Lamu men walk barefoot, says it's therapeutic

@ppcheti

While shoes are a luxury enjoyed by many, men in Lamu Island and the archipelago prefer walking barefoot.

It’s a lifestyle practised by both young and old men irrespective of the weather.

Muhaj Bakari, 57, who has spent most of his life without shoes says it's neither poverty nor insanity but a healthy choice to enjoy life as it is without the complications of a pinching shoe or a sore toes.

Being a fisherman, however, Bakari says the nature of his work played a major role in his choice to ditch shoes considering the frequent encounters with water during his job.

“Many of us are fishermen and that automatically means shoes become too much unnecessary baggage. Fishing means constant wading through the water to set up our nets and when going to retrieve them. It’s too much work having to remove them, put them back on,”  Bakari says.

Bakari says he doesn’t regret his shoeless lifestyle and doesn’t miss them either saying the only time he is forced to wear shoes is when he is going to the bathroom.

Lamu elder Ali Swaleh, 56, says the sandy beaches around Lamu inspired his choice to ditch shoes and he grew up on the island.

He says he has not worn shoes for the last 30 years and life remains beautiful at the raw feel of the ground.

He says it’s more comfortable for him the few instances he has tried to wear them, his feet have been left ‘irritated’.

Swaleh says his father Swaleh Ali Senior, a fisherman, never donned shoes in his entire lifetime.

He says growing up, he would hide his shoes under his bed and go to school barefoot.

“I chose to follow suit because if my father meant there was some comfort to it. The warm sand on my feet made me prefer life without shoes,” Swaleh says.

Having gone for decades without shoes, Swaleh says his feet have now become allergic to shoes and that anytime he tries to, the discomfort makes him throw them off.

“At this age, I am so done with shoes, “he says.

Renowned diver Badi Azakil of Kizingitini in Lamu East says the shoeless lifestyle is common among fishermen, divers, coxswains, beach operators and tour guides in the region.

He says for the majority of them the choice is based on the fear of losing their shoes considering the nature of their jobs that require them to remove the shoes at some point and store them somewhere.

“You can’t wear shoes in the deep sea when you are going diving for lobsters, crabs and the rest. We have to remove them and put on flippers, swim fins, or diving fins. Once we are done we remove them and go barefoot,” Azakil says.

Lamu sailor and Yoga instructor Amin Miji says he enjoys the natural feeling of walking around without shoes.

He says his work as a yoga instructor demands that he goes shoeless as most of their activities are on the beach.

He says barefoot walking is a special therapy of its kind and encourages his trainees to embrace it.

“I developed this habit since I was a young boy. I encourage my trainees to try bare feet therapy since it’s good for the soul. It's meditation in a way,” Miji says.

Miji says barefoot therapy creates an iconic balance which directly influences our sense of well-being, sharpens our minds, and provides mental stability which is the key objective of yoga.

Abdullahi Islam says his choice to go barefoot was influenced by the fact that the weather and general environment in Lamu is hot which makes it uncomfortable for one to wear shoes.

He says shoes are better worn by people in colder areas like Nairobi, Nakuru, Naivasha and Timboroa.

“Lamu is extremely hot. The moment you put on shoes, our feet sweat and smell. We discovered it way comfortable and healthier to just walk around barefoot and allow the feet to breathe,” Islam says.

In recent times, the barefoot lifestyle has been embraced by non-residents especially tourists visiting the region.

Mathews Richmond, a US tourist says he prefers walking barefoot every time he lands in Lamu.

“Immediately I step into my hotel room in Lamu, my shoes are off. I love to feel the sand. I forget about them until it’s time to fly back to the US. I enjoy every bit because it’s therapeutic,” Richmond says.

Lamu doctor Chris Margan encourages people to break away from the habit and go shoeless from time to time as constant footwear weakens the feet surface and decreases strength and flexibility.

“The issue with shoes is that it impacts our posture. They hinder the natural functioning of the feet. A bad posture equals a bad foot and leads to neck, back, knee pain and others. The barefoot lifestyle strengthens our feet, ankles, and toes. It’s healthy,” Margan says.

Kilifi doctor Duncan Chai encourages people to make a habit of going shoeless from time to time as it’s beneficial to the body and mind.

“It's human nature to go barefoot because that’s where it all started before shoes were invented. It's healthy and shouldn’t be interpreted as primitive. Negative ions are known as natural anti-depressants and help in improving sleep quality,” he says.

“You’re, therefore, likely to sleep soundly after walking barefoot on a beach instead of having to pop sleeping pills.”

 

Edited by Kiilu Damaris

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