Renowned musician Teddy Kalanda Harisson, a founding member of Kenya’s iconic band Them Mushrooms, has tragically lost his battle with cancer. But his legacy will live on through his music – including his perhaps most memorable composition, the song Jambo Bwana. This not only achieved international fame but also elevated Kenya’s cultural standing globally. The song’s global recognition was further solidified when German group Boney M covered it, sharing vibrant Kenyan culture with audiences worldwide.
One of the song’s central lines – ‘hakuna matata’ (Swahili for ‘no worries’) – was controversially trademarked by Disney, who used an English version of parts of Harisson’s song for its hugely successful Lion King movie. Only Disney can now use the phrase – a unit of African language! – on clothing, something critics see as cultural theft. Numerous attempts to get the company to relinquish the trademark, including a huge petition, have fallen on deaf ears. The trademark controversy served as a wake-up call, prompting calls for the Kenyan government to create a database for trademarking cultural expressions.
Rest in peace, Teddy Kalanda Harisson.