Grasses and Weeds

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Grasses

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Plant

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Explanation

Young grass that comes soon after the long rains, makes goats, cattle and sheep diarrhea because of its low roughage content. Weaver birds use fresh grass to build nests and certain birds only nest in grass such as papyrus, so they only come around when this grass has grown.

Patrick Wafula

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topic for haiku


Napier grass
Pennisetum purpureum (Napier Grass, Elephant Grass or Uganda Grass)
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !
nappier grass

Napier grass is abundant during the long rain season, but it is also available in small quantities, having been spared to cater for the scarcity of fodder during the dry season.

Napier grass has a seasonality: in rural areas, it is inter-cropped with subsistence crops, but it is mostly planted on terraces where it also helps curb soil erosion.

In the urban centres, the grass grows spontaneously along riverbanks or unfarmed fields. It is available in Nairobi along the Ngong River bank that passes just outside Bahati Community Centre Secondary School.

Patrick Wafula



monday evening--
a cow browsing on
dry Nappier grass

Violet Wangira



napier grass-
the eaten portion of
a leaf

Elijah Juma

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kigo for both rainy seasons

young grass
fresh grass
green grass


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kigo for hot and dry season


couch grass
Elytrigia repens (Couch Grass; syn. Triticum repens L., Agropyron repens (L.) P. Beauv., Elymus repens (L.) Digitaria scalarum
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !



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papyrus
Cyperus papyrus (papyrus sedge or paper reed)
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

related kigo

Papyrus reeds being picked and used

I think that papyrus reeds are a perfect kigo for the rainy season. during this season the reeds flourish especially in stagnant pools and swampy zones.It is during this season that they emerge and when its hot they dry up to golden yellow colour and are plucked for different uses like basketry and making of chairs. Children also use them in their plays.
hussein haji


BUT

Papyrus reeds growing -- kigo for the rainy seasons



flowery papyrus grass —
the cracked soil of the burst
sewage path

January sun -
papyrus weed blooms
turning brown green

Patrick Wafula



shaking papyrus -
a little grebe dives
into the marsh

Andrew Otinga


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red oat grass or red grass
Themeda triandra
. . . More in the WIKIPEDIA !



star grass, African star grass
There are various kinds see
. . . More in the WIKIPEDIA !



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kigo for the dry seasons

weeds

I have also observed that weeds grow along with the crops, and therefore the start of the dry season is also a good time for weeds to grow in the shambas.
So, I think that the weeds are kigo and can be used for the beginning of the two dry seasons.


Bidens pilosa, Couch grass, Star grass and Napier grass
all these grasses are kigo for the middle of the rainy seasons into the start of the dry seasons; then they dry up (unless watered) and do not grow again until there has been a period of rainfall.

source : Isabelle Prondzynski



Here are some of the most common weeds for both the dry and wet season:
by Patrick Wafula

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black jack: bidens pilosa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidens_pilosa


Bidens pilosa is definitely a weed, and a very undesirable one. I believe it should be a kigo for the season when it produces its clingy seeds -- probably throughout the two dry seasons.
Isabelle Sensei


The common name for Biden's Pilosa is Black Jack.
I agree with Isabelle sensei about the undesirability of the weed and the season it is most rampant. It comes along with crops during both the short and long rain seasons and grows rapidly and in plenty such that if it is not weeded it chokes the crops such as maize, beans, potatoes, etc, of nutrients.

It is known as 'makowe' among the Luhya of western Kenya. When it is mature, its seeds have spikes that enable it to stick to clothes of anyone who comes in contact with them; this is the weed's natural way of spreading or dispersing its seeds!
Patrick Wafula


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couch grass
Couch grass is somewhere half-way between a weed and a useful plant.
Quecke in German



datura stramonium or chinese lantern

devil's horse whip
Achyranthes aspera


dayflower, weed of the rainy season
It is eaten as a vegetable in some parts of Kenya.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commelina




MacDonald's Eye Macdonald eye
gallant soldier
Gallinsoga parviflora



mexican marigold
It is locally known as 'begu rahisi' (Luhya) or 'maua madongo' (Luo). It has so many uses in the Kenyan community. One of its uses is the hedge; it is planted around gardens or shambas to enclose and mark bounderies. The other use is herbal; but it has one amazing using known to very few Africans: when mixed with sisal leaves juice and pepper and certain other locally known herbs, it is used to catch fish in shallow streams during the dry season. Boys in the rural do this by dipping large amounts of this concoction and squeezing its juice out upstream and then walking down stream for about 200 metres or so to catch very drunk, floating fish. But after about 2 hours, the fish becomes sober again and disappears under water! The most difficult fish to be 'drugged' is the eel. Even if it gets drugged, it remains very slippery and does not easily float downstream, but you can find it lying tipsily in mud close to the bank...
Read more here on the mexican marigold in the Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_marigold



nut grass
Cyperus rotundas


star grass
Star grass is also a useful plant, as it makes for good lawns and gardens in public parks.


wandering jew
Three species of the spiderwort
Commelina bengalensis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandering_Jew_(disambiguation)



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Worldwide use

Japan

summer grass

natsukusa ya tsuwamano-domo ga yume no ato

summer grass -
all that remains of
brave warriors' dreams
Tr. Gabi Greve

Matsuo Basho

Warrior (tsuwamono) and haiku



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. Lawn (shiba) 　


. Pampas grass (susuki, obana) 　
Miscanthus species, usually M. sinensis



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Things found on the way

Black nightshade - Solanum nigrum
Double thorn - Oxygonum sinuatum
Oxalis/sorrel
Sodom apple - Solanum Incanum
Sow thistle - Sonchus oleraceus



WEEDS TO BE STUDIED
with illustrations
source : www.elimu.ne


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HAIKU


children chasing
grasshoppers on tall grasses --
rising sun

yamame



young grass --
two butterflies glide from
goalpost to goalpost

Caleb Mutua

Kenya Saijiki Forum

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two barefooted ladies
pad on soft green grass --
cool highland breeze

Patrick Wafula

Rift Valley, Kenya


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napier grass dances
to the rhythm of the wind --
May rain

Jacinta Wanza

Long Rains Kukai 2009


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dust
on the grass --
sports day

Sebastian Kimey

Dust and Haiku


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going to the stream --
the dew on couch grasses
wets my feet

star grass----
my new white jumper
has stains!

