Kenya (KEM) Program Links - 1 4053
Contact Us
Phone:
802.258.3212
Toll Free Within the US: 888.272.7881
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3296
Kipling Road, P.O. Box 676,
Brattleboro, Vermont USA 05302-0676
Kenya: Swahili Studies and Coastal Cultures
Program Highlights
Highlights of the program include the dhow trip, a three-day sailing excursion aboard a traditional African dhow through the islands of the Lamu archipelago, visiting villages of historical significance, deep sea fishing or snorkeling off the island of Kiwayuu, with its coral caves and white sand deserted beach, and an excursion to the island of Zanzibar or the Sultanate of Oman.
The Kenya Coast is home to the earliest discovered coastal settlements and trading towns, dating back to the 9th century after the rise of Islam. As generations passed, a Swahili language, a Swahili Culture, and a Swahili people emerged.
The Swahili coast is a delicate and sensitive expression of social organization. This area has created an environment for the growth of an artistic and intricate culture. The Swahili have stood apart from neighboring groups by virtue of having a maritime trading culture with has economic and political ties to Africa as well as across the Indian Ocean. Their civilization has a long history of unusual cultural efflorescence and character.
Mombasa Island
The first three weeks are spent in homestays in the trading city of Mombasa. Dating back to the twelfth-century, sultans, traders and explorers were a part of the history of this small island city that subsequently became one of the world's major seaports. While in Mombasa, the students are oriented into the culture, by living with the Swahilis (the coastal people of East Africa) in their homes and by attending lectures from local university professors about the cultural, social, economic, and political history of the coastal people. These lectures equip students with the relevant tools required to understand and appreciate the Swahili culture, complemented by their experience in homestay.