You cannot write the history of art in Nakuru without the name ‘Barbushe’ being featured in your script.

In fact he has been baptized the ‘Father of Art in Nakuru’ by a section of actors in the art industry in Nakuru.

But who exactly is Barbushe?

Born in Nairobi’s Makadara estate in the late 1960s, Joseph Maina grew up in Uhuru Estate from 1969.

The name Barbushe he reveals came from acting in a play where he ‘snatched someone’s girlfriend and the guy could not believe but just uttered the Words, eh Barbushe (referring to Mr.Maina) and that is how the name rooted.

“I was once a character in a play, on the stage that character who snatched someone’s girlfriend and when the guy came back in the morning he looked at me and just said ‘eh Barbushe’ and from there people started calling me Barbushe” he says with a laugh.

His journey in the art industry started way back when he was at Uhuru Primary school in Kenya’s Capital Nairobi.

The white-bearded Barbushe with white eyes and dreadlocks, adds that in a team of others, they would visit Garden Square where they would dance to reggae music as well as entertain locals in the estate through street performance.

“The estate was small but we tried our best to entertain people locally” he said.

He would later join Aquinas High school, but here the school had no drama club, which meant his ambition of performing arts was almost getting shuttered.

However, his transfer to Nakuru’s Menengai High school in Form 2 in 1980s rejuvenated his ambition once again as he started acting with the help of teachers he identifies as a Mr.Sood (Indian), Mr. Mayienge and Kidiva of literature.

“Later we started a group called Arts Ablaze that changed the terrain of theatre towards marketing as I was the executive Producer creating exhibitions where people could showcase their work at museums, theatre and other spaces” he stated.

Barbushe Maina oversees preparations for Mstinji The Miser show at the Nakuru Players Theater

Photo credit: PRISTONE MAMBILI| NMG

As a way of ensuring development of Art, Barbushe fought for the formation of Kenya Association of Theatre Artistes where a lot of theatre works and movies were done.

With his heart in Nakuru, in 2000, Barbushe came to Nakuru starting theatre in education through set books and teachers’ workshops on the same despite opposition from a section.

Besides art, Barbushe has a heart in matters of environment having participated in various charity work such as Lake Nakuru National Park clean-ups, wildlife conservation, rebranding of Flamingo and Kimathi Houses through art (for tourists’ attraction).

And as he advances in age, he believes he has done all that can to put art in Nakuru to another level as he has also mentored young people in the industry perhaps to take over the mantle form him in future.

pmambili@gmail.com

Barbushe: The Father of Art in Nakuru

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Pristone Mambili