Catherine Njeri


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July 2010

. MORE
haiku on grass


. MORE
haiku on grass from Khadijah



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Patrick Wafula writes in April, 2010:

I took a stroll around Kayole. Then I met a hawker peddling grass brooms! The brooms were made of tall grass still fresh and green but dry. I wish I could know the name of this particular grass, but I do know its appearance and characteristics.


shouting conductors--
a grass-broom hawker
adds to the din

It was red oat grass, as I found out later.





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jua kali artisan
harvesting papyrus--
bird song

Jua kali artisans use mature papyrus to make baskets and beautiful sofa set tapestry.

Patrick Wafula, May 2010




end of July --
Sudan Grass flowers
turning into seeds


an old woman
talks to her goat --
roadside grasses

Patrick Wafula


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Shiki Monthly Kukai
July 2010 Kukai / First Place — 18 Points

leaning papyrus --
the weight of a green
chameleon

~ Parkeenka Ntato

source : Shiki Monthly Kukai


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cold July --
a white golf ball rolls on
the turf grass

~ Duncan Omoto


. More Results of the Shiki July competition
-- GRASSES 　
by members of the Kenya Saijiki Forum


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cold breeze-
a papyrus waves its
green leaves

Mercy Nzoki


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sewer line--
I pluck macdonald's eye
for my rabbits

Douglas Nugi





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Related words

*****Bog grasses
Ireland

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Sufuria cooking pot

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Sufuria cooking pot

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

A Sufuria (Swahili plural sufuria, English plural sufurias)
is a Swahili language word, adopted in East African English, for a flat based, deep sided, lipped and handleless cooking pot or container or saucepan, ubiquitous in Kenya, parts of Tanzania and surrounding nations.A replacement for more traditional crockery containers (ek fara), it used in most every Kenyan household for cooking, serving and storing food.
Most Sufuria are today aluminum, produced and purchased locally in the informal sector.
Sufuria were traditionally used to cook over open fire, charcoal brazier (a jiko), or coals, and are purchased in a variety of sizes, with and without lids.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !





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Worldwide use



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Things found on the way


Frying flying termintes
in a sufuria



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HAIKU

Kenya Saijiki Fourm


hot tea from sufuria
scalds my brother --
chilly morning

Anne Wairimu
April 2007


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lovely new morning -
frying pans and sufurias
this is Christmas day

Jacinta Minoo
January 2007

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warm steam from
the boiled maize sufuria--
evening showers

Hussein Haji

Maize Haiku


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Related words

***** -- Jiko (brazier)


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Termites flying

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Flying termites

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: Long and short rains
***** Category: Animal

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Explanation

The flying termites usually come out during the rain seasons.

Termites here in Kenya are a delicacy
enjoyed by some Kenyan tribes particularly the Luhya of Western Kenya!

The termites are cooked, fried or eaten raw. Just a pinch of salt is salt is sprinkled on the live, raw termites and there you go... when being cooked, they are put onto a huge sufuria and a little water and salt sprinkled over them, then allowed to boil. When being fried, just a frying pan or sufuria is first put on the fire and allowed to be hot and then the termites are put on it and turned over and over until they are fried.

Sometimes, the termites are dried and preserved. This is done by first boiling them as stated above and then spreading them out on the sun to dry for several days. They are then rubbed slightly and winnowed in the wind to remove the wings. This leaves only the dried termites for storage for future consumption.

However, remember, there is a slight difference in the names we give to the termites here with those given in other countries:

We have the Swahili names:


mchwa: the ants

and


kumbi kumbi: flying termites


Mchwa eats up wood; but in other countries, termites refer to mchwa.
Kumbi kumbi does not eat up wood; they fly around and are eaten by almost all birds and human beings.

. . .

I would like to share more details about my termite experience from Western Kenya when I was young. There, we used to go hunting and harvesting the termites. We did not just wait for the long and short rains to bring them to the surface. This is how we used to do it. One had to locate the termite nest first, then use a hoe to scratch for the openings, which indicated the termites had grown wings.

If the nest did not have small holes, we said the termites underground were still 'young'. Once the openings were located-- there could be as many as fifty one one nest-- we could use mud to build a very peculiar structure which I am unable to describe here. It looked very much like an inverted kettle, such that the spout connected to the opening where the termites were expected to come from and the tank was where the termites would land and wait to be harvested. Then what followed was a unique way of luring the termites to the surface.

We know about a certain bird that drums on the soil to lure the termites out. When the termites hear the drumming, they usually think it is the heavy rain so they come out, only to be preyed upon! We used to use one long stick put on the nest and each person used two smaller sticks just like those used to play xylophones, to drum on the longer pole firmly embedded into the ground on the nest. We drummed the whole evening and the termites would start coming out at twilight to land in the artificial nests made of mud. We would then harvest them soon after sunset.

Termites are rich in protein. In Western Kenya, they have become an income a commercial venture and are now being exported all the way to Nairobi in their various forms. At Gikomba, in Nairobi, you can now find even the live ones on sale!

Patrick Wafula


Sufuria .. cooking pot or fryingpan ... and haiku


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Flying termites remind me of my childhood days. When I was in primary school, our house was lit by a kerosene lamp that consists of a tin tank, a wick and a glass chimney.

