An Ode to my Brother Sweswe.... Binyavanga Wainaina...

Binyavanga and Chiqy  Love Lives here RIP

Dear Sweswe,

What I wouldn’t give for you to walk in here with that bellow laugh of yours and loud voice....calling out my name. “Chiqy, sasa!?”

Thank you for being an amazing big brother. For pushing me to be true to myself no matter what. You were so good at ordering us around to take care of ourselves and very bad at listening to the same advice. And we love you because you are love itself.

You saw the power that creativity and freedom could offer and spent your life sharing this vision with others. You taught us to find and most importantly listen to our inner voice and let that voice speak its truths. And even when the voice told us difficult things and surfaced the inner conflicts we battled within ourselves. We love you for this because you knew that love not hate would transform this world.

You challenged us to push back and question institutions of power that obscure and dull us; that erase our sense individuality, our love, our stories, our politics and instead use hate amplify our fears of the unknown and unfamiliar. You fought against the small powers that makes great people shadows of their true-selves using hate and bigotry to fuel their existence ... you pushed us to look and do things differently... but you also knew you would pay a heavy price for this, so you did it boldly, intensely and urgently. And we love you because you chose a difficult path and went through it loudly and unapologetically to open new frontiers for those who could not speak up.... you are love.

You gave life everything you had and as a result, so many people in so many places have been touched by you in profound ways. What a gift you were Swes much more than you can ever imagine .... not just to us as a family, but to all the souls you connected with around the world. And yes we have lost you but, we have gained a link to all those who loved you.... they have reached out to us, cared for us, grieved with us, laughed, cried... shared the ways they loved you and the ways you made them angry only because they cared deeply for you....and so we loose you, but gain a whole movement of family who will keep your legacy alive, who will resist oppression and  advance creativity to newer and greater heights.... and so beyond the years our mortal bodies can offer, you live on...we got you...and in turn you gave us family around the world.. you are love, love itself....

I hope to see you again... to live, laugh, hug and cry with you in yet another lifetime...and I hold onto all the memories of you

Baba and Mummy

....Bye Swes, love from Chiqy....

You are love itself...... you taught us to love and to share this love widely and freely.