With the Swahili song “Jambo Bwana”, tourists are often welcomed at airports. It is also sung by guides and porters during safaris and climbs of Mount Kilimanjaro. The song is simple, cheerful, and meant to create a positive, friendly, and hospitable atmosphere. The title literally means “Hello sir.” The song is sung as a greeting to reassure visitors with the message “Kenya yetu, hakuna matata,” meaning “Our Kenya, no worries.”

The song was released in 1980 by the Kenyan band Them Mushrooms. With the refrain “Hakuna Matata” and simple Swahili phrases, they wanted to present a piece of Kenyan culture and language to tourists in an accessible way. It quickly became popular because it is easy to sing along to. The expression “Hakuna Matata” became world-famous through Disney’s The Lion King, but it had already been used for decades in songs like “Jambo Bwana.”

In this song, I carry a piece of my childhood. I hear my mother's voice. Someday I would love to go back. Maybe not forever, but to briefly return to my roots.

I grew up in Kenya but left the country when I was quite young. Because of this, I don't speak Swahili well and can only understand a few sounds. I would still like to learn to speak and understand the language properly.