Since we got home from school early, we would go to play in the fields and during rainy seasons, there were a lot of termites. My elder brother would send me to fetch a basin which we used to dive on the termites, trapping a good number of them. Then we would go home and while mom was preparing supper, we would wait when the glass chimney of the kerosene lamp was hot. We then shared the termites and I would hold one termite by the wing and move it just above the glass chimney where it was very hot for a few seconds and have my bite, minus the wings of course!
It had a sugary taste and a salty taste in the head region. All this was happening behind mom's back and I must add that termites are yummy!

Caleb Mutua


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quote
The first heavy rain usually brings out the large termites, which fly into the dusk and up to any electric light, and which get devoured by frogs, gekkos and other waiting animals. There are some people, particularly in Uganda, who value the flying termites as a source of protein, catch them and have a feast.

First Rainfall : Kigo


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During most of the year, termites live in the ground and are thus a

TOPIC for haiku.


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Worldwide use

Ghana

termites (winged types)

GHANA SAIJIKI



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Japan

Ants were eaten in the Edo period, simmered in sweetened soy sauce. Other insects are also eaten in Japan.

. WASHOKU
Insects as food (konchuu ryoori) 　

flying ants 羽アリ (ha ari)



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Things found on the way



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HAIKU

I walked to the huge trunk and found that termites were busy eating up its roots and building their nest at the base :

termites
eating into its roots --
the dead bunchananii

Patrick Wafula

Arboretum Kukai, 29 March 2008


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morning rain--
three hens chasing
after one termite

the eagle
diving again and again--
flying termites

flying termites--
the kite and the eagle rival
for air space

dripping children
chasing after termites--
morning rain


Patrick Wafula
Kenya Saijiki Forum March 2010


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frogs emerge
termites flying in the drizzle
plenty of protein

Patrick Wafula

THE SPIDERS HAIKU COLLECTION 2006


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the birds in the air
wait from above --
flying termites


a dragonfly
rotates in the air --
catching termites

BARRACK MASTER ELUNGATA
Kenya Saijiki Fourm, April 2010



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Related words

***** Ant, ants (ari)Japan
kigo for summer


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Gumboots

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Gumboots

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: long rains /short rains
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

We would not often call them "rubber boots" in Kenya, as we use the word "rubbers" for an entirely different type of shoe! But perhaps, if we follow the British terminology, we might call them "wellington boots" or even "wellies" -- but gumboots is by far the more common name.

Isabelle Prondzynski




not spelled : gum boots


. . . CLICK here for Photos of "Wellington Boots" !

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The gumboot dance is an African dance that is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots.

In South Africa, these are more commonly called gumboots.
The boots may be embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground.
Reference


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quote
The Wellington boot, also known as rubber-boots, wellies, topboots, gumboots, barnboots, muckboots or rainboots are a type of boot based upon leather Hessian boots.
It was worn and popularised by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. This novel "Wellington" boot then became a fashionable style emulated by the British aristocracy in the early 19th century.

The first Duke of Wellington instructed his shoemaker, Hoby of St. James's Street, London, to modify the 18th-century Hessian boot. The resulting new boot was fabricated in soft calfskin leather, had the trim removed and was cut to fit more closely around the leg. The heels were low cut, stacked around an inch (2.5 centimetres), and the boot stopped at mid-calf. It was suitably hard-wearing for battle, yet comfortable for the evening. The boot was dubbed the Wellington and the name has stuck in British English ever since. The Duke can be seen wearing his namesake boots, which are tasseled, in an 1815 portrait by James Lonsdale.

By the end of the war in 1945, the Wellington had become popular among men, women and children for wet weather wear. The boot had developed to become far roomier with a thick sole and rounded toe. Also, with the rationing of that time, labourers began to use them for daily work.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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Worldwide use



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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

from the Kenya Saijiki Forum


children in gumboots
jumping in the mud
ouch! the legs stuck

~ Keago (Falcon)



unfurled umbrellas --
heavy raindrops
fall on muddy gumboots

~ Cyprian Awino



gumboots sold
at a very high price --
mud everywhere

~ Brian Mwangi



my sister is back
with muddy shoes and socks --
my gumboots

~ Agnes Adhiambo



muddy gumboots,
umbrellas up the sky --
full tanks

~ Debborah Mocheche



with hoes and spades,
men in gumboots dig the grave --
wet muddy earth

~ Patrick Wafula


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kids in red
run and play around --
muddy gumboots

teresia njeri


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long rains --
a school boy wraps his gumboots
in a long trouser

Barrack Elung'ata


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pupils wash their muddy
gumboots in running water--
drizzly morning

Patrick Wafula


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Your gumboots
and my rubber boots, wading
into a rain pool...

Zhanna P. Rader


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moonless night
a pair of gumboots
inside the door

- Shared by Stella Pierides -
Joys of Japan, 2012



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Related words

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Shamba garden

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Shamba

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

Shamba

Even though it is originally Swahili, it is now in the Oxford ENGLISH dictionary, with the meaning "a cultivated plot of ground".

Kenyans often translate it into English as "garden", but it is not the same thing as a garden in Europe. Sometimes, it could be a smallish field. The Oxford English dictionary probably has it right, by accepting it now as an English word in its own right, with the meaning quoted above.

Isabelle Prondzynski
March 2010


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shamba (food garden, Kenya)
-- Britannica Online Encyclopedia


'shamba' is a Swahili word meaning farm . . .


shamba (smallholding)


Kenya's 'shamba' or Tongya system
has been generally defined as a form of agroforestry, where farmers are encouraged to cultivate primary crops . . .


an agroforestry system, known as 'the shamba system' . . .


More Reference


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Worldwide use



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Things found on the way


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HAIKU


March planting--
traces of maize rows
on the shamba

Hussein Haji

Kenya Saijiki Forum


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Related words

***** kitchen gardening

topic for haiku

In towns especially in Nairobi, were people do not have farms,they plant in sacs, benches etc.
Some hung containers while others put sacs where they can water.I am happy that they are observing the planting season.

kitchen gardening--
rain water drips from one
bench to another

James Bundi
Nairobi, March 2010


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. Plantation activities


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Eucalyptus tree, gum tree

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Eucalyptus tree

***** Location: Kenya, Australia
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Plant

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Explanation

The eucalyptus tree is an interesting topic in Kenya today.
It is an exotic tree introduced into the country by the colonialists.

