Hellen Obiri has opened up on the measures she has put in place to ensure her daughter, who lives with her in America, does not forget the Kenyan culture.
Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri may have relocated to America over two years ago but she has never lost touch of her African culture.
Obiri moved to Boulder, Colorado to improve her marathon training and took her family along. That meant a great shift in terms of culture but Obiri has remained true to her Kenyan roots.
Born in Kisii, the 35-year-old has put in so much effort to ensure she stays true to her culture and being in a foreign nation, the mother of one is also keen to ensure her nine-year-old daughter Tania does not forget where she comes from.
Obiri admits she has been forced to bring her parents to live with her, and they interchange with those of her husband after every six months, with their primary goal being to ensure they instill the Kenyan culture into Tania.
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“We do not want our kid to be like an American kid. Even if she grows up, we want her to have that African in her so when we have our parents around, they talk to her in Kisii and so she understands that language,” Obiri told NTV.
“Our parents also teach her about Kenya and eating Kenyan food will help her. When she grows up, she will understand that her culture is from Kenya.
“That is something so important for kids because we have so many Kenyan kids who go to the US and forget where they have come from. So, we do not want our child to forget where she comes from and that is why we keep having our parents there.”
It is for this reason that Obiri has had to be tough with her daughter, like most African mums, to ensure she grows up the right way.
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“Even if she makes a mistake, you know in America you cannot discipline a child, but I tell her I am a Kenyan mother and I will punish you and from there, she understands I am a Kenyan,” she added.
However, it has been a delicate balancing act for Obiri as Tania has quickly been immersed into American culture to the point that she has now become of great help for her parents.
“For kids, it is easy to interact and it took Tania like six months and she had already gotten used to the other kids,” said Obiri.
“Now, she has even picked up the American accent but when she comes home, we tell her to talk slowly so that we understand each other. At times, she helps us a lot because when the Americans speak, she is there to help us.”
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Obiri moved to the US to work with renowned coach Dathan Ritzenhein, who has greatly shaped her marathon career, as she has won three races (twice in Boston and once in New York), finished second once and also placed third in her last five marathons.
The 35-year-old is on a short stint in Kenya where she chose to prepare from as she looks to win a third straight Boston Marathon title in April.