Jasmine: The Woman’s Flower
Jasmine, the delicate but powerful flower, has long been part of everyday life and ritual. It carries with it the scent of womanhood and intimacy. In Swahili, we call it […]
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Vidaka
Vidaka/Zidaka (singular: kidaka/idaka)1 are small niches carved into the walls of stone structures.
Vidaka comes from the root word daka, which translates into niche or indentation. Daka is also the name for the front porch in Swahili stone homes, which were nooks by the main entrance where male guests were received. The prefix ki- is used in the singular form of the word, making it a diminutive, which reflects a kidaka’s small size.
Limestone vs. Tiles: Changing Swahili Aesthetics Through The Eyes of Master Craftsmen
Ahmed Yusuf Suleiman is one of the most sought-after Swahili plasterwork artists and a well-known building contractor on the East African coast. One afternoon in his hometown, Lamu, he gave me a tour of his ongoing contracts, describing the ancient methods that he’s mastered. The majority of his clients are wealthy European developers, some of who have made a hobby out of purchasing ancient upper-class properties and restoring them.
Jasmine: The Woman’s Flower
Jasmine, the delicate but powerful flower, has long been part of everyday life and ritual. It carries with it the scent of womanhood and intimacy. In Swahili, we call it
New Swahili Alphabet Book Celebrates Language and Culture for Young Readers
Welcome to our world where “K’ is for Kuku, and not Kite or Kangaroo. Parents, educators, and language enthusiasts can now introduce young learners to the Swahili alphabet in a
Lesser-Known Heroes of The Pre-colonial Coast of Kenya
20th October is Mashujaa day in Kenya. On this day, Kenya celebrates heroes who have stood up for our country and the values of humanity and dignity that define our
The Mysterious Kilua
The kilua or kiluwa (pl. Vilua/viluwa) is a small fragrant magnolia-like flower found on the East African coast. The flower’s tree is known as mlua, mkiluwa or muuwa by the
Was there ever a Kiswahili word for ‘Holy’?
‘The available evidence suggests that in the mid-nineteenth century, at the second coming of European-Christians to the East African coast, there was no lexical equivalent for ‘holy’ or its near-synonym
Forgotten Foremothers Baraza
The next Hiistoriya baraza is on the place of women in history and culture of the East African coast. We will be hosting an open discussion on stories and stories
The Swahili Identity Re-envisioned
Swahili identity is not elusive if we can work to think beyond the racial prison-house of colonial thought and understand coastal communities through these broader historical trends.