Swahiliness in Swahililand

 In the 21st century, to be referred as Mswahili is far from a compliment.  To be called "Mswahili" is a form of scorn. Mswahili is a person who will not keep their promises, time inefficient, careless and anything negative!  Literally, if one says Mswahili, it should mean " A Swahili Person"; just like when we refer to a person born and bred in London as being  "A Londoner" or a Cockney speaker, etc.  I personally identify myself as a Swahili woman so that will make me a "Mswahili" and very proud of it!!  This little post will tell you exactly why.

Myself (centre) with my Swahili sisters representing, at the River Thames Carnival in London September 2010

Being born and raised in Dar es Salaam on the East African Swahili coast there are times when I reminisce on the uniqueness of the Swahili culture, its traditional music and dance, visual arts, cuisine and of course fashion; a collage of daily activities, depending on where you are. You would see women weaving mats, baskets, pounding corn or vegetables to prepare meals.

You would also encounter ladies and young girls decorating themselves with henna or braiding hair and actually, the cost of braiding is not that exorbitant in these neighbourhoods. Knowing that someday you could return the favour. You would see men enjoying a game of “bao”, young boys with their creative engineering skills constructing a “car” using materials they have found in the neighbourhood, men scaling palm trees for fresh coconuts which are peeled and cracked open for refreshing drinks, etc! Oh, how I miss that!
As for the music and dance … on weekends you could bump into a group of people getting together with their musical instruments and just having fun! I remember when we used to live in a particular area in Dar-es-Salaam called Magomeni,  it was disastrous in a good way!  You would be in the house minding your own business and my word; you hear these hypnotic sounds of drumming and singing, the wonderful sounds of Gombe Sugu, Beni, Mkwaju- Ngoma (later on was replaced by Mdundiko) and of course Mdumange, passing outside your street, before you know it you have slipped out of the back door and enjoyed the carnival… destination unknown!!!  I used to get into a lot of trouble for that, I can laugh about it now.   

Beni man

Proper Beni going on here!!!  

  I am so grateful that I had the full Swahili experience when we moved from Oyster bay to this typical Swahili area of Magomeni; It felt strange in the beginning, as the two areas are totally opposite to each other, after a few months being a child, I adapted, and boy, I loved it!.  This is the area where all these carnivals used to happen on our street, sometimes it could be too many in a day, but hey.... it swept me alright.  I remember once going as far as Mwembe Chai with my neighbour friend called Mwana Hamisi.  That is when I really got smacked by my dad because we came back late; around 6-ish... and boy no child was allowed out of the house during those times.

Hey! Those bygone years Taarab a typical Swahili genre sort of music was on the scene; nowadays it is Bongo Flava – a combination of both Swahili and Western forms. 

I will not talk much of the mouth-watering cuisine cooked with local spices! The fresh fish from the Indian Ocean, available at the open fish market along Kigamboni beach. This can be picked fresh fish to be prepared at home or grilled right there; or roasted (grilled) corn and cassava chips, fresh vegetables,  fruits (i.e. different types of mangos, bananas), etc. I could go on, but you get the picture.

When it comes to fashion, women like to adorn themselves with Khanga, which continues to be recognized as traditional attire as well as Vikoi (kikoi, singular) mostly worn by men, a pride of Swahili women and men. 

 There is a lot of history about the Khanga fabric which I had written about in my earlier blogs.  I am proud to highlight that Khanga continues to maintain its status as it enters into the 21^st century.  Designers use this traditional fabric in the revolutionary styles of today.

With that I say,  please enjoy some of the snippets of the Swahili Flavour.

Men playing Bao

Women Catching up / sharing...

Going for coconut (someone has to do it!)

Photographer waiting for her coconut juice prepared by Juma.

Coconut  leaf weaving was one of my favorite pass time when we went out to the farm, few miles from Dar.  Nothing goes to waste!

Basket weaved from the coconut leaves

Sokoni  (At the market)

oooh my favourite! Raw mangoes with pili-pili to give the flavour!

Rice doughnut (Vitumbua)

Vitumbua!! My Swahili breakfast special, love them! 

Young ladies getting ready for dance

Fish Market

Simply colurful! I hope you have enjoyed the post!

Kwaheri kwa sasa!

