The coast was for centuries Kenya's gateway to the world, a place of passage for sailors, traders, slavers and explorers. All those who passed this way left their own mark and these influences blended with local communities to create a diverse and unique culture all of its own.

Today the coast remains an intricate and heady mix of cultures, a place of rich exoticism waiting to be explored….

North Coast Cultural Perspectives

The North coast is home to many of the Mijikenda tribes, predominantly the Giriama. Many of the hotels in this region can arrange cultural visits to Giriama villages.
The North Coast was an area of great importance to the development of the Swahili culture.

This particular area saw several Swahili settlements, most of which are now gazetted historical sites. Jumba la Mtwana (The Mansion of the Slave), near Mtwapa is a good example of a simple Swahili town. The town was deserted around 500 years ago. The majority of the town no longer stands, but the ruins of stone mansions of the privileged and their mosques and tombs still remain. Archaeological evidence suggests that the people of Jumba where devoutly religious and committed to the Islamic virtue of cleanliness. Most houses contain the remains of water cisterns, washing platforms and stone lined latrines.

Jumba la Mtwana is an interesting place to visit, and is beautifully located in a baobab forest. The ruins overlook a deserted beach, and the largest Mosque faces the sea. This area is home to the Rabai community, a small but culturally strong people, with their own language and customs. In an effort to both celebrate and preserve their cultural traditions, an annual Rabai festival is held in this region. It was from this area that one of Kenya's first European visitors Germany missionary and explorer Ludwig Krapf first established a mission in August 1846. This became his base for exploration into the hinterland. A small museum in the village of Rabai, commemorates both Krapf's life in Kenya and local Rabai culture

Swahili

Along the Kenyan Coast one of the most visible cultures is that of the Swahili peoples. Unlike Kenya's inland tribes, whose histories are built on oral folklore and cultural traditions, the Swahili people have a long written record of their history.

This is a history of trade. Not just trade of goods with distant shores, but also trade of cultures. The trade winds of the Indian Ocean brought influence from South West Arabia. Dhows were drawn south by the monsoonal winds (the Kaskazi) from November to April, and then returned North by the winds known as the Kusi from June to September. This route became a major source of ivory, slaves, spice and shells, and by the 9th and 10th centuries, Arab trading outposts began to appear along the coast.

With settlement came immigration, and a local population of Arab, Omani and Shirazi people (from Persia- modern day Iran) began to swell. Intermarriage with the indigenous coastal tribes became common. After several generations, a unique culture began to form.
Strongly Arab influenced and Islamic, the culture began to develop its own particularly African language and customs. This was a culture born of the sea, and the sailing dhow and trade became an integral part of its existence, as did farming of tropical crops including mango and coconut.

Soon this culture had a name, derived from the plural of the Arab word Sahel- Swahili.

The Swahili language, or Kiswahili, is a fusion of Arabic and Bantu languages.

Swahili civilization spread along the coast, from Lamu southwards.

One of the largest Swahili towns, known as Gedi, lay further North near modern day Watamu. Gedi is one of Kenya's great unknown treasures, a wonderful lost city lying in the depths of the great Arabuko Sokoke forest.

It is also a place of great mystery, an archaeological puzzle that continues to engender debate among historians. To this day, despite extensive research and exploration, nobody is really sure what happened to the town of Gedi and its peoples. This once great civilization was a powerful and complex Swahili settlement with a population of over 2500, built during the 13th century. The ruins of Gedi include many houses, mansions, mosques and elaborate tombs and cemeteries.

Despite the size and complexity of this large (at least 45 acre) settlement, it is never mentioned in any historic writings or local recorded history. The nearby Portuguese settlement at Malindi seems to have had no contact with, or even known of the existence of Gedi.

The town has all the appearances of a trading outpost, yet its position, deep in a forest and away from the sea makes it an unlikely trading centre. What was Gedi trading, and with whom?

