Namatsi - Hisia Ni Zangu

I was looking at Nicholas Shiraku's drawing.............. and got inspired to write Mwisho. A story of a girl, who loved a man so much, she even got pregnant thinking that it would be a reason for him to stay with her but... he didn't! Mapenzi nimeshiba Nimeona hayana tiba Nimejitia kwa shida Nikikubebea mimba Sasa nalia msiba Uchungu unanilemea na moyo umenivunja Ukaniumiza uliposema nimekuwekea mtego Ukavibeba vyote vyako na kujionyesha mlango Ukajiona mwiko, kunilisha maringo Nimebaki na kilio nikilia mwisho! Kweli pendo lina mwisho… Mwisho! © Namatsi Lukoye

When my photography meets my poetry!!!! Poetry meets photography To dare you to look at the children of the land Let us teach our children, what it really means to love Innocent faces of the land Small people whose hands hold our future Small people who will one day make it right Poetry meets photography Eyes meet smiles of little adorable faces Save our children! Stop the evils against children! They are our future © Namatsi Lukoye

I whispered a prayer for you Prayed that my prayer would stick in your heart Prayed that this simple prayer would let you know That forever and always you’ll have someone standing in the gap for you I asked God to make you bold enough to trust yourself Your dreams your wings and to make you fly Prayed that you’d believe in the power of this prayer Prayed that you’d be happy Prayed that you’d remain true to your destiny and mostly true to yourself Prayed that you’d be sure of your steps Steps slow enough to taste the sweetness of each day And fast enough to get you places Prayed that you’d remain silly To laugh, giggle, joke, play and risk things: it’s all part of life Above all I prayed that you’d remain yourself Simply because no matter how hard I’d search I’d never find another you Am not quite religious neither do I say prayers often But just in case God exists, He will know that I said this prayer for you © Namatsi Lukoye

The kind people I met on the streets Who let me take their pictures Their humility, humbled me! the food.... © Namatsi Lukoye

The Evil Eye and witchcraft are different beasties. There is scare-mongering and misinformation to the effect that witches who practices witchcraft with the evil eye can curse people and cause anything to drop dead for no apparent reason at all. Do you believe or not? Flying feathers, visions of the dead, ghosts, genies, fear and foment over witchcraft and the evil eye may not be lingering superstitions from the days before to a particular people. A lot of this has to do with the environment a child has been brought up with. Faith and religion are important aspects that affect ones belief in such things or not. With that introduction, do I believe? I wear nine scars on my body, four on the sides of my face, and five on my stomach; I learnt that when I was one year old; the one with the ‘evil eye’ cursed me. I heard that I was dying slowly and that the doctors couldn’t figure out what the problem was. So my parents and grandma visited the one with ‘cure’ and after a series of fac...

Every time I tell friends about the bits and pieces of my life; they get fascinated and tell me that I live an interesting life. I have never considered it interesting myself; to me it is complicated, challenging and hard! Or maybe it is the hardships that make it interesting and beautiful. But life isn’t supposed to be easy- if it is then the meaning of it ceases. I have heard about the story of my birth all so many times and from many people excluding my parents! I don’t know why I have never asked them; maybe it is the Africa nature of not questioning your elders etc. I should ask however. I will ask just to make this story more truthful. But not today, today I write what I have heard. My birth certificate confirms that I was born on the 4th of June 1984, born of one Andayi and Lukoye. As the story goes my dad was in campus and my mum had just finished secondary school……….. bla bla bla… this is not their story so I will jump to where there is me. I heard that when I was bor...

There is something powerful about the elements of the earth Something strong about the poles of the north and the south East and west, a pull that rotates the earth There is such a power in words, such a movement, such strength There is something sacred about each encounter with other human beings There is always something to learn from others There is power in dreams… they give you direction There is strength in me because of you, Hisia ! It is you who made me me, because you stood at my stage and moved the elements of the earth I learnt from the start that haba na haba hujaza kibaba Na kama maji twasonga Kama moto twachoma This is for my audience There is no way better of saying thank you, believe you me I have searched Amazing, you have stood by me (Hisia) you have let me grow as you I have become a part of you as you have me There is so much of you in me… and I hope that one day you will say I deserved the time I remain your child for I know that without you, I a...

The only thing that I know I cannot achieve in life is one That is trying to love you like you love me, mama Trying to know and feel you like you do me, mama Trying to put you first like you put me, mama But I try I know that life began with waking up to loving your face, mama I know that your name; mama Is close to God's in my lips and heart And off all rights, mama I know that the greatest is to be like you, a mother It scares me, but I can't wait for my turn Am always looking for perfect words to say thank you, mama But whatever I come up with will never be enough How do I start, mama... how do I stop, mama How do I ever start... how do I ever stop Mama © Namatsi Lukoye

The cool winds of May are here They are still ever calm I have to go on, they whisper The fresh breeze of May is here The weather is tricky; it rains, it shines I have to go on, it whispers The flowers blossom, the vegetation is green The driest of months are dead... the rains were born After the fall, there will always be the rise I have to go on, they all whisper After all, May is here © Namatsi Lukoye