A comment from Juma on my last article created a pot-full of eagerness in me. He mentioned a classification of Kenyans in Sweden as those “having papers” and those “paperless”. I responded to him for more spice. The “paperless”, I learnt, are referred to as “Monkeys”. Reason? They are compelled to jump from one person to another, hunting for “papers’’. Mmmh!
”These two families do not relate well’’, says Juma. They have nothing much in common. His friends, he opined, did not have much to share with them. While the “papered” planned investment, the “paperless” worried about settling down. When the papered talked of holidays abroad or visiting families back home, the paperless shrunk with fear. The paperless couldn’t dare set his/her “monkey foot” out of the country.
”Love is not left out either,’’ Juma continued. Before you extend your heart to someone, you have to answer within yourself a big question: which family do you belong to; paper or paperless? Is your love genuine or is it “paper love?”
I can attest to this. I genuinely loved this “paper” family gal, but I couldn’t convince her that my love was real. She couldn’t just trust me. She saw desperation instead of love in me.
I learned that there is a tradition of phobia within “paper-making” community in Sweden – a disheartening notion that once you get papers, you will definitely end the relationship. I agonized in this state of mind until I met a girl who wanted to take a risk. She was compassionate and caring, something I felt crazily in love with.
Our relationship was normal with occasional ups and downs. During some occasions, I couldn’t escape insulting words like – “I know you just want to use me; I can never be your bridge. Never”, and so forth.
I lost my manhood many times. This pierced my heart hard and painfully. Honestly, my manhood urged me to quit. But I persevered. True love and genuine yearning for a companion blinded my bright big eyes. Sweden can be very lonely and stressful if you are single.
“Monkey Games” with Police
After going through many hurdles, we decided to settle down. The procedure for getting Resident Permit was irritably slow by then. After a year, I joined her back in Sweden. Surprisingly, our love flourished daily. We are still bonded together and with two beautiful girls.
I became a meaningful resident to the rest of the “Paper family”. Those who never used to call me got my number from unknown sources. I learned later that there is a “directory” for the “paper family”. My graduation from the monkey life brought in a lot of goodies. It was a kind of a re-birth.
For the first time in two years, I used my real name while applying for a job. I attended Swedish classes conveniently and confidently. I defended myself accordingly. Unlike before, when I got intimidated by contemptuous stares, I gathered guts to give back a stern scornful gaze, which, I believe, sent shivers down the spines of my “guests” as they looked away cowardly.
I have tasted what Juma calls the “monkey life”. Well, I dint jump here and there in search of “papers” but I believe I also deserve the name as I played monkey games with police. The last thing I wanted to see was police colors.
They all sent shivering sensations in my blood stream. One day at work, I entered a wrong code at the entrance and in seconds, without warning, the alarm went off like a bell – ting! ting! ting!. Waah! What the heck?
My first reaction was to run away. Damn! They will sight my black ass so easily. I reasoned. I calmed down and phoned a friend for the right code. It worked. I love running, but on this day, I couldn’t risk doing so for fear of identification. Anything official intimidated me. I poisoned my mind with the thought that I couldn’t do a thing without papers and that was it. I was so wrong!
I stand to be corrected but my view is that whatever class you belong to, and as much as you may luck freedom, it’s all in your mind. What you think in your brain constitutes who you really are. Thoughts are powerful. They can build or destroy you, they can make you feel joy or misery, and they can make you feel scared or fearless.
What you fed your mind with could shatter your “monkey life”. You believe you can’t do this or that because you got no “papers” but many have made it through. So you can. With or without papers, you can still lead a positive life. True friends will like you regardless of your station in life. The rest are not friends if they cannot appreciate who you are.
Shiku Steve
About the Author
Shiku, am new to the term “Monkeys” being used for the so-called “Paperless” Kenyans. The common term is “Guerilla” which was coined by earlier immigrants who equated the process of “loking for papers” with a “warfare”, given the hardships they went through abroad. This term is used widely among Kenyans in the Western world.
I believe the concept arose around the decades of the 1960s and 1970s when guerilla warfares were very common in Africa, against then colonial masters. Lately, the pronunciation passes for the primate “gorrila” and many seem not to be aware of its background. This is why it sounds like “Monkey business”; dodging authorities in search of residential permits, facing doubts in relationships with those holding permits, etc.
Life as a guerilla depends upon how one arrived in Sweden, place of abode and the type of friends picked along the way, among other issues. Times must have become more difficult after the fall of the former Soviet Union and the rise of the European Union, leaving less opportunities for Africans, who are the most discriminated against.
