Emil Hougaard (Danish School of Journalism)
Nairobi Kijana
Award of Excellence
International Picture Story
"In the generation before ours, a 23-years old guy like me would be married and about to have kids. Now we just party and have fun," says Sam.
Many young people in Kenya experience a large confrontation with western cultures and lifestyles. This is a story about a group of boys in their twenties, who have formed a lifestyle very different from the generation before them. A lifestyle they describe as inspired by the western way of "living as you please". As much as they want to be a part of the globalized youth, the more they have to accept letting go of the more original East African cultures. This leaves our main character, Sammy Ngune, and his friends in a cultural cleft longing for the same as young people all over the world: to find their identity.
Story: Nairobi Kijana
Seeking out
Sam and Vincent have travelled 6 hours out of Nairobi to a town called Eldoret, where some danes invited them out. They rented a hotel room where they are warming up for the party, watching premier league football.
Story: Nairobi Kijana
Lets meet
"People think we just go out with the danes to score a white girl. Well, I already have a danish girlfriend. Actually, we're just interested in meeting different cultures," says Sam.
At a nightclub in Eldoret.
Story: Nairobi Kijana
Where are we going?
Identity is an important thing to young people. Sam Ngune experiences a cleft between cultures which he is trying to unite. A part of him doesn't seem to feel at home in the kenyan society.
Story: Nairobi Kijana
Show me more
"The media exposes us to American culture all the time. Turn on the TV and you will se american TV-series running all day," Sam explains, "but I guess it's like that in most of the world. For us its just quite new".
Story: Nairobi Kijana
No obligations
Sam lives in a house just outside Nairobi with his older brother Kevin. When there's no mom around, theres nobody to tell you to go to bed at night and get up in the morning. Thus continues the youngster lifestyle until late.
Story: Nairobi Kijana
Up late
Sam's dream is to facilitate meeting and exchange of cultures through self established projects and independent businesses like cloth designing, music and social events.
That's why he moved from his hometown, Nanyuki, to Nairobi. "People are more open minded here. This is important if you want to start independent projects. You need to move away from the traditional way of thinking that work is about sustaining yourself."
Story: Nairobi Kijana
We are what we eat
"If you want to make money on culture these days, you gotta sell the idea of western culture. Thats out biggest problem. We need to exchange culture, not change it," says Sam.