It has however, over time proven very detrimental on the environment as it uses a lot of water thus making it difficult to be inter cropped with other plants or crops. That is why in the recent years, the Kenyan Ministry for environment issued a directive to the effect that the eucalyptus tree should be uprooted, given the rapid climate change that was sweeping across the country.

However, this tree, classified as a hardwood, produces excellent timber and firewood. The only good news is that there is a new species that has been introduced in the coastal province that does not use a lot of water and farmers are once gain being encouraged to plant this species.

The eucalyptus tree has more uses here in Kenya than just providing timber and firewood. It is a medicinal tree, whose seeds and tender leaves are used to make herbal medicine for flu and cold; the leaves are also used in making mint such as PK for chewing gum. The seeds are ground into powder and mixed with other herbs to produce medicine for toothache.

Patrick Wafula



Eucalyptus tree, blue gum tree


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Eucalyptus
is a diverse genus of flowering trees (and a few shrubs) in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia and one as far north as the Philippine archipelago. Only 15 species occur outside Australia, and only 9 do not occur in Australia. Species of Eucalyptus are cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics including the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, China and the Indian Subcontinent.

Eucalyptus is one of three similar genera that are commonly referred to as "eucalypts," the others being Corymbia and Angophora. Many, but far from all, are known as gum trees because many species exude copious sap from any break in the bark (e.g. Scribbly Gum).
The name eucalyptus comes from the Greek: εὐκάλυπτος, eukályptos, meaning "well covered", or "beautiful bark" according to linguist Ahmed Seddik.

Eucalyptus was first introduced from Australia to the rest of the world by Sir Joseph Banks, botanist, on the Cook expedition in 1770. It was subsequently introduced to many parts of the world, notably California, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Ethiopia, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, Uganda, Israel, Galicia and Chile. In Spain, eucalypts have been planted in pulpwood plantations.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


blue gum

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Worldwide use

Eukalyptus


Australia saijiki ... Eucalyptus

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Japan

yuukari ユーカリ / 有加利
Eucalyptus globus
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


夏嵐ユーカリの鉢くつがへす
natsu arashi yuukari no hachi kutsugaesu

summer storm ...
the pot with eucalyptus
is overthrown

Chanko san ちやこさん
source : haiku.blog.livedoor.com


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU


the ducklings
under the eucalyptus shade - -
i unbutton my shirt

Antony Njoroge

source : Kenya Saijiki Forum


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sunny afternoon--
lying on the blue gum's
bark strips

open air market--
eucalyptus seeds fall
in simmering chips

bear roots--
the eucalyptus leaves
withers

James Bundi
Kenya, March 2010


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the herbalist gives me
blue gum seeds powder--
toothache


I had a toothache and went to the herbalist outside Baba Shiro's hardware. I was given toothache medicine, only to learn later that it was pulverized blue gum seeds!


Ngong Road--
the scent of blue gum
tickles my nose


Partrick Wafula
Kenya, March 2010


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eucalyptus--
the sound of dead leaves
dragging on the floor


Railway Museum -
a dead blue gum leaf
on the cabin floor

Caleb Mutua
March 2010


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long rain--
a farmer planting
eucalyptus trees

Victor Obutho


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sunny noon--
she reads a novel under
eucalyptus shadow

Synaidah Kalahi



eucalyptus shadow-
he picks up a rusty
door hinge

Pauline Wayua



suddenly
a eucalyptus branch falls
with a bang

Dennis Oyiengo


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more eucalyptus haiku

Kenya Saijiki Forum, November 2011


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eucalyptus canopy
umbrella for
koalas

facebook : Lorraine Margueritte Gasrel Black



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

humid afternoon -
the shadow of eucalyptus enters
my open window

- Shared by Surmeet Maavi, India -
Joys of Japan, August 2012

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evening breeze-
bluegum leaves tumble
down the old hut

Siboko Yamame, Kenya, 2014


*****************************
Related words

***** Australia saijiki ... Eucalyptus


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Matatu minibus

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Matatu minibus

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

*****************************
Explanation

quote
A Matatu is a mode of public transport in Kenya.



A Matatu is a mode of transport in Kenya that falls between private transport and conventional bus transport. Matatus have fixed routes, but "unfixed" stops and time schedules. They stop anywhere to pick or drop passengers. They operate from some time after 5am to around 9pm.

We were fascinated by the colorfully decorated matatus and also by the "real africa feeling" (as one local put it) you get when riding matatus.

Regulations and Safety
With harder regulations on passenger numbers, enforced by the Kenyan government in early 2004, it is now quite OK (and cheap!) to use matatus as a tourist. The matatus are only filled with one passenger per seat and the numerous police checks on every road help keeping these 'new' security standards.

The number of people killed in accidents involving matatus has been dramatically reduced with the new regulations in place.

The word "Matatu" comes from Kisuaheli "ma tatu", which means "for three".
For three kenyan schillings one could travel on any route in colonialization times.
source : www.squidoo.com


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Share Taxi

Share taxis are the main system of public transport in many countries (especially developing countries) and are known by many different names around the world (see table). They often are privately owned and have an anarchic operating style, lacking central control or organisation.

©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


*****************************
Worldwide use



*****************************
Things found on the way


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HAIKU


a proffered coin --
the pineapple vendor chases
after a matatu

Pineapples in Kenya


dusty matatu --
people breathing inside
to edge it forward

Dust (Swahili : tifutifu)


Isabelle Prondzynski


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matatus full
radio stations tuned
glued to the TV

Dorine Atieno (Peacock)

Madaraka Day June 1


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sunny afternoon-
a matatu driver wipes dust
from the mirror


on a jam
dusty matatus on a stand still -
nakumatt blaze

Nakumatt blaze was a great supermarket fire in 2009.


