The Swahili World

by Stephanie Wynne-jones (Editor), Adria LaViolette (Editor)

The Swahili World presents the fascinating story of a major world civilization, exploring the archaeology, history, linguistics, and anthropology of the Indian Ocean coast of Africa. It covers a 1,500-year sweep of history, from the first settlement of the coast to the complex urban tradition found there today. Swahili towns contain monumental palaces, tombs, and mosques, set among more humble houses; they were home to fishers, farmers, traders, and specialists of many kinds. The towns have been Muslim since perhaps the eighth century CE, participating in international networks connecting people around the Indian Ocean rim and beyond. Successive colonial regimes have helped shape modern Swahili society, which has incorporated such influences into the region’s long-standing cosmopolitan tradition. This is the first volume to explore the Swahili in chronological perspective. Each chapter offers a unique wealth of detail on an aspect of the region’s past, written by the leading scholars on the subject. The result is a book that allows both specialist and non-specialist readers to explore the diversity of the Swahili tradition, how Swahili society has changed over time, as well as how our understandings of the region have shifted since Swahili studies first began. Scholars of the African continent will find the most nuanced and detailed consideration of Swahili culture, language and history ever produced. For readers unfamiliar with the region or the people involved, the chapters here provide an ideal introduction to a new and wonderful geography, at the interface of Africa and the Indian Ocean world, and among a people whose culture remains one of Africa’s most distinctive achievements.

Genres: History

672 pages, Hardcover

First published January 8, 2017

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply put if you want to write an article, book, thesis or paper on the Swahili culture history, this is the book to get. 600 pages of short to the point articles that points one in the direction of further material and sources. A strong introduction to studies conducted these last few years while reckoning with earlier research. A myriad of methods, subjects and locations, The Swahili world goes up and beyond the well trod paths of Zanzibar and Kilwa or even the most common associated region, including studies on the commores and North Madagascar coast to be included in the Swahili world.

My biggest gripe with the book is that it is only useful for conducting research, the articles are written to be easy to discern what you are looking for, at the cost of in depth narrative, discourse and argument. I reading solely for interest it might be ok to stick to the concluding remarks and summary for the articles and not delve too deep into the articles themselves.

publications as these are a god sent for university students and for me it was a pleseant reminder of an earlier time, as one of my first papers at university was about the Swahili cultures. With my personal focus on the disruptions caused by the Portugese interference in the 15-16th century leading to a reinvented trade dynamic with the Swahili traders taking on a more aggressive policy of linking up with African trade networks of the interior. Good times