Minnesota Winters - A poem

Shoveling Snow

Pheew! My hydraulic handkerchief went throwing the mucous out of my running nose against the southerly breeze with no success

The entire creamy mass landed partially on my cheeks and the rest found home on the jacket, yak!

With determination I continued to push and push the heap of snow, with my back begging and chest burning

In a moment I asked myself how and why in the whole wide world did I end up in Minnesota of all places.

The harder I pushed the faster the breeze blew my rather short nose and the colder and desperate I felt

All over in the neighborhood, snow blowers trotted as they so easily cleaned their driveways

Often, this was my opportunity to constructively work out, and inhale fresh air; this time around the opportunity was unpalatable and vengeful

Snow blowers in the hood got louder and closer yet no one even tried to fake to help these recent immigrant

Each shovel got heavier and heavier, the slip on several occasions and later a fall made it even more difficult

The harder I pushed the faster the more a begged that someone with one of the loud machines would help this desperate son from the equator

The thought ran through my the head that may be to spare my health I should visit sears to acquire my own machine

Another trend of thought was more consoling, acknowledging that I was half way done and winter will be done shortly

The beauty of white covering the tree branches gave me some reprieve and solace

Wait a minute! Just as I was nearly declaring victory, than the snow plow dumped a huge heap back onto my drive way

Oh no! The drive to push the fluff once more was punctured, but the task ahead of me was cut

Oh!! Snow, how we love sliding, sledging and skating over you, I did know that you take all that in count

On this fateful day, I seemed to have paid prices for all those who’d generated joy and fun out you the entire season

As I retired to the warmth of the house, mugongo was ngoo! While my ears were as dry as the hills of Karamoja

Minnesota even with your harsh winters, I still do know where all my adorations for you come from?

Yes! Minnesota’s winters can be truly harsh and brutal but in you we are seasonally reminded of our true place in nature.

By Figuhr Samedi Kania – January 2007

The Kalenjin Spin out of the Maize Scandal

Some Kalenjins now want to employ a Political Spin to a criminal activities that the top cream are engaging in.
All I can say is Wacheni fitina, porojo, uchochezi, uvumi na wivu!
Let us face facts. Some of your claims that we are being avenged by the Kikuyu are frivolous. This is how spin overtakes reason.

You want us to believe that Kalenjin leaders are saints they cannot steal? mmmmhhhh
Many of our own are languishing in jails for pre and post elections crimes, why not apply the same standards to them politicians?
You are also saying that the likes of Kibor, the formation of a investigative team and reports on the dailies are all but illusions?
The seed of enmity you are trying to plant is counterproductive and for the short sighted. today its the other tribe tomorrow twill be the other clan.

Quite an number of folks in this forum have Judeo-christian names; do you also use the Judeo-christian values to make you assertions?
Some of you even make claim to be Christians, why not call SIN by its name? Sorry may be you are double faced?
Think twice folks. Do not allow to create a storm out of a rumbling tummy; In Islam it is inferred that a thief has 39 days to.... but the 40th belongs to justice.
We have lived in artificial fear for long; while the likes of Ruto, Biwott, Moi et. al., and other spinners have many close Kikuyu business partners and associates.

It is just yesterday that we killed our neighbors, maimed the innocent in the name of fairness and democracy, Can't we learn from our past mistakes?
The graves are still visible, scars and memories still linger, refugees camps are still out there, why do we want to tread down this road again?
How irrational, short sighted, and subjective can our community be? Or maybe we lack the ability to discern right from wrong?
Most of us living away from North Rift; are sojourners yet the natives continue to treat as friends, and share thier resources with us. Can't we see if we cannot think?

Wacheni fitina, porojo, uchochezi, uvumi na wivu wenzangu wakalee and be human for once
Let us face facts. Some of your claims that we are being avenged are frivolous. This is how spin overtakes reason. That we end up hurting the innocent.

