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Barack Obama recalls his Kenyan relatives’ first impression of Michelle
06th July, 2026 06:18 PM
Former US President Barack Obama has shared a humorous memory from the first time he brought his wife, Michelle Obama, to his grandmother’s rural home in Kenya, revealing how his relatives reacted to meeting her.
Speaking during a conversation about identity and culture on Monday, July 2026, Obama recalled that Michelle had never visited his grandmother’s village before, making the trip a completely new experience for her.
“I remember the first time I took Michelle to Kenya and went to my grandmother’s village. This is in the rural area; there is no indoor plumbing. If you want to eat chicken, you’ve got to catch that chicken,” Obama recalled.
Michelle’s first visit
He said his relatives were fascinated by Michelle‘s appearance and openly questioned her background because she did not fit their expectations of what an African woman looked like.
“I had been there before, but Michelle had not been there before, and when she got there, all my relatives were all looking at her like, ‘So which one of your parents is white?'” he recalled.
“Because they look at her, like you are not African.”
Obama used the story to explain how culture and identity shape people’s perceptions.
According to him, African Americans are influenced by a blend of cultures, even if they do not always recognise it.
“The experience of being black in America means you are taking in a whole bunch of different culture, even when you don’t realise it,” he added.
Obama’s Kenyan roots
Obama’s father, Barack Obama Sr., hailed from Kogelo in Siaya County, where the former US president spent time visiting his paternal family.
His mother, Ann Dunham, was an American from Kansas. Obama has often spoken about how his Kenyan heritage has shaped his identity and deepened his understanding of different cultures.
During his visits to Kenya, Obama spent time with his late grandmother, Sarah Onyango Obama, popularly known as Mama Sarah, at the family’s home in Kogelo.
Michelle Obama has also accompanied him to Kenya, where she met members of his extended family and experienced village life firsthand, further strengthening the family’s connection to his paternal roots.