But the greatest of all of Gedi's mysteries was its sudden and inexplicable desertion in the 17th century. The entire town was suddenly abandoned by all of its residents, leaving it to ruination in the forest. There are no signs of battle, plague, disturbance or any cause for this sudden desertion.

One current theory is that the town was threatened by the approach of the Galla, an inland tribe known to be outwardly hostile at that time, and that the townspeople fled ahead of their arrival. Yet once again, local recorded history fails to mention any such large scale evacuation at this time. No written account of either the rise or sudden fall of Gedi was ever made.

The ghostly ruins of Gedi lay within the forest that has overgrown and consumed the town. They had become a part of local folklore, regarded as a sinister lair of malevolent spirits, until archaeologists began to uncover the site in the 20th century. It was gazetted in 1948.

Today there is an excellent museum and well trained guides on hand to take visitors through the ruins. Gedi remains a mysterious and atmospheric place to visit.

The pillars and stone walls, ruined mosques and tombs now lie among stands of trees. The stone floors are thick with leaves, and giant shrews scuttle through the deserted houses while birds and butterflies drift through the air. Wandering through Gedi is an ideal way to spend a morning or afternoon, lost among the secrets of the past.

In 1498 the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama anchored offshore at Malindi, and a memorial to his landing can be found at Vasco de Gama’s Pillar just outside Malindi. He received an initially warm welcome, and Malindi became an important Portuguese centre. This influence would become a pervasive one throughout the coast, reaching a volatile conclusion with the protracted battles for control of Fort Jesus (see Mombasa for more details). Just outside town is a small Portuguese chapel whose graveyard, dating to the 16th century, is a fascinating portrait of the history of this stretch of coastline.

Lamu

In the 14th Century, Lamu was established as a Swahili trading outpost and settlement. The town became an important landmark on the Northern sea trade route, and one of the great centres of Swahili culture.
For more details on the creation and expansion of the Swahili, see the Malindi and Watamu section.
The islands history is long and colourful. Some believe that the island has been settled since the 7th century, although the first written history of the island begins in 1402. Local legend speaks of the lost city of Hadibu, an Arab settlement buried beneath the rolling dunes of Shela beach.
Shela was the scene of a great battle and massacre in the mid 18th century, as Lamu battled its neighbouring islands, Manda and Pate. While the civilizations on these islands faded, Lamu prospered.

Both Lamu town and the village of Shela are home to many fine examples of Swahili architecture. Some of the original mansions have been restored and maintained. Lamu is one of the most historically important Swahili towns. On nearby Manda Island are found the ruins of Takwa, a civilization razed in the 17th Century. These ruins, now overgrown and overshadowed by baobab trees, show that Takwa was a holy city, where all doors faced Mecca. Some residents of Shela, who believe themselves to be descendants of Takwa, still visit the ruins to pray.

Takwa can be reached by dhow from either Lamu or Shela.

Lamu was also culturally influenced by the Bajun people. The Bajun are an indigenous tribal group, centred around the Lamu archipelago, whose origins and history have become blurred with the Swahili to the extent that one of their sub-clans, the Shiradhi claim to be direct descendants of Shirazi Arabs.

The Bajun are traditionally a fishing people, who also cultivate coconuts and mangrove logs. Many of their traditions have melded into Lamu's cultural melting pot. Their traditional woodcarving played a major part in the development of the locally renowned Lamu carving industry, and their language was the genesis of Kiamu, a Swahili dialect that is the true language of Lamu.

There is an excellent Museum in Lamu town with good exhibits on Swahili culture in general and Lamu culture in particular. The staffs are very helpful and have a wealth of local information.

The labyrinthine streets of Lamu town itself are a historical attraction in themselves. These narrow streets are all built upwards along a gentle slope, letting the rains wash the town clean. The Old Town was recently declared a World Heritage site, and exploring the town on foot is a wonderful way to soak up the atmosphere of the living, breathing history of Lamu.

At the centre of town is the impressive Sultan's Fort, built by the Omanis in 1808. The Fort has been through various changes over the years, including conversion into a prison. It is now a museum and its forecourt is home to Lamu's largest open market.