Siboko Yamame


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night Matatu ride --
not constitution debate
again!

the conductor opens
the umbrella at each stop--
Matatu ride

sudden rain--
the dwarf beggar limps
to the pavement

in the Matatu--
a drop of rain touches
my face

cold ride--
struggling with a stuck
Matatu window

Caleb Mutua
April 2010


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matatu ride --
the scent of roasting maize
wafts past me

Isabelle Prondzynski
October 2010


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Matatu ride --
a dusty card case dangles
all the way

Sometime back in Kenya, the then Transport minister John Michuki introduced new rules and regulations to be observed by the transport sector, especially the public transport and one of the rule was that all the public vehicle drivers should have their passport photos in the Matatu in order for the traffic police and the passengers to identify them.
However, nowadays few drivers follow the regulations. In this particular Matatu, the card case was empty and very dusty...

Caleb Mutua
January 2011


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drizzling morning--
a broken matatu window covered
with a polythene paper

~ Gloria Kerubo


matatu strike--
a long line of muddy
matatus

~ Jedidiah Nduku


potholes--
a driver slows down
the old matatu

emergency brake--
the driver stares at the crossing
Masai cow

~ Isaac Ndirangu


MORE

Matatu Competition May 2011


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Related words

*****

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Pineapple

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Pineapple

***** Location: Kenya
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Fruit

*****************************
Explanation

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
is the common name for an edible tropical plant and also its fruit (although technically multiple fruit merged together, and perceived as one). It is native to Paraguay and the southern part of Brazil.
Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned and is available as a juice or in juice combinations. It is used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and in fruit cocktail. While sweet, it is known for its high acid content (perhaps malic and/or citric). Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruit in widespread cultivation.

The word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398, when it was originally used to describe the reproductive organs of conifer trees (now termed pine cones). When European explorers discovered this tropical fruit, they called them pineapples (term first recorded in that sense in 1664) because of their resemblance to what is now known as the pine cone. The term pine cone was first recorded in 1694 and was used to replace the original meaning of pineapple.

The companies Dole and Del Monte began growing pineapple on the island of Oahu in 1901 and 1917.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !



Del Monte Kenya Ltd
is a Kenyan company that operates in the food processing industry. The company previously known as Kenya Canners, owns a 5,500 acres (22 km²) of pineapple plantation and population of 6,000 employees.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Monte_Kenya



*****************************
Worldwide use

Japan

kigo for late summer

painappuru パイナップル pineapple
..... ananasu あななす ananas
..... matsuringo まつりんご
..... hoori 鳳梨（ほうり）
(with old Chinese characters)


Pineapples are grown in Okinawa.
In 1923, pineapples were introduced from Hawaii and first planted in Motobu, now you can see the Izumi Pineapple garden.
They also make pineapple sponge cake.

There is also the Nago Pineapple Park.


*****************************
Things found on the way


*****************************
HAIKU


January downpour--
a pineapple vendor rewrites
his price tag

hussein haji





long day--
drops of pineapple juice
sag the plastic bag

Caleb Mutua
Kenya saijiki forum


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a proffered coin --
the pineapple vendor chases
after a matatu


Pineapple pieces are always wrapped in thin plastic bags and protected from the roadside fumes and dust. They are already peeled and ready to eat.

Kenyan pineapples are particularly tasty, better than any others I have ever eaten. They are not exported fresh, however, as they stay green and do not look as attractive to European eyes as West African or Caribbean pineapples, which excel in terms of appearance, but not in flavour. You can't please everyone... I prefer flavour over appearance any time!
Isabelle Prondzynski
Kenya Saijiki Forum, February 2010


. . . CLICK here for Photos of a matatu bus!

*****************************
Related words


Banana Kenya. Banana (bashoo 芭蕉) in Japan

Papaya fruit. Carica papaya India, Yemen


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Kenya Haiku Clubs

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The Haiku Clubs of Nairobi

At the beginning of 2006, Nairobi saw the creation of a number of haiku clubs in secondary schools, starting in Kayole housing estate.

The very first meeting, which started it all off, can be read up here :

Bahati Club

.................................................................................

And later, in 2012

. When did Kenya Saijiki start? .

.................................................................................


Please enjoy the introductory pages of each club and browse the Kenya Saijiki Database to find the students’ haiku under a growing range of kigo.


Bahati Haiku Poetry Club, Kayole -- BAMBOOCHAS

Lorna Waddington Haiku Poetry Club, Kayole -- FALCONS

Embakasi Haiku Poetry Club, Kayole -- OAKS

St Mathew Haiku Poetry Club, Kayole -- PEACOCKS

Brookfield Haiku Poetry Club, Kayole -- SPIDERS


As the students’ activities made an impact on teachers, past pupils and other adults, the end of 2006 saw the founding of the first adult haiku club in Nairobi :


Butterflies Haiku Club, Nairobi -- BUTTERFLIES


Cocks Haiku Club


Adults are also involved in the school clubs as teachers and Patrons, and have become individual members of the Kenya Saijiki discussion forum.

New members are welcome!


ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo


Club Activities


The Clubs have already organised a number of joint activities, which have been lively and inspired. There were two main events in 2006, involving all the haiku clubs together :


Bahati Ginkoo, 27 May 2006

Meeting of the Haiku Clubs in Tujisaidie, 4 November 2006


Stars and the Night Sky in Kenya, 2007 A Challenge !

Alan Summers, the originator of the Stars and Night Sky Challenge, also published our results in his own Blog, Area 17, thus opening them to a new readership :
http://area17.blogspot.com/2007/06/kenya-africa-stars-night-sky-challenge.html



St Patrick’s Outing, April 2007


Kigo and haiku topics in Kenya --
a discussion in the Haiku Clubs of Nairob


One of the principal and regular activities is to contribute haiku and kigo information to the Kenya Saijiki Database and to discuss Kenya kigo in the Kenya Saijiki Discussion Forum.