X

Images courtesy of:

Maggid Mjengwa - Maggid Mjengwa.com

Freddy Macha - http://kitoto.wordpress.com/

Ruth Masunya Lukindo

Ehster Sabuni

Amita Kilumanga

The Swahili Coast Magazine

AFG 1st Birthday Celebration

Nairobi Launch Review

Seems like only yesterday when I sat down with Jacqueline Shaw in a little cafe down Goodge Street in London, exchanging views and discussing our passion (textiles) and our goals and other interests in the fashion industry in general.  A few months later, Anna Luks was one of the first African diaspora clothing designer labels being featured on the AFG in early 2011.  Anna Luks was launching its 1st summer collection after graduating in 2010.  

http://africafashionguide.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/luck-is-in-for-anna-anna-luks-catwalk-event/

Here we are one year later, Africa Fashion Guide has become one of the most informative bodies in the Fashion Industry globally.  AFG has penetrated the innermost parts of Africa and highlights information that we might never have known existed.   

"Cotton made in Africa is an initiative of the Aid by Trade Foundation that helps people help themselves through trade"  Farmers in Zimbabwe   

AFG's aims (mentioning a few)  in provide a platform as well as promote African Fashion and Textile industry globally.  They also feature African designers wherever they are including, craftsmanship, manufactures, retailers, and textile designers worldwide.  In addition to this AFG greatly supports the economic development in Africa, i.e., the use of ethical and sustainable textiles by encouraging trade relationships over just Aid and World Fair Trade Organisations principles (WFTO). To sum it all up AFG is all about aesthetics and ethics in fashion today.

Cotton in Tanzania - African Cotton Campaign

Happy 1st  Birthday AFG

AFG is celebrated its 1st birthday on 9th September this year in style.  What other way of celebrating, none other than in very grounds of its motherland itself, Nairobi the capital city of Kenya in East Africa.  AFG hosted this celebration 2 months ago in October 2012 with a seminar that consisted of a three-panel discussion with the international industry leaders.

Jacqueline Shaw founder of AFG at the seminar in Nairobi

All images, courtesy of AFG

read more about the event here;

http://www.africafashionguide.com/2012/12/fashion-africa-seminar-2012-nairobi-launch-review/

Afrocentric

It's a Hair Thang!

What is there not to like about this photo!  It is a masterpiece, a piece of art that I would display somewhere in my house. It is simply dynamic.  Al Green, one of my childhood idols!

When I saw this photo, it inspired me so much that I thought I would do some research on African hair (Afro Hair). 

The term Afro hair automatically refers to black kinky hair.  It can be bushy, spring-like, spongy, or woolly if you like when you feel it.   I'm talking about virgin African hair that hasn't been processed.

I remember starting to hear the term Afro in the very early 70, I didn't give a hoot about it, I just knew it was some kind of hairstyle that only stylish people wore.  Then, later on, I came to understand it originated from America.  We had lots of African American family friends in my country (Tanzania) and yes, the younger ones all had   'The Afro hair do' (as they called it).  This trend was then picked up by the younger generation of that era and it was considered to be cool to have an Afro hairdo at that time. 

 Thinking back, as I once wrote about my native fabric, The Khanga being a media of communication, African hair was also a mode of communication.    Just by looking at a particular hairstyle and how it was groomed, it determined the identity, gender, age, even ethnicity.  You would see all sorts of creativity in terms of cuts, shaves, braids, colour, and styles.   For instance, in some tribes, there will be a significant hairstyle on a young girl who just had their first period and is a virgin or a bride-to-be.  Likewise, on a man, you would be able to determine if that person is a chief, a warrior, or if the family is in mourning.  Hairstyles can also establish what region or country the person is from.

For women, grooming each other's hair brought unity and built a loving society amongst families.  Braiding each other's hair was like a social event and a way of getting to know each other.  Women proved their artistic skills in creating different kinds of styles and this tradition was passed on for generations. 

Swahili women wearing Khanga braiding away

 In East Africa, coconut oil was very popular for hair and scalp and was  mostly used by coastal natives.  It was believed that coconut oil made hair manageable and healthy and also good for scalp. I personally couldn't stand the smell of it but I saw loads of lovely and healthy hair especially those who were using this particular oil.  I know in West Africa Shea Butter is also very popular up to now.

  I could go on about hair, but will stop here for today.  Enjoy the images I have put together for you.

