The Swahili Culture

The Swahili culture and origin of swahili language remains disputed till today. Some scholars ask, "were there particular people called Swahili before or they just emerged after the intermarriage with the Arabs?". For those who says Swahili emerged after the intermarriage with the Arabs argue that 16-20 percent of Swahili words are rooted in Arabic language. Even the word Swahili itself is derived from Arabic word "sawahil" plural form of "sahil" which means coast or the coast. 

On the other hand, other scholars argue that, the first reference to definite commercial relations between the Arabs and the people of the East African Coast dates back to the end of the 1st century A.D when the compiler of the "Periplus of the Erythrean Sea" mentions several place names of the route including the island of Menouthias (Pemba or Zanzibar) and Rhapta "the last Market town of the Azanian mainland". 

Other evidences include the Kilwa Sultanate Chronicles of which Arabic, Portuguese and Swahili versions have been preserved is our main source for the medieval history of the area. It describes the the settlement of Kilwa (a district in nowadays Lindi región in Tanzania) from 957 to 1131. The first King of the land Sultan Ali ibn al - Husain was nicknamed "Nguo nyingi" which means "many clothes" and his son Muhammad ibn Ali was known as "Mkoma Watu" presumably means "killer of men" and the scholars who support this include C. G . Büttner, E. Steered, and Shaykh Abdallah Ba Kathir. 

Swahili Arabic script on a carved wooden door (open) at Lamu in Kenya

Thanks to invention of internet and transportation now Swahili culture has widespread in the whole world from East African countries particularly Tanzania and Kenya to other African countries like Congo, Uganda, Somalia  to China, US and in Europe too. 

There is a lot about the history of Swahili language and a rich history in the whole costal cities of East African Countries, where the first cities to be developed like Lamu, Mombasa, Pate, Kilwa, Zanzibar, Bagamoyo, Tanga, Comoro and Mogadishu. 

Swahili culture comprises of the natives which are coast people tribes and communities such as Bagamoyo, Kilwa, Zanzibar, Mombasa, Lamu and Tanga, Other Bantu tribes, Colonizers and Arabs mostly. The coast people behaves like Arabs and theres a lot of historical archives and records of Arabs civilization in Swahili culture. 

The culture of Swahili coastal cities is much influenced by the Arabian culture. The word to be civilized in Swahili language is refered as “kustaarabika” which literally means to live as the Arabs which is the same as “istaarab” in Arabic language.

Most of swahili words almost 23 percent of swahili words comes from Arabic language. Words like saba (seven), mubashara (live), kalamu (pen) and kula (eating). Even the way coast people dress, they adopted Arabic styles like wearing Khanzu and Baibui. 

Swahili culture also comprises of non coastal societies like Maasai, Sukuma, Nyamwezi and other more than 90 tribes which also have a varieties of culture and local (Bantu) languages apart from swahili. Most of these learn Swahili language as their second language. 

Economically, Swahili societies depends much on land through agriculture for societies like Nyakyusa, Kamba and Yao, and animal keeping for societies like Maasai, Sukuma and Nyamwezi. The coastal  communities mostly depend on fishing as their daily drivers. 

There's a lot to learn about Swahili language and culture particularly the language itself.  The good thing is that Swahili language is easy for mainly two reasons. First,  the words are pronounced as they look (not as English) and Second, there's only three irregular verbs in all tenses. Easy Peasy, right?.

Hey I am Dullah Draxler and i am the guy who can help you improve your journey to learn Swahili language and culture in English.

Hakuna Matata.