WELCOME TO UKWAJU
IDEAS. CULTURE. IN ACTION
Ukwaju is here to capture those small sparks of culture that light up the African continent. From art to music, literature to film, we’re here to show the supposedly ‘Dark Continent’ is anything but. Settle in and enjoy.
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Ukwaju Book of the Moment: “Half Portraits Under Water” by Dennis Mugaa
“Half Portraits Under Water by Dennis Mugaa. Poignant, lyrical, sensitive. Mosaics of a people, a restless continent in coming-of-age cycles. Reflective and beautiful, right from the first sentence. Timelines of Kenya’s contemporary history are projected in tender story vignettes etched into the lives of a composite of young people who are multi-local, multi-vocal, and pluralistic. They…
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Wangu Wa Makeri- A Meteor That Burned Bright
For the many Gikuyu men in 1900s Kenya who never thought they’d find themselves under the command of a woman in their lifetimes, Wangu wa Makeri came at them like an avalanche. Appointed by the colonial authorities as the first female headmen, Makeri quickly gained notoriety for her ferocity. She not only pursued tax defaulters…
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Thousands Gather in Ethiopia For Irreechaa Festival
Thousands people gathered in Bishoftu, Ethiopia to celebrate Irreechaa on Sunday 6th October 2025. Irreechaa is an annual thanksgiving festival for the Oromo people Irreechaa celebrates the beginning of sunny months after the conclusion of the rainy season. This festival is typically held near water bodies such as Lake Hora Harsadi. Irreechaa presents an occasion…
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WHO WE ARE
Ukwaju is a culture and ideas magazine from Nairobi, Kenya, produced for people from Africa and beyond who enjoy good stories from the continent. We’re inspired by humanist values i.e. kindness, curiosity, openness and a belief that people make meaning, not dogma
