Matatu names

names of matatus in KenyaMatatus are the minivans that transport people all over Kenya (and Tanzania). They have some very creative artwork – and names! The first time we lived in Kenya was from 1991-1994. I kept track of some of the names in a little notebook, which you can see in the photo. (Double-click the photo to see a larger version of the notebook pages.) There are some great ones, such as: Beauty Options, Bush Poucher, Texas City, and Bison Jnr.

The artwork on the sides of matatus is uniquely African – and often very creative. (Do a Google image search for “matatu art.”) Matatu owners invest in creative artwork to give a competitive advantage. Wouldn’t you rather go in a cool matatu than in one with no artwork?

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

3 Replies to “Matatu names”

    1. Sorry your comment didn’t go live for several days – because of the link, it got sent to the spam folder.

      Great link – it is interesting how developing world cultures sometimes diverge.

Comments are closed.