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Mkuki Bgoya talks about Kina Klothing, a newly launched Tanzanian streetwear brand.

Kina Klothing

 

Podcasts are so candid and goofy…

Kina clothing started at the beginning of July, when we opened our online shop.

 

The Uhuru Street Collection

 

We wanted our collections to be named after the streets, as the streets are our daily inspiration. Uhuru is the Swahili word for freedom and independence. Launching the first collection was a moment of freedom for us. We are doing what we really want to do, it’s fun and we are free. Uhuru Street is a popular street in Kariakoo where pretty much everything happens. Kariakoo is the energy of Dar es Salaam. It’s a very happening place. Uhuru Street brings back the idea of freedom and connectivity between us and our audience, us and the people who would wear our clothing.

 

Focus on Africa

 

I believe this is the century for Africa. I mean Africans in Africa and Africans in the Diaspora.  Tell people everywhere around the world to focus on Africa because we will soon hear a lot more noise from there. People ask clueless questions very seriously. People tend to associate Africa with the negative imagery they see on TV. We are saying, focus on positive Africa. We want people to own the brand Kina and see themselves in it. Kina is the word for depth. It’s a bit deeper than the ordinary.

 

Sun Goddess

 

Africans are people of the Sun. That was the starting point. This T-shirt is a celebration of women, not only African women, but women in general. We are celebrating The Goddess, the Mother of the Earth to remind us how powerful women are.

 

Bongo Brains - “Heshimu Bongo”

 

I like words and images that have double meanings. Heshimu Bongo means respect Tanzanians, this country, and your mind. Kina is about thinking but not always cerebrally or intellectually. We are trying to connect with people. Tanzania is bongo, a land where people must think hard in order to survive. 

 

Mwalimu - Freedom Fighter, Father of a Nation

 

Nyerere continues to inspire many people. Artists derive strength from what he stood for. I grew up through his presidency, until he retired and sadly when he passed. When I was growing up, there was a struggle for liberation of Southern Africa. We were socialized with that in mind. Our parents were involved in the struggle. Uhuru Street is a collection about Tanzania. Who else to represent and personify Tanzania than Nyerere? He made his mistakes like any other human being does, but trying to achieve something that was bigger than him. This is inspiring for artists as they usually aspire to achieve something that is bigger than them. I grew up with the radio. We used to listen to the songs played when Samora Machel was assassinated, songs that I still remember today. They energized us as young people singing, “We aren’t going to be stopped”! Nyerere contributed visually not by erecting a big canvas of something, but he offered moments that we could go back to and visualize. That is a massive contribution.

 

Bongo Flava

 

What we encounter now is called Bongo Flava, before it was a Tanzanian version of American Hip Hop. When Bongo Flava started, no one cared. The older generation thought the music polluted their children’s minds. It was considered music for the “riffraff”, and there was some resistance, but Bongo Flava still inspired people to follow their dreams.  The perseverance of those artists did it for the love of their art form. Bongo Flava opened up other industries like film and fashion. It made it OK to love something that was homegrown, it became cool for young people to wear clothes, sing or dance to music that was made here in Tanzania making us appreciate our culture even more. Bongo Flava encouraged people to be creative and be attentive to what was happening local. There are so many music studios in Tanzania now because of the success of Bongo Flava. Even church choirs have a place to perform and record.

 

Aluta Kontinua

 

The “struggle continues” is a motivational saying, because it’s a motivation to better yourself and better your life. The brand Kina takes a holistic route.

 

Mulika - Illuminate

 

We derive our inspiration from hip-hop, jazz, Afrobeat, Coltrane, Miles, Mos Def, the usual suspects and the unusual ones. This T-shirt was made to honour the artists and musicians who create a deeper sound to stimulate our minds. They stay true to their sound.

 

Your next collection will be Samora Avenue…

 

Samora Ave is where my father used to work and I walked up and down it every day. I thought Samora was a very interesting character and a great leader. He led his people to fight for independence like Nyerere. There was a generation of leadership that came during the struggle for independence. The Samora Avenue collection will be different to Uhuru Street as the designs expand and encompass Africa and the Diaspora. I grew up in the Diaspora for a while and I connected with Carribeans, West Africans, and African Americans. The first collection was very much about coming home to Tanzania. The beautiful thing about these streets is that you find them all over Africa. Samora was not our leader but we have a street named after him. All these leaders were a part of the same fraternity and the same struggle. There was a strong sense of unity in Africa.

 

Studying in the States

 

I left Dar es Salaam in 2000 when I was 19 years old. I got back at the start of this year. During those eight years, I studied Communication Design. My university encouraged me to enter design competitions and awards. We were constantly being challenged which helped me to understand that design is not only about aesthetics. The emphasis is on communication. I had to learn about American popular culture at university. Popular culture was not so obvious in Tanzania, it wasn’t attracting press and press propagates popular culture.

 

Tanzanian creative industries

 

For us to be well known as Tanzanian creatives, to really send waves outside of Tanzania, we have to find our niche and our voice. We have to be true to our culture and true to ourselves, which will make us unique. The future for Tanzanian artists looks positive because there is a hunger there. If we can sustain that hunger for long enough people will break through. For example, West African artists are successful and internationally recognized because they are still doing what is West African, they are borrowing from their rich culture and fuse it with other influences that inspire them. I listen to Issa Bagayogo and its electronic music! Bongo Flava  and Kenya’s Genge music has that potential. Bongo Flava, although still struggling to find it’s identity, has started to cross over Tanzanian borders. That is the testament.

 

Quality and Stockists

 

We use American Apparel T-shirts and have really good printers. We spend hours on our designs. It’s not Clip Art cookie cutter stuff. This is completely original artwork. I want to focus on the positive.

 

TPH Bookshop will stock Kina at the end of October. It’s a perfect match. The Bookshop is a historical place with books and music. Many important works of African literature were published there.

Check out

 

www.kinaklothing.com

www.facebook.com/kinaklothing

www.spearheadbranding.com

 

 

Khaleeda for Collective Mass