The Origins of Bwana Nyoka

It is hard not to notice a foreigner trotting around the dusty byways of a small East African village while navigating around small mud huts, excited chattering children and the friendly smiles. As I turned and walked towards the interior of the settlement, I had accumulated a great number of fans scuttling behind me following my every move and wildly expressing their opinions about this mzungu (White Man). According to the U.S. Census Bureau I fall under the classification of a Pacific Islander, but in most major African towns and cities I would be normally referred to as China, Bruce Lee, or Jackie Chan. Fortunately for me, the influence of a three year old Kung Fu blockbuster movie or products that say “Made in China” has not crept into this tiny dusty village. Yes, I was mercifully spared from being named after an Asian country or a Chinese action hero.

I was led to a small crudely fenced compound where a tall, squeaky clean lanky Mswahili man emerged from the dark caverns of his hut. While he fitted on his kofia and his Bata slippers,I could not help notice his humility as the leader of this great community. As soon as all the customary greetings were made we settled under a mango tree to discuss the true purpose of my expedition. I explained in extremely broken Kiswahili that I was looking for snakes. With jaws dropping and pupils dilating, he gasped while uttering “NYOKA?!” (Nyoka being the Kiswahili word for snakes). “Yes”, I replied back. Then in good Queen’s English he spoke the words that forever seared my nickname, “There are only two types of people that look for snakes, a witch or a mad man. Clearly you are not a witch then you must be a mad man, Bwana Nyoka” (Bwana Nyoka is a Kenyan nickname - Mr. Snake or Snake Man). After a short loud laugh, my adoring fans heard these wise words uttered by their leader, a symphonic chorus echoed through the masses “Bwana Nyoka”. As children giggled in the background, women politely smiled while mentioning my given name, and old wise men nodded in uniform agreement to my new tribal name. I felt sick to my stomach. How in the world can someone so wise, so revered compare me to a snake?

A beast traditionally depicted as a symbol of evil and by African traditional folklore as the representation of death. What just happened here? Was I the angel of death incarnate in the body of this mzungu in the middle of this dusty village? A few cups of tea later we said our parting words and as I retraced my steps back through the path, I pondered over the name and why? While trudging my feet in the warm dirt and feeling like a villain from an action movie, little did I know on that dusty path that this seemingly uneventful naming ceremony would forever change the course of my life. Now as I write, I am beginning to truly understanding the deeper meaning of my given nickname, Bwana Nyoka. To me, the name means the embracement of life … my life. The name has led me to places where I only dreamed of, adventures of many life times and to the many friends that I have made. Yes, there is definitely something magical in the name, Bwana Nyoka.