Japanese Culture Week, 2008


Arboretum Kukai, 29 March 2008


Long Rains Kukai 2009


All Saints Kukai, November 2009


Tumaini Kukai April 2010


NAIROBI HAIKU CLUBS JUNE MINI-GINKOO 2010


Kenya Railway Museum Kukai August 2010


Traffic Park Kukai October 30, 2010


Carlile Kukai, June 11, 2011


Eleventh Kukai, St Mathew’s Secondary School
November 5, 2011


COCKS’ HAIKU CLUB OUTING
City Park, Nairobi, January 2012


. Nairobi Digest News .
Africa’s best haiku writers meet in Nairobi
about the Haiku Meeting in October 2012


Kukai at Kenya National Archives
14th Kukai - May 18, 2013


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Sucessful graduates will receive a certificate.



certificat for the students who had finished their course and passed their final examinations in both theory and practice.

source : kenyasaijiki/message - May 2012


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Home Page of Kenya Saijiki Database

Discussion Forum for Haiku from Kenya and East Africa


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PUBLICATIONS

Apart from the Kenya Saijiki Database, the Kenya Haiku Clubs have contributed to the following publications :

Short Rains
Isabelle Prondzynski and Students of the Kenya Haiku Clubs
Haigaonline, December 2006
http://www.haigaonline.com/issue7-2/kenya/00.htm

This is fascinating and remarkable. I enjoyed everyone and every one. This is such a worthy project and I had no idea. Congratulations and kudos to all involved and you for publicising it... I would love to see more of it.
.. Kirsty Karkow



Shiki Monthly Kukai
Several of the Club members have been participating in the Shiki Monthly Kukai from mid-2006 onwards :

http://www.haikuworld.org/kukai/current.html


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THE KENYA SAIJIKI




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All Saints Kukai 2009

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All Saints’ Kukai, 7 November 2009

Introduction

The seventh kukai of Kenya Saijiki was held in All Saints’ Cathedral Nairobi; the date and venue had been booked a long time in advance.

All Saints’ Cathedral is the national cathedral of the Anglican Church of Kenya, a splendid piece of architecture and one of the oldest historic buildings of the city of Nairobi. The Urban Development Programme, for which I have been working for almost twenty years, is one of the departments of this Cathedral. And so, by bringing the haiku students to the Cathedral, it felt to me that I had brought them home!


All Saints’ Cathedral



The two haiku clubs had organised a bus to bring them to the Cathedral; those few students who did not fit into the bus when it was ready, came separately by matatu. While we waited for everyone’s arrival, we set out the chairs in the meeting room in the brand new Multi Purpose Hall, had a look at the wedding preparations coming to a climax in the church (there were three big weddings scheduled for that day), and realised that the new Archbishop, the Most Revd Eliud Wakabula, would be the Guest of Honour at another meeting in the Hall.

When everything was ready, the big bus arrived, and it was an exciting moment when we greeted each other and the students took in the wonderful environment of the Cathedral compound. The weather was fine and sunny, and a great day lay ahead for all of us.



Guest of Honour

Caleb Mutua, acting as Master of Ceremonies for the first part, opened the kukai. Following a few choruses to get us into the right frame of mind, and a prayer to thank God for having brought us this far, asking him to bless this our day together, Caleb introduced our Guest of Honour, Janet Njoroge of Longhorn Publishers Kenya. Janet is the Chairperson of the Urban Development Programme Committee, and as such knows Kayole and the Cathedral’s work there very well.


Janet Njoroge

Janet gave an encouraging address to the students. She had been reading our haiku and observing its purposes. Observing nature and the environment, striving to write in clear and concise English, expressing a lot of meaning in few words -- all these are great accomplishments which help us not only towards better haiku, but also towards better study in general and towards better life chances. In order to show her appreciation for the work done by the haiku clubs, she donated twenty textbooks for studying better English and better writing, which were to be given to the twenty top prizewinners in the kukai.


The two haiku clubs then presented some of their showcase work.


Peacocks :

short rains--
two muddy cocks fight
on a deserted anthill

El-Nino rains--
a hen shelters under
the tree


Bamboochas :

silence, silence
the order of the day--
KCSE notices

rainy morning--
candidates in muddy shoes
sit in the exam room


Tuesday morning--
a pregnant candidate faints
in the exam room

silent exam room--
stickers with index numbers
on every desk


.................................................................................


Computer graduates

This had been a difficult year for computer teaching, as the cybercafés previously used, had closed down, and it had been impossible to find sufficiently large ones to replace them. The students had given their best, had studied and taken the theory exams, and the successful candidates were congratulated :

1. Otieno Aineah 122 marks Peacock (joint 1. and 2.)
2. Mutua M. Jacinta 122 marks Peacock (joint 1. and 2.)
3. Omondi Opondo Maurice 119 marks Peacock
4. Wanza Jacinta 118 marks Peacock
5. Onesmus Mutua 112 marks Bamboocha
6. Philister Namude 109 marks Peacock
7. Titus Karanja 107 marks Peacock (joint 7. and 8.)
8. Elungata Barrack Elauna 107 marks Peacock (joint 7. and 8.)
9. Aisha M. Malik 104 marks Peacock

10. Christopher Kavita 97 marks Peacock
11. Emilly Wanga 96 marks Peacock
12. Anne Wairimu 95 marks Bamboocha
13. Veronica Wayua 87 marks Peacock
14. Vivian Adhiambo 86 marks Bamboocha
15. Duncan Omoto 85 marks Peacock
16. James Bundi 79 marks Bamboocha (joint 16. & 17.)
17. Elkana Mogaka 79 marks Bamboocha (joint 16. & 17.)
18. Joseph Kilunda 76 marks Bamboocha
19. Patriciah Nduta 75 marks Bamboocha
20. Abraham Muuo 73 marks Bamboocha
21. Caroline Wanjiku 72 marks Bamboocha
22. William Odongo Mango 71 marks Peacock
23. Bernard Karanja 68 marks Peacock
24. Ann Kithu 60 marks Peacock
25. Esther Muthoni 57 marks Bamboocha

The graduates were encouraged to practise their computing skills and start sending in their own haiku to Kenya Saijiki.