Almost all Kenyans were at one time paperless for the first time in Sweden, save for those who came already married or with other types of residential permits. The suspicion among those with permits against those seeking, especially if involving a relationship is natural, because many “guerillas” have misused both men and women with papers for certain benefits, yet remain thankless. However, there are also those who have done well.
upumbavu ..mnajivunia utaifa wa nje..i call u coconut..outside other color inside white so funny
Kudos Osewe on adding the flag counter showing country stats on who is online at KSB. It shows clearly that so many access it worldwide.
Quite satirical really.
Shiku,your post is full of encouragement.Iam on of the `moneys’ living in Sweden.I have jumped enough `trees’ without success.I feel desperate and confused.I use someone’s name nad number to work,which bothers me alot.I dare not get sick,as there is no hospital for `monkeys’ here.yes,there are private hospitals but they are darm expensive.
I have though,invested alot back home.something that encourage me .I plan to get back home soon and start aliving coz forsure I got no life here.
thanks for your words
YOu put it straight and direct.Some people look down to those who got no papers and forgot where they came from.Just like Betty said ,we were all `paperless’ at one point.most of us have tasted the so called `monkey’ life.There are those who even change national and names when they get here-you met a friend who you really know well from Kenya ,but has changed natinal to Somalia and is now ismael.I belong here-its called life.
The hardest part is to explain those back home why you cant visit them.why you cant send them enough chums.Can they ever buy my story if I tell them I clean toilets for a living? nope.They will think Iam nuts.I tell them I work in a kindergaten.This only cost me more money as they believe my post come with a fat pay.
I need to get home soon and fast!
kenya kenya wo wo wo.
lukio had a bungalow.
Luke I’m your father, and took råslgagsbannan home to Fliskåsvägen in Hägenäs.
What tha hell Matabel.
Eat bananas in cam, black Pam.
lukio had a bungalow. iay iay o.
KSB: John Peter, what are you talking about?
This post refresh my mind to one nigga `paper’ guy who used me squarely just coz I was to him -just a useless `paperless’ nigga or so call me `monkey’.He made me feel worthless and hopeless.Jamaa aninipa kazi ya kifagio ,at first we agreed on a black job with a payment of 60 per hour.Kukaa jamaa kaniruka.As an under ground monkey,you complain to no one else apart from your heart.you search soul for answers and get nothing.I needed money desperlately so I had to continue working for him.I did for him a general cleaning job ,and again he took advantage of me.As I write this he owes me quite alot and he denies it.I feel completely down.I got papers now and I seriously want to follow his ass.Anyone with a nice plan?
I just hate some mad things people use to acquire papers.You cant just break your marriage just to marry a mzungu for papers! get me right.Iam talking to those who completely leave their home girls or boys for wazungus-just for papers..The law of papers says- A nigga girl/boy should never renounce a fellow nigga boy/girl for papers.You got to be a clever mule.Whatever you do ,just know you have a family,I mean a real family to turn to.Those zungus will dissappoint you someday and you will regret your balls out for your actions.
A story is told of a nigga boy who had a nice nigga girl.He was `clever’ enough to squueze his papers tight under his arms.the poor girl remained `paperless’ for quite a while.Just when she went home to fix them papers.The nigga boy got freedom and space to shop around.waah! and she shopped a real `nice’ zungu.rumors has it that they both has a kid together.What? this ukubafu.Masumbuko is shaking hard to earn himself a life and get his wife in Sweden.This is the way to go.amukeni!
John Peter,please translate your song or is it a poem? who is Luke the son,and who is this bungalow owner? You sound like one jovial `paper’ guy.
Kaish,you do know really well that there isnt much legal actions you can take upon your `boss’.He knew what he was doing when he did fuck you up.The only way out is to just let it.Dont even look behind.But remember that all that happen in this world get repaid.God reward us on how we treat each other.With time you will be better and higher than him.Properbly one day he will approach you looking for a favour.
pole sana though!
Dan,I concor with you.We should not betray our own.But as much as it sound bizzare lets also respect the fact that we all have different needs,taste and preference in our life.Wazungus are really respected back at home-that irritate me madly-thus engaging with one defenitly raise their status.To them a white skin is a pass to everything-so they think.Its is such a twisted riddle to explicate.For the guy you refered,and the rest of his own `feathers’ I would only say – good luck!