I arrived in Kenya a little weary after 3 months in India and Nepal. However, as soon as I got off the airplane I immediately felt at home. I don’t know what it was about the colors, the people, the energy; it just felt right.
My second day in Nairobi I took the 4-5 mile walk from my host home to Hamomi. Because they were on vacation, I decided to take the opportunity to travel to the coast. When I returned, still a little disoriented, I was in shock and almost paralyzed by the teachers' willingness to throw me right into a classroom to start my unit. No meetings to go over my material, no game plan, no assistant? I felt a little under-prepared and overwhelmed, but they seemed to have such faith in the face of my doubt. That gave me the courage to embrace it.
I wasn’t ready for their total unfamiliarity with an object so “everyday” in our culture. Just finding the shutter button had to be taught, I quickly became aware of how pared back this unit and my lessons would need to become. Another obstacle that I just couldn’t have been prepared for was the students’ unfamiliarity with self-expression, voice, creativity, and thinking outside the box. I think due to the political climate throughout the history of the country, the kids were not as exposed to or encouraged to exercise creative thought.
In Kenya there is a lot of emphasis on
how to get ahead, or stay afloat, which doesn’t really involve checking in with your personal thoughts, feelings or abstract forms of expression. I really became aware of what a luxury the arts are, and how I may be taking for granted the fact that I got to STUDY art in SCHOOL and MAJOR in art for COLLEGE and now be lucky enough to be TEACHING art for a JOB! Not to mention the superfluous adjacent “creative building models” I had access to in other classes and the ever-present elected “after school activity”. I quickly understood how it would be a much larger hurdle to jump for these kids as opposed to those in America, who are constantly being fed the American dream, “you can do and be whatever you want to be.”
Teaching in America, I am used to every kid shouting louder, louder, louder, to make sure their voice or idea is heard. Honestly, sometimes in Kenya it is like pulling teeth to get honest, genuine, and playful kids to imagine and come up with an idea or story someone hadn’t pre-placed in their heads. There was always concern for “correctness”. What never faltered however, was their enthusiasm to shoot images and to capture the life around them. Amongst their favorite things to document were friends and familiar surroundings- their community- the people who support them. Looking back I see how powerful this is.
My experience in Kenya really put into perspective just how raw and important safety and biological needs are. When they aren’t met, how can one be expected to think of abstract things? They are irrelevant.
By the end of the unit we had finally made it through 5 lessons: Introduction, Learning your Camera, Composition, Concept, Advanced Functions). Finally we were ready to PRINT two images- 1 self portrait and 1 free choice (their best work) thinking about what would best represent them as an artist and what they had learned compositionally through the unit. The giddiness and pride that shown from the students is what I remember as we watched the images emerge from the printer. "Wow!" "Gladys….Ohhhhh!" "Beautiful!" etc.
As a class we were constantly shifting our meeting time, squeezing into lunch hour, laughing, and always, always, always running over on time. I think the donated book, of pop photography was held together by threads when I left from so much use as kids shouted, “Oh! Look at this one!”
We culminated our unit with a final show. Everyone, including, if not specifically the teachers, had a hard time being patient! The excitement to see the work captured on tiny, rectangular, electronic devices came with a long waiting period. Many more kids “helped with lunch” in anticipation and hope of catching an early glimpse of all the work.
The background information contained within each image was huge: weeks of looking at photos, exploring composition, learning new English vocabulary that had no relevance before this time. These children expanded their boundaries and the growth was drastic. You could see the expressions of pride, joy, and laughter from not only the individuals looking at the fruits of their labor, but also their parents, teachers, and peers. Hamomi students and staff went above and beyond to fit it into the schedule- Thank you!
In hindsight, I may have bitten off a little more than I could chew by trying to reach Class 3 all the way through Class 8, paired with planning 2 visits to nearby High Schools where Hamomi alumni currently study. However, I can most honestly say: “it was all 100% worth every minute!” I can’t wait to see the work being made as the year continues forward and hopefully, hopefully, hopefully one day soon it will be in my future to make it back for round 2.
We look forward to showing some of their work at a showcase here in Seattle this winter or next spring….perhaps keep your eyes peeled at the auction in February!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Hamomi and teachers for shuffling, postponing, supporting and encouraging the kids and me. It truly was a gift to me to be able to teach this unit and get to know such beautiful, loving children.
-Bryn
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