Chiki Kuruka shares why it took 10 years to return home after her grandmother died
Dancer Chiki Kuruka has shared an emotional reflection on why it took her 10 years to return to her grandmother’s house and the places tied to her childhood, describing the visit as both painful and healing.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, June 14, 2026, she revealed that she recently spent a weekend revisiting her grandmother’s house, church, pier, and club locations that were central to her upbringing.
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“It’s taken a decade to do,” she said, explaining that the trip had long been something she dreaded.
Confronting absence at the family home
Kuruka described the emotional impact of returning to her grandmother’s house for the first time since her passing 10 years ago, saying the experience made the absence feel immediate and real.
Knocking on the door, she said, brought a difficult realisation.
“Not seeing her face, or smelling her, was something I thought I’d never experience,” she reflected. “But the truth is, she’s not there anymore, either in body or in spirit.”
She added that the experience reinforced how life continues even through grief, even when it feels unnatural.
Memories that remain
Despite her absence, Kuruka said her grandmother remains present in memory and everyday life.
“I often hear her. Her laugh was like a bell. Her floral smell. Her firm but soft presence,” she said.
She recalled how her grandmother encouraged her strength during her teenage years, even when she was being disciplined or expressive.
“I just love how strong you always are,” she remembered her saying after a phone call where she had confronted someone.
She also shared a humorous memory about her grandmother’s reaction to her piercings.
“When I pierced my tongue, she suggested I pierce my nose,” she said, laughing. “She hated my tongue ring, but she knew I loved piercings.”
Wishes for moments that never came
Kuruka also expressed regret that her grandmother never met her husband, musician Bien-Aimé Baraza, whom she said she would have loved, and did not get to see the woman her sister Isi has become.
She also reflected on the long-imagined trip to Kenya they never made together.
“I wish you had made the trip to Kenya we kept planning,” she said.
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William Muthama
William Muthama is a digital journalist with a focus on entertainment, human interest, and current affairs. Share stories: [email protected]/ [email protected]
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