Dedan Kimathi statue on Kimathi street, Nairobi.
Verbification — using proper nouns as verbs, can be a creative way to form new words and expressions. Photoshop, Adobe’s software for editing images, has been verbified to refer to manipulation of images: “CJ Koome to lawyers: How were Form 34As photoshopped?” (Daily Nation, September 01, 2022).
Americans have verbified Mau Mau. They use the term “mau-mau” to describe aggressive behaviour in various contexts, such as politics, academia and sports. The verb, however, can have racial or negative overtones, especially when it’s used with reference to the behaviour of militant or outspoken Black Americans in confrontation with whites.
They use the verb metaphorically to describe various forms of intimidation or pressure tactics. The American media even use it in headlines: “Trump accused of mau-mauing Congressional leaders” (The New York Times), “In Texas, immigrants say they were mau-maued by police” (The Huffington Post), “When social media mau-maued the media” (The Atlantic).
Black Americans
The term was coined and popularised by journalist Tom Wolfe in his book, “Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers”. Wolfe was one of the promoters of New Journalism, developed in the 1960s and 1970s. New Journalism journalists use their experiences, thoughts and feelings, to give a more subjective perspective.
In his 1970 book, Wolfe writes about the response of Black Americans and other minorities to poverty programmes in San Francisco and the conflict between “Black rage” and “White guilt.” A passage in the book reads: “Going downtown to mau-mau the bureaucrats got to be the routine practice in San Francisco. The poverty programme encouraged you to go in for mau-mauing. They wouldn't have known what to do without it….”
Mau-mau has now entered major English dictionaries. Merriam-Webster defines it as “intimidate (someone, such as an official) through hostile confrontation or threats usually for social or political gain.” Collins defines it as “terrorise, intimidate, or threaten.” Oxford describes mau-mauing as a social phenomenon in America in which “militant black Americans intimidate white bureaucrats.” The Urban Dictionary defines mau-mau as “incite a riot.”
America-style
But the verbification of Mau Mau, America-style, may be inappropriate for Kenya as it trivialises, demeans and defames our struggle against British colonialism As used by Americans, the term doesn’t accurately reflect the motivations of the Mau Mau or the historical context. Although Mau Mau engaged in violent acts, they were driven by a desire to reclaim the land taken from them and to restore their freedom and self-determination.
The American use of the term gives a simplistic, sensationalised and potentially negative image of the Mau Mau.
***
Gen Z and the spirit of Mau Mau: Kimathi Street in Nairobi has two symbolic landmarks, the Dedan Kimathi statue and Nation Centre. Dedan Kimathi was the military leader of the Mau Mau. Nation Centre houses NMG, Kenya’s leading media that supports and promotes the protection of civil liberties. In its coverage of the Tuesday demonstrations, NTV 9 pm news said Gen Z protesters have fallen “in love with Kimathi Street as police turn it into a bombardment epicentre.” NTV journalist Vincent Oduor said their fighting spirit captured what Kimathi stood for.
Politicians, activists and journalists have also drawn parallels between Gen Z and the Mau Mau. On Lightcast, an online television, Jubilee secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni said on June 23: “The Gen Z are the Mau Mau of today; they are ready to get rid of the disaster we are undergoing in the name of William Ruto.”
Speaking on NTV’s “Reflections on Gen Z Protests” aired last Friday, HAKI Africa executive director Hussein Khalid said: “These (Gen Z) are today’s Mau Mau… they died so we can be here today.” In the same forum, Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo conveyed similar sentiments in her “State of the Nation” address.
In his X post on June 29, Miguna Miguna says the Gen Z revolution was started by the Mau Mau. In his article, “Zakayoism, Gen Z and 100 years since original taxpayers’ protests,” published in The Weekly Review of June 23, John Kamau says Gen Z is comparable to “the Mau Mau that was dismissed as ‘terrorists’ but forced the colonial government to abandon the ‘White Man's Country’ project.” Other supporters describe Gen Z as “Mau Mau Part 2.”
The next question that naturally arises: Who will verbify Mau Mau? American style?
The Public Editor is an independent news ombudsman who handles readers’ complaints on editorial matters including accuracy and journalistic standards. Email: [email protected]. Call or text 0721989264
