The Matatus are masterpieces on wheels. It is a sight to see in Nairobi. Matatus are privately owned mini buses that are usually decorated with Pop culture references and portraits. These vary from Sports to Political and musical figures. Matatus are one of the most popular ways of getting around Nairobi. Many of them are tricked out with sound systems, Wifi and video monitors play popular music videos and there is a type of arms race that takes place between operators to who's "MAT" can be the most popular and most tricked out on the route. The word is believed to be derived from a Swahili colloquialism meaning 3. Mats also have a reputation for reckless driving, criminality and noise. Mats can also be seen as a social barometer, a sort of archetype of space and time.