Art and Culture of the Swahili Coast in Historical Perspective

Perched between the Indian Ocean and the East African interior, the Swahili Coast has a diverse artistic culture. In this course we will explore the histories that created this vibrant material culture through hands-on encounters with the materials of Swahili artistic culture, listening to Swahili music, watching Swahili films, tasting Swahili foods, and trying their hands at Swahili artforms. Assignments will include primary source analyses (including, Memoirs of an Arabian Princess, “Mamba” and other poems, BongoFlava and Taarab songs, films: Pumzi, Zanzibar Soccer Queens), a mapping assignment, and final presentations on the history of a cultural artifact.