As these results had only just become available, the certificates were subsequently distributed at the next kukai.



Appreciating other people’s haiku

The haijin then split up into working groups to discuss the following haiku which had won prizes in the Annual Shiki Kukai of 2009 :


Working groups at work
Photo © David Kimani Mwangi


sleepless night --
the moon shifts
from pane to pane

~ Janice Hornburg


moonless night --
the wind whistles into
an empty bottle

~ Tanya Dikova


sudden rain --
umbrellas mushroom
on the street

~ Gautam Nadkarni


winter sunset --
the beggar's shadow
grows thinner

~ Melissa Spurr


graduation cheer --
a flock of starlings
takes the sky

~ Terry O’Connor


hauling firewood --
the wheelbarrow and I
both wobbly

~ Terri L. French


.................................................................................


Ginkoo

After a lunch of bread and milk, we started into the ginkoo, the event that everyone had been looking forward to. The haijin were able to explore the Cathedral compound and the neighbouring Uhuru Park. I meanwhile enjoyed some views of the weddings going on and a short chat with the Archbishop, who expressed his interest in our work and sent his greetings to the haijin.


Ginkoo fun in Uhuru Park
Photo © David Kimani Mwangi

At the end of the Ginkoo, the haijin enjoyed a moment of interaction, while the jury retired to the Urban Development Programme office to select the prizewinners. The jury, comprising Patrick Wafula, Andrew Otinga, Harrison Wambua, Caleb Mutua and myself, were agreed that this was the best ginkoo writing we had seen since the inception of Kenya Saijiki. The two clubs were coming of age now!


Here are the prizewinning haiku:


1.
---
coloured water
in a deep bicycle rim --
short rains

~ Elung’ata Barrack

2.
---
breezy afternoon --
a dry jacaranda flower
drops to the green grass

~ Eric Mwange

3.
---
sunny afternoon --
student’s footprint stuck
on the anthill

~ Yamame Winslause

4.
---
humid breeze --
rippling pond sparkles
in the sun

~ Vivian Adhiambo

5.
---
cool breeze --
a kingfisher flies low
over the water

~ Peter Nguribu

6.
---
November rain --
a green muddy scarf
floats on the Uhuru pond

~ Hussein Haji

7.
---
afternoon breeze --
dangling waterlily roots
dance in the water

~ Elkana Mogaka

8.
---
warm afternoon --
scent of bright flowers
reaching my nose

~ Michael Mwangangi

9.
---
park pond --
a kingfisher waits patiently
on jacaranda tree

~ Stephen Nzomo




The bridge across the pond in Uhuru Park
Photo © David Kimani Mwangi


10.
----
November rain --
a stuffy sock abandoned
in the bamboo thicket

~ Aisha Malik

11.
----
a swan craning
and dipping in the pond --
sunny afternoon

~ Beryl Achieng’

12.
----
sunny afternoon --
a man busy bargaining
for a cold drink

~ Anne Wairimu

13.
----
under a green tree --
a lady’s dress resembles
a fallen flower

~ Maurice Omondi

14.
----
ants rebuilding
their crumpled nest --
dried mud

~ Maxwell George

15.
----
pond inlet --
gurgling water drips
into floating lilies

~ Jedidah Nduku

16.
----
short rains --
black termites rebuild
their destroyed anthill

~ Rhoda Mutheu

17.
----
sunny afternoon --
a couple taking refreshment
under a bamboo thicket

~ Benard Nyerere

18.
----
sunny afternoon --
gurgling pool of water emptying
into a fish pond

~ Scholasticah Mumbe

19.
----
hot sun --
couples under a palm tree
rolling over

~ Irene Muthengi

20.
----
falling water --
from a small raised step
bubbles

~ Amarpreet Amadi


Congratulations to all the prizewinners!
And big thanks to Janet Njoroge, whose books were welcomed with real pleasure.


The ginkoo prizewinners


.................................................................................


Conclusion

Presentations were immediately followed by a return to the bus, which had arrived to drive the haijin home. It was another happy journey, with everyone already looking forward to the next kukai.

Patrick Wafula captured the spirit of the day with his own haiku collection :

inside All Saints’ --
purple jacaranda blooms
outside

wedding bells --
abandoned bouquets
behind the church

All Saints’ Kukai--
discussion groups whisper
under the fig tree

the gardener sweeps
fig leaves from the pavement --
All Saints’

Isabelle's penknife
cuts open haijin's milk packets--
kukai lunch



More photos of the event
© Isabelle Prondzynski and David Kimani Mwangi here :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/sets/72157623522614607/

Text and photos : Isabelle Prondzynski (unless otherwise stated)

Click on the small photos for enlargement, please.



*****************************
Related words

***** The Haiku Clubs of Nairobi


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Long Rains Kukai 2009

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Long Rains Kukai 2009

St Mathew’s School, Kangundo Road
Season: Long Rains

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On 30 May, the Haiku Clubs of Nairobi spent a lovely day as guests of St Mathew School on Kangundo Road, where some 100 haijin assembled for a kukai, including a ginkoo.



Welcome to St Mathew
© Isabelle Prondzynski


While we waited for everyone to arrive and register, we took a look at the sadly burnt-out classrooms which are still awaiting reconstruction.

Anthony Njoroge was once again our Master of Ceremonies, and we appreciated his leadership and his good humour. He recalled for us the joy we derive from haiku, and the many ways in which haiku speak to us in our daily lives (respect for the environment, keen observation, openness to inspiration). We were also happy that the school Principal came to open the kukai and that he gave us a warm welcome in his school.

