Hey music junkie,

This newsletter has been way too long overdue. I'm sure you must have wondered, did Furaha go to Kilifi and sink in the African ocean? Which we now call “Bahari Yetu” 🌊

To be honest, I was so busy living and experiencing pwani I didn't have time to write and document it. But now that I'm back, I have plenty of stories to share with you. Because they’re so many, we'll do it in 5 parts:

Week 1 - Kisima Wellness (and Music) Festival 🎶

This year, I attended Kisima Festival Beneath the Baobabs not as a volunteer but as a facilitator. Yup, co-facilitated DUP (Dances for Universal Peace), Cheza Ngoma za Kenya (for kids and adults) and a Spiritual Open Circle. Beyond work, my favourite sessions were the bellydancing workshop, aerial silks, and the live music performances - especially Chris Barr’s, weh!

I also got to play a Kenyan funk/Afrofusion DJ set which many said was the best way to close the festival. If you'd like to listen, here's a recording of it 🙂 

Week 2 - Kilifi Creek Festival 🎬

After Kisima, we stayed back to attend this film festival which ran concurrently with NBO Film Fest. I attended three free screenings at The Terrace and Kilifi Members Club. Stand out films were Sketchy AFricans (which is hilarious AF), the sweet short film Sukari from Mombasa, and Memories of Love Returned documentary from Uganda. The latter is still showing at Unseen Nairobi btw 😉 

Week 3 - Kikao Hangout & Mekatilili wa Menza Mashujaa Peace Walk 💃🏾

This one was all about cultural immersion. On Sunday 19th, I played at Distant Relatives’ Kikao Hangout alongside femme DJs Wendy Kay, Nabalayo and Phylo Medusa. Strictly taarab, bango, chakacha, mwanzele and Afrofusion music.

And the next day, Nabalayo and I attended the Mashujaa Peace Walk Grand Finale at Beneath The Baobabs. There we learnt and performed Mijikenda music styles like kifudu, sipped mnazi and danced to mwanzele (almost) all night long. Check us out here 😎

Week 4 - Wimbi la Sanaa Festival in Mombasa and MADCA in Malindi 🌴

After a quiet (and honestly lonely) weekend in Kilifi, I travelled to Malindi to connect with new friends. Then accompanied MADCA’s Mijikenda musicians to the first Wimbi la Sanaa Festival in Mombasa. There the hilarious Mzee Kazungu narrated Mepoho’s story at Alliance Francaise, Mzee Tendere performed mwanzele inside Fort Jesus, and I strolled through Old Town.

And back in Malindi, I finally visited their MADCA Cultural Centre where we watched elders teach the children the Gonda dance. Talk about intergenerational exchange 🙌🏾

Week 5 - BAITU. Series 4.0 🌊

The Grand Finale of my pwani stay was BAITU.Series 4.0, a 2-day community event celebrating creativity, sustainability and eco-consciousness. With the theme Water, we flowed through yoga, had conscious conversations with fishermen, watched local films and swam in the Kilifi creek. But the highlight was the afters at Boko Boko, a wonderful woman-made forest near Mtwapa. And at the beach where we experienced a water dance in the ocean, yoga on a cliff, and mnazi in between. The magic of 11/11 ✨

After coming back from that high, I hibernated for a bit - not ready to step back into Nairobi nightlife. But we probably met at Creative’s Garage Code x Couture fashion event on Saturday whose theme was Afrofuturistism.

Or maybe at the KITFEST@10 closing ceremony on Sunday at Kenya National Theatre. There I watched my first ever burlesque show featuring Kenyan musicians Baneki and Lisa Odour Noah. And let me tell you music junkie, it was Fabulous!

Now here are some fantastic opportunities for you to travel to the coast and beyond…

OPPORTUNITIES OF THE MONTH

Flow like water

• Join the Beneath the Baobabs Festival team as an event manager - 20th November

• Attend perFORM Music Incubator free classes for musicians, artist managers, promoters and publicists in Kilifi - apply by 21st November

• Get paid to write about the Kenyan coast 

• Become a vendor at Elevate Minds Festival 2025 all about sustainability, wellbeing, and community connection - 29th November

EVENTS OF THE WEEK

2057: Dystopia at Shah House, Ngara

You've probably seen all these UK/Kenya Season posters on your timeline. Well, Creatives Garage is back with their second event of this multi-cultural collaboration.

2057: Dystopia is an Afrofuturistic one-woman play starring Njeri wa Gakuo and written by Thayû. In this immersive experience, your choices will shape how the future unfolds, blending theatre, technology, and resistance into one daring creation. And the theme is dystopic so dress up! 🥽

QWANI 04 book launch at Nairobi Cinema

You probably know about Kwani? the literary magazine that published African writers in the 2000s. But do you know about QWANI, the younger generation of artists inspired by them? Well they're launching their fourth book this Saturday, and one of my pieces is part of it.

Come through for select readings, musical performances, and cake! And just maybe, a Nairobi-inspired set from DJ Raha 😉

We’re Loud Fest in Nairobi, Lamu and Kilifi

Do you remember X FM, the good old days when we used to listen to rock music like cool punks? Well get ready for a major upgrade as We're Loud Fest brings the first punk-rock festival to Kenya.

This edition is special not only because it's their 10th anniversary, but also because they're hosting the first black punk-rock band called Death. Plus rock n roll bands + DJs from all over the world in Nairobi, Kilifi and Lamu Tamu. If you've never attended a punk-rock event, this is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 🙌🏾

Whoo, that was a packed one wasn't it? Hope the recap was worth it and makes up for my long silence. See you soon on these loud Nairobi streets 😎

Until next time
Stay high on music
Furaha