Having a comb stuck on your Fro (Afro) was once an 'in thing', it was considered cool for some, although I thought it just looked ridiculous, just like wearing pants half way on ones bottoms.

(Say It Loud!)

James Brown and Michael Jackson looking good with their Fros

Mhh ..... stunning Masai warrior getting his hair twisted.  Hair twisting takes as long as 2 to 6 hrs depending on the size of the twist and the hair style. On this image this cool dude is getting his hair twisted with clay and red ocher, a type of soil found in volcanic regions. It has been said that this is where the journey of dreadlocks started!

Pretty African girl, totally unaware how stylish and amazing she looks!

Amazing African hair do's! I wonder if this is where the Punks got their inspirations from!

This elegant hair style has been twisted using  black thread. I believe the use of the thread twisting style originates from Central Africa.   It was very much in fashion during the 70's/80's.

I am definitely going back to this very soon, I think it is just super.

Another stylish Swahili woman, half corn row, half combed and brushed kinky hair (evidence of coconut oils).  Exquisite!

I think I will be right to say the commercialisation of Afro hair started in the 21st Century, new hair products, different hair styles, hair accessories, were soon in the market.  The black hair Industry is without a doubt a multimillion industry world wide.  African women around the world were bombarded by TV adverts and magazines enticing them to buy hair care products.  The native Masai people are in the city providing the best salon in twisting hair in East Africa, and the business now is expanding worldwide.

  Gone were the days of braiding each others hair with laughter without paying a penny.  

Question; What will happen if majority of us decide to go natural, is it a wishful thinking? Will we ever decide to that? It will be dooms day for the hair industry I reckon.

I am welcoming any additional (positive) comments regarding African hair!  I would like to read your point of views.  

Source

http://statelymansionsdiddecree.blogspot.com/2009/08/african-hair-combs.html

http://ethiopia.limbo13.com/index.php/really_good_hair/

http://aaggblog.nashdigital.com/2009/08/event-african-hair-styles-culture-consciousness/

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=swahili+hair&hl

Khanga - The Wonder Fabric

The word Khanga is a Swahili word for guinea fowl, which are common in Tanzania. Originally Khanga was designed and printed in two colours.  According to my research, Khanga did not have borders then the two borders were introduced on the shorter sides.  The face of Khanga then evolved as time went by before reaching this present stage.

Growing up with Khanga, without being told, I understood that there is more to this magnificent piece than meets the eye.  Khanga is a way of life in East Africa but mostly in Tanzania.  The cloth speaks a culture of silence.  The government and institutions use Khanga in all sorts of campaigns, be it political, educational, health or romance.  These campaigns are usually in form of images and illustrations; messages are portrayed in writings and in proverbs.

Of all Tanzania's traditional fabrics, Khanga is the most versatile.  Its uses range from wraps, shawls, skirts, loincloths, baby diapers, bedspreads, wall hangings, aprons, not to forget the main Swahili use which is a medium of communication.  Indeed Khanga is a wonder fabric, it represents art and beauty; it is a Swahili custom and is almost mythical.

History

Tanzania is on the East coast of Africa and borders the Indian Ocean on the east side, with the Zanzibar Islands as part of her east region.  The inhabitants of this coastal area are known as Waswahili.

Khanga was invented on the East coast of Tanzania, then known as Tanganyika in the early 1800's. The idea came from handkerchiefs that were brought by Portuguese traders sailing on the East African coast stopping in Dar-es-Salaam and then Zanzibar harbours. At that time Zanzibar was the dominant Port in the region.  Portuguese traders brought handkerchiefs as part of their merchandise.  These handkerchiefs, also known as Leso, were very colourful.  The local women bought them, sewed them together to form Khanga.  Prior to Khanga, women wore black cotton cloth almost the same measurements as the Khanga.  Called Kaniki, this cloth was used as a form of attire.

Stylish Swahili Women in Khanga Wear (1800s)

A strong and everlasting history of Khanga, its prestige and value, is known almost worldwide. The word has even been adapted in Brazil where Khangas are essentially beachwear. Khanga has indeed given East Africans a  strong identity and pride.  

As a Swahili woman myself, I am proud to highlight or just scrape the surface of this subject.  (To be continued)

http://katebomz.tumblr.com/post/568647963/intelligence-and-strength-beauty-and-style