The new Form One haijin were welcomed, and the senior haijin were appreciated -- both those who will be sitting their final examinations later this year, and those who had returned to be with us for the kukai.

It is a real pleasure to see that the Cocks (the adult haijin) are active and committed, and that those soon following them out of school are eager to join this haiku club as soon as they can!

The computer classes were reviewed, and haijin were encouraged to join Kenya Saijiki as soon as their computer skills allowed.

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Shiki Kukai on the kigo of umbrella


Prizes were given to the haijin who had recently submitted haiku to the international Shiki kukai on the kigo of umbrella and had received encouraging results :

---------------------------------------------
8 points
---------------------------------------------
May rain --
an old man repairs
an old umbrella

~ Felister (Peacock)

---------------------------------------------
7 points
---------------------------------------------
rain showers --
a drop on the umbrella makes
a baby smile

~ Maurice (Peacock)

---------------------------------------------
5 points
---------------------------------------------
public meeting --
people under umbrellas
in the hot sun

~ Khadija Rajab

---------------------------------------------
3 points
---------------------------------------------
father and son
walking under one umbrella --
rainy day

~Maxwell George Onsembe

---------------------------------------------
2 points
---------------------------------------------
scrubbing the sticky mud
off the umbrella tip --
shoe shiner watches

~ Anthony Njoroge

radiant sunrise --
two lovers shading under
a red umbrella

~ Duncan Omoto

a man and his sheep
sheltering under an umbrella --
heavy rain

~ Kelvine Muchiri

---------------------------------------------
1 point
---------------------------------------------
drizzly morning --
a mother and baby
under their umbrella

~ Johnson Malombe

rainy afternoon --
four students sheltering
under one umbrella

~ Kevin Wanjala

May drizzle --
the lame old umbrella
leaks water

~ Rhoda Muteu

the long rains...
umbrellas now go for
double price

~ Patrick Wafula

---------------------------------------------
Other entries selected
---------------------------------------------

rhythmic raindrops --
passionate lovers under
an old umbrella

~ Hussein Haji

baby's shield
against hostile sunlight --
parasol

~ James Bundi

windy rain --
a man chases after a
destroyed umbrella

~ Emily Wanga

rainy afternoon --
students fighting over
one umbrella

~ Stephen Macharia

the long rains --
umbrellas for sale
and hire

~ Isaac Ndirangu

hot sun --
a bald-headed man shelters
under his umbrella

~ Periz Achieng

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Appreciating and improving haiku

The next session was a discussion in small groups of haiku brought to the meeting. The best haiku was selected by each group, and the group proceeded to improve the haiku in a joint effort.


Working in small groups
© Isabelle Prondzynski

The three best haiku brought forward by the groups were :

1.
---
acacia tree
in the rhythm of the wind --
rain showers

~ Job (Peacock) as amended

2.
---
cold night --
my cat rubs herself on my skin
for warmth

~ Vivian (Bamboocha)

3.
---
little boys
dressed in warm jackets --
chilly morning

~ Wambui (Peacock) as amended


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Writing haiku at the ginkoo
© David Kimani Mwangi



Ginkoo - the Haiku Walk

After the lunch break, we held a ginkoo, having reminded ourselves of the basic rules of haiku. The area around the school offered plenty of opportunities for walking and observing, and many haiku were written during the hour.

The jury is now growing with each ginkoo, as the Cocks have volunteered to help with the judging. Today, there were six of us, and it was a pleasant experience to work together.



The jury at work
© Isabelle Prondzynski

The final result was :

1.
---
May showers --
a muddy boot abandoned
under a tree

~ Aisha Malik

2.
---
sunny day --
mosquito larvae swimming
in pothole water

~ Kevin Wekesa

3.
---
napier grass dances
to the rhythm of the wind --
May rain

~ Jacinta Wanza
(Pennisetum purpureum
Elephant Grass, Napier Grass or Uganda Grass)


4.
---
on the wireline
a shirt slowly swings --
breezy moment

~ Emily Wanga

5.
---
joined wires
they all sag uniformly --
sunny afternoon

~ Jacinta Mueni

6.
---
reflection
from iron-sheet roofs --
sunny afternoon

~ Benard Nyerere

7.
---
tree frog
rides on a banana frond --
cool afternoon

~ Dorcas Wangare

8.
---
hot sun
burns my black forehead --
straining my eyes

~ Anne Wairimu

9.
---
long rains --
a girl jumps to pass
a pothole of water

~ Maurice Opondo

10.
----
cool breeze --
a cat resting on a
window pavement

~ Arnold



The first ten prizewinners
© Isabelle Prondzynski



11.
----
cow's hoof
print on the mud --
downpour

~ James Bungi

12.
----
zooming dragonfly
on stagnant muddy water --
sunny afternoon

~ Yamame Winslause

13.
----
breezy May noon --
the sun hides under
light clouds

~ Catherine Maina

14.
----
satisfied goats
resting on the green grass --
sunny afternoon

~ Beatrice Omari

15.
----
hot sun --
two lovers shading
under the tree

~ Duncan Omoto

16.
----
sunny afternoon --
dirty child seated under
a sisal tree

~ Beryl Muthiki

17.
----
hot afternoon --
a cat rests beside the wall
for a shade

~ Marion Masinde

18.
----
lorry stuck in mud
friends gather to push it out --
long rains

~ Margaret Nzilili

19.
----
haiku members
seriously observing the weather --
hot afternoon

~ Onesmus Mutua

20.
----
hot evening --
lizard sheltering itself
under the wall




The runners-up
© Isabelle Prondzynski





St Mathew's kukai, 30 May 2009
Photo Album


Text © Isabelle Prondzynski


*****************************
Related words

***** The Haiku Clubs of Nairobi

***** Umbrella

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