Lamu saw many visitors over its long history, including traders and explorers from Portugal, China, Turkey and much of the Middle East. Its culture was inevitably influenced by most of them, producing this truly unique society.

Lamu is a very relaxed and relaxing place and its easy going lifestyle has long attracted those seeking an alternative and exotic lifestyle. This started in 1894 with the arrival of the 'Freelanders", a group of idealistic British and European intellectuals who planned to use the island as base for a utopian commune to be finally located near Mount Kenya. Their plans fell apart almost immediately, and some never left Lamu.

This was repeated in the 1970's, when Lamu became a popular haunt for easy going hippy travellers.

It should be remembered though that while tolerant, Lamu is proud and protective of its Swahili cultural traditions. Visitors to the island should keep this in mind and dress and behave in a way appropriate to an Islamic community.

It can be arranged to visit a home in Lamu to meet a local family, and spend some time in a traditional Swahili home. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience life as it is lived within the walls of the island's famous historical houses.

The families you visit with will be happy to explain to you the traditions and daily routines of life in Lamu. You may help out the children with their school work, visit the mosque, or assist with the preparation of food.

Often these visits involve taking a traditional Swahili meal with the family. This is the best way to sample this unique cuisine, and discover the best cooking on the coast.

Lamu is well known for its local Henna artists, who paint the hands of feet of local women with elaborate traditional designs for special ceremonies or just for decorative purposes. This is considered a fine art and attractively painted hands and feet are a great mark of beauty.

The Henna used stains the skin, and washes away after several days. Women can have their hands and feet painted in a number of shops in old town.

One of the best times to visit Lamu is during the Maulidi festival. This annual Islamic festival celebrates the birth of the prophet, and on Lamu is cause for great celebration indeed. A week long festival of music and dance is held, with traditional sword fights in public squares and Swahili feasts.

South Coast Cultural Perspectives

Historically, the South Coast was a route for shipping and dhow trade both from Swahili settlements in the North and southwards to Zanzibar.

The south coast was the most densely populated area of Swahili territory. Just South of Mombasa at Kongo is the 15th Century Mwana Mosque. The large vaulted roof of this Mosque is still standing and local worshippers still use the ruins for prayer. For information on the history of the Swahili, see the Related Links .

Recently made a locally administered National Monument, the deep and mysterious Shimoni (from the Swahili- literally "in the hole") caves remain and enigma to historians and archaeologists alike. There is evidence of long-standing human use of the caves, though it is as yet unclear what purpose they served. Possible explanations include a Slave trading store, or a refuge from Slavers, although a recently discovered 'shrine' suggests that the caves may have held some ritualistic significance.

Inland, the South coast is the home of Mijikenda group of tribes, including the Giriama, Duruma and Digo. These tribes all share a fascinating cultural heritage. These cultures are centred around sacred areas called Kayas. These are elevated forest glades, once used as store grounds for sacred objects known as fingos. These
undisturbed areas of land are still regarded as sacred and are still on occasion visited by tribal elders, particularly those of the Giriama.

One of the larger Mijikenda tribes, the Giriama are staunchly proud of their traditional customs. The Giriama history is one of strong tribal identity, and resistance to foreign cultures. The Giriama resisted colonial influences during the early 20th Century,
particularly conversion to Christianity. A female warrior called Mekatilili wa Menza became a Giriama folk hero by actively fighting to protect her people from Christian Missionaries.

The small villages of this district, known as Kwale, are a world away from the fast paced life of the South Coast resorts. Here, life is lived at a much more relaxed rhythm. The fertile land and tropical climate make this ideal country for the growth of coconuts, sugar cane, cashew nuts and fresh fruits. This area is well known for the production of Palm Wine, a popular local drink.

This area is well worth exploring, and makes a fascinating contrast to life on the contrast. Many coast hotels and tour companies can organize for special trips and tours in this region with locally knowledgeable and culturally sensitive guides