Paukwa? Pakawa!
Paukwa is a place dedicated to positive stories about Kenya. Our story house is named for the Swahili word that is an invitation to a story – Paukwa. It’s an age- old term, well known across East Africa. Paukwa invites one to remember the joy of stories from their childhood days and to get lost in new, familiar or unknown ideas about the daily things that surround us.
Each day ordinary Kenyans are pushing our nation forward. As volunteers, as SME owners, as creatives, teachers, farmers, counsellors, techwizards and more. There is a bigger story as they build our nation each day through their tenacity, hard work, positive attitude, search for excellence, and sheer hustle.
Through their efforts we all grow.
At Paukwa, we shine a spotlight on the everyday builders of our nation and the history we almost forgot.
This digital storybank celebrates memory, culture, modernity, but most of all, the positive. Dive in and discover a story of Kenya you didn’t know you never knew!
The History of Faith in Kenya
Dotted around our country are buildings that speak volumes. They speak to the connection we have as Kenyans with our faith. Going back centuries, man has found sanctuary, peace and conviction in houses of worship that provide comfort and serenity. Welcome to our narrative journey around our country exploring various places of worship on #KeHistoryofFaith [uncode_index el_id="index-583254" loop="size:20|order_by:date|post_type:page|by_id:11048,10982,11002,11073,10943,11069,11038,11030,11024,10961,11043,11084,11013|taxonomy_count:10" screen_lg="1000" screen_md="600" screen_sm="480" gutter_size="3" single_width="3" images_size="one-one" single_shape="round" radius="xl" single_overlay_opacity="50" single_overlay_anim="no"
Paukwa? Pakawa!
Paukwa is a place dedicated to positive stories about Kenya. Our story house is named for the Swahili word that is an invitation to a story – Paukwa. It’s an age- old term, well known across East Africa. Paukwa invites one to remember the joy of stories from their childhood days and to get lost in new, familiar or unknown ideas about the daily things that surround us.
Each day ordinary Kenyans are pushing our nation forward. As volunteers, as SME owners, as creatives, teachers, farmers, counsellors, techwizards and more. There is a bigger story as they build our nation each day through their tenacity, hard work, positive attitude, search for excellence, and sheer hustle.
Through their efforts we all grow.
At Paukwa, we shine a spotlight on the everyday builders of our nation and the history we almost forgot.
This digital storybank celebrates memory, culture, modernity, but most of all, the positive. Dive in and discover a story of Kenya you didn’t know you never knew!
#KeRites
Since time immemorial, Africans have marked different stages of life through rites. A rite is defined as a social custom, ceremony or ritual. The ascendance of an individual into a new phase in life has been a communal affair, celebrated by all, and has provided the person with a clear definition of who they are and what is expected of them. We are taking a closer look at the
Remember the story of...
The Joy of Cooking
Like your average ten-year old, Frida Karani lived for the afternoons when she could play with the other kids of the estate. Brikicho, bano, kati – you name it! This was 28 years ago. Living in Mombasa with her grandmother allowed her to understand a few things: playing was fine, but helping around the house was essential, and, learning to cook for the family she might one day have was...
Our audio stories
A note from our team
RETHINKING TOURISM
Wanderlust is reigniting within us the quenchless desire to travel, explore, and revel in the glorious outdoors. As we welcome the change in seasons and the appetite for adventure, we are invited to pause and think about the impact of our travels on Mother Nature. Across our website you will find stories that highlight one-of-a-kind locations in Kenya like #KePlaces, #VisiwaVyetu and #KeHeritageSites. Places that are vibrant not just for their beautiful natural scenery but also for the spellbinding stories of the people, cultures, and landscapes. We hope this inspires you to enjoy sustainable tourism on your next trip. After all, each of us plays a crucial role in the preservation of these places for posterity.
TEAM PAUKWA
A note from our team
ON GRATITUDE
Allow us to take a moment of reflection. We are grateful for the journey of time, for the learnings we have experienced about our country as we have spent time in archives, in interviews, on bumpy roads crisscrossing the nation, in online rabbit holes in our quest to build stories of Kenya. We are incredibly grateful for the community of readers we have and all the feedback, thumbs up, questions and exclamations that you have shared. We have enjoyed spending time in new spaces bringing our story collections alive in forums, on panels, in festivals and in virtual settings. Through each of these endeavours we are continually sharpened by others, we have found our tribe of individuals and collectives as curious as we are about our history, and we are comforted and emboldened by the reminders that we are not alone on our quest and indeed – this work of narrative shaping, of history building, of spotlight shining is important. With reflection comes gratitude, introspection, and hope and so we thank you for being part of our Paukwa journey.
TEAM PAUKWA
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