds of good things would happen to them. Needless to say, the government was inundated with demands and requests- food, water, electricity, security, schools, etc. Kenyatta’s response was to start a tradition called Harrambee. I’m told it means “coming together” though I’ve never heard it used and in Swahili we use another word for together (pamoja). Anyway, the idea is that the community will come together and raise the money, labor, etc. and fix their own problems. This is a brilliant solution in that the people ask the gov for a lot less and development becomes a lot more meaningful. With the people invested in a project they really want it to work. When things come in from outside they are often cannibalized (e.g. phone wires cut down and sold) or neglected (water pipes or pumps) but not if you set it up yourself. The idea joined together a number of things Kenyans like- socializing, improving their lives, and food- and went over really well. It soon became the national motto, it's on their flag, and the whole country is filled with harrambee projects of one sort or another. If you want to get married, you hold a harrambee to get the money together. Sending someone abroad- hold a harrambee. There are a whole set of things associated with holding it. Whenever you decide to have one you organize a committee with pres, vice-pres, secretary, etc. and decide how much you’ll raise, what day you’ll hold it, etc. After that a bunch of cards are printed up and passed out to all the committee members. Each member then goes out passing these cards to all their friends and family who are expected to contribute something. If you contribute a lot of money you put you’re name at the top, poor people write at the bottom. I always put my name in the middle (like everyone else) so I don’t appear too wealthy or a cheapskate. As always, social pressure is a big motivator where everybody knows what everybody else put in.

When my school held a harrambee last year it was literally the social event of the year. Preparations started months in advance and included everybody within a 10 mile radius. We had big electric speakers, big name human speakers, an MC, a big tent, and all kinds of entertainment. Each of the local schools contributed dancers (including deaf kids doing Scottish gigs) and our kids also did poems and attempts at drama. It was a whole day deal with preparations beginning in the morning, people hanging out for hours listening to music, and then the entertainment and looong speeches for a couple hours followed by people dancing into the evening, followed by food and a gathering going on latenight. Every way to collect money was shamelessly used. Students went around selling guest ribbons for 500 shillings, and little colored feathers for 50 shillings. For about an hour or so we had a collection where they call out people’s names and they come up and put money in a basket. It’s a completely public affair where the MC calls out how much money each person puts in and everyone cheers. Kenyan cheers are very loud- three claps in unison, each louder than the last while stomping your feet. All in all we raised 130,000 shillings, a massive amount of money in a place where a long day of work is 150 shillings.

Harrambee pervades every aspect of Kenyan society. When my student’s siblings died there was an impromptu harrambee where the whole community comes to the home, cooks a meal, helps dig the graves, and gives money to the family. When there was drought up North the churches would take extra collections to send relief in that direction. Any catastrophe or happy event has a harrambee or at least a monetary collection. As a result virtually all of the schools, churches, dispensaries (local hospitals), etc. are harrambee. It’s one of the most impressive aspects of Kenyan culture. The only comparable thing I know of in the US is the baby shower and to some extent weddings.