KONGOI Obama

Thanks the Obama’s for ushering in a new & unique era


As I sat on the sofa behind the TV box and listed to all the formal preps, rehearsal and speeches. It became evident that the guy on the TV was one of our own and now was the Head of the Union. What had been like a dream had become real? Barack Hussein Obama is now the 44th president of the most powerful nation in the whole wide world.
My son Baraka, earlier in the morning, did not want to go to school, because he knew very well what the day meant. The magnitude of this event was a realization of the devotion that Barack Obama had about his dream. Because of his unwavering focus and hard work,he had arrived at his destiny. His new address in and will remain to be the most coveted address in the entire union, if not the world.
Just like my son this event has been a spectacle of hope. Its fruition opened new perception about human possibilities over limitations created by some persons amongs us. All, foes and friends alike can attest to Barack famous line, that it is only the US that this possibility can be possible.
The line of possibility could be read as far East as Indonesia and Japan where children and adults a like gave up sleep to witness the historic clock usher in a new era. It was captivating even for people in the little known village on the shores of Lake Victoria, Kogelo, as the international media and lime light, covered them as well as they a waited for their own to usher in a era.
All I can say is that America you have surprised me beyond imagination. I know that you have even surprised the 44th president himself. He must have not slept last night, just like he did not sleep during the election night after the results we announced.
Mr. President Congratulations! We are now open to even greater possibilities. Let the next head of the Union be a female with Cuban roots. You put well, that this is the audacity of Hope. Hope that all races, gender can be equal beneficiaries of the American dream.
Thank you to the Obama’s for what you have taught all of us. The lesson of Yes we can! Tis a lesson that goes beyond religion, creed, race, nationality, and far and beyond all the other ‘isms out there.
Yes I can, leave my American dream a mid the financial quagmire.

What is the Currency of Indentity?

A few nights ago that I tried to speak my mother tongue with my son Baraka Chemmoss Kaania,only to be surprised, that one from my own loins did not understand one of the many languages that I claim to speak. When said to him, subai werii? He wondered and asked, Dada what are you saying? I tried to repeat the same line but his face, registered even a greater surprise. It was then that it dawned to me that we as a Samedi Kania family had undergone a significant transformation in terms of the context, norms and values.

This was a kind reminder that my Saboat roots have undergone systematic decline and it was just a matter of one generation down the road, that it will all be in archives that Samedi Arap Kania immigrated from Kenya and his origins, blah, blah, blah.This was also an kind affirmation that as a family, it had not been a priority to include other languagual repatoires in our curriculum.

Wait a minute! This thought brought some flash backs. When in Eldoret – Kenya, recently between the end of December 2007 and January 2008, I experienced many sad and scaryy things.With the ethnic clashes at the peak, tribal indentity became the standard of indentity and the proof of the indentity one was expected to be fluent in that respective mother tongue.

While driving from Ziwa towards Eldoret, we were stoped as at a road block, by this youngmen you then did not speak any other language other than the local dialect. If you could not hold a conversation in that meduim it was summarily concluded that you were not one of them, therefore, the rest was often sad stories told.

I wondered for a moment if my son had been in Kenya at that time, without a spokes person or a defender, he might have been persecuted by his own.This thought made me question my self. What is the true determinant of ones indentity? Is Baraka, not one of my own? If so, why should it be that language overides, his genes? May be the currency of indentity of tribal affliations (in Kenya), is tribe, language and related practices. So that if you are not in the main stream, you will eithr be forced to the center or be ejects and disowned.

It was in the middle of this, that it dawned to me that my sons name sake was the President elect of the United States of America. Can the same standards apply to him? Wait a minute, Baraka Obama if anything new no or a few luo words, yet he was not only a tribal hero in Kogelo, was one a hero even in the streets of Nairobi, after his victories election. If my claim is true the Baraka Chemmoss can as well still be a Sabaot, even without speaking the local dialect, only if he becomes a high achiever in whatever field he pursues.

I therefore have a game plan for Mr. Baraka Chemmoss Kania. The first and surer way to make sure that Baraka becomes respectable in the village I came from is by, pushing him to achieve. If rises above the tide then the pre-resquisite to admission is waived, that is my plan A.

If plan A, is not viable, then plan B can as well be pursued, by starting a rigorous language acquisation program right now, and right here. For studies conform that before the age of 11 there is a possibility that, if Baraka Chemmoss is trained, he willl soon be able to salute me, Subai Baba. What I joy when I salute him back Aboo werri.

Plan C, might be the easiest, to forget all about Mt. Elgon and its people and teach him Chinese instead. Afterall, Far East is the direction of immigrating in Baraka’s future. But for know Please Konja Chuu, let me weigh my options to determine which is the best plan.