Some Aspects of Celebrations in the Swahili Culture Essay Example

Siwa of her own.

Maulidi Celebration of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed is observed annually throughout the Muslim world by the Maulidi celebration. In Lamu it is also applied to many other rituals such as ircumcision, marriages, a happy return from a Journey or something else that has occasioned a celebration. At the big Riadha Mosque in Lamu, Maulidi is read on the last Thursday of Rabiul-Awal which changes in date each year. It is attended by visitors from Zanzibar, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Comoro Islands and many other towns and villages on the Kenyan coast.

The population of Lamu tends to double in that week. In front of the mosque, groups perform various male dances such as 'goma la panga', 'uta', 'kirumbizi', 'Mdurange' and nowadays the Giriama dance 'Mwanzele' has become an integral part of 2 the Maulidi celebrations. Maulidi is read on Thursday night between 8 pm and 1 1 pm, and is attended by both males and females. Friday is the day of Ziyara, a visit to the cemetery. A shrine or tomb is a place of worship hallowed or honoured because of its association with a superhuman, invisible power such as a deity, ancestor, saint or spirit.

Therefore the Ziyara on Friday to Habib Swalehe's shrine is intended to bring blessings on his followers. After the Ziyara, groups from each village parade along the streets back to the Riadha Mosque. People sing praises of the Prophet Mohammed loudly while deeply involved in a dance called 'Zefe'; again it is a male ance. Women who are present do not participate but, clad in buibuis, watch the men and the boys dancing. Other

ceremonies, such as rain or disease, are performed by leading a bull through the town followed by the sacrifice of the bull, the meat of which is eaten at the communal meal.

This feast takes place outside the town. In Lamu it is at a place near the graveyard called Wiyoni. Celebration of Increase A well ordered ritual directed with good intent by human beings to God or ancestors is believed to bring good returns in the form of abundant harvest or plentiful supply. A Swahili farmer, particularly a BaJuni, before he begins cutting the bush says a special prayer. Sometimes sacrifices are made to safeguard the farmers from any evil eye. The clearing goes on for two months before the long rains.

After the cutting is completed, on the eve of burning the bush, a big celebration called Vave takes place, lasting the whole night. People, male and female gather at the site reciting poems praising their hero ancestors and praying for good yields during the year. The time to fire the bush is prescribed by a highly experienced astrologer. A successful burning of the bush symbolizes good fortune in the new season. This achievement is witnessed by dancers moving from house to house in the village dancing a special ngoma called 'Randa'. This still takes place in the Lamu area.

Dances also mark the times of planting and harvesting. Wedding Celebrations The most colorful and Joyful celebrations in the Swahili Culture are the wedding festivities. One thing that Swahili parents want to witness most in their lifetime is the wedding of their daughter or son. Parents would constantly urge their son to marry.

In traditional Lamu society, children were often promised in marriage at an early age. Marriageable age used to e fifteen years for girls and twenty for boys, but today due to economic conditions it is probably twenty for girls and twenty-five for boys, or even more.

A woman is not supposed to marry an inferior woman. Hence the role of parents, in selecting the wives for their sons and husbands for their daughters was vitally important. 3 The selection was based on the 'ukoo' (clan) and the integrity and financial status of the suitor. Some families still cling to marriage between cousins, but to some extent this system is giving way to modernization, as young people associate at school and so get to know each other. In a society where sexes are separated, marriage is the only socially approved way for a man and a woman to have relations freely.

The choice of the fianc©e having been made, the parents of the boy and other relatives make the proposal (posa) to the girl's parents and they also discuss the dowry (mahari). Mahari in Islamic law is as little Kshs. 50 but this has gone higher than Kshs 40,000 in Lamu town, because it is this money that buys modern requirements for the couple. The wedding ceremony is conducted in the mosque early in the morning about 6 am by the Khadi after he has assured himself of the girl's consent. Then Maulidi BarzanJi is read and people are served halwa (sweet meat) and coffee.

Celebrations for the wedding would have started the night before, with the ladies dancing the chakacha, lelemama etc the whole night.

Men would have stayed awake listening to Taarab' - an orchestra. On the afternoon after the nikah or wedding ceremony, the Kirumbizi or stick dance is performed by men, watched by the groom and his friends. The same day, in the evening, the groom will go in procession through the streets to the bride's house. This is called 'Kutia Ndani' (entering inside). In poetic language it means the deflowering of the virgin'.

At the bride's house the groom and his companions are served a heavy meal which is known as 'Sinia ya - the plate of the groom. After the dinner, the Kungwi will help the Bwana Harusi' groom to undress and give him a chance to be with his wife perhaps for the first time. Once the marriage is consummated the husband presents 'Hidaya' - a gift of money or Jewels. 'Lima', a big feast is arranged next day for the relatives and friends of the bride and groom. Here pilau or biriani rice is served. In the evening the bride will be displayed in the presence of women.

She will have been beautified and henna applied to hands and feet. For economic reasons the practice of fungate' or honeymoon ceremony has been on the decline. Death To complete the rites of passage, the Swahili also celebrate the funeral. The dead body is cleaned in a special room by removing the impurities from the digestive system into the 'ufoko' - a hole dug through the floor and covered later. The body is then washed and perfumed ready for burial. Ladies would be everywhere in the house, some reciting prayers while the closest relatives would

be mourning deeply and sometimes very loudly.

The ody, tied in a white cotton sheet called 'sanda', is wrapped in a mat and placed in a Jeneza or coffin. It is then taken to the mosque for special prayers, then carried through the street to the graveyard and buried at a depth of six or seven feet, facing Mecca. After this the men say prayers in the mosque, while the women pray at home for three days. If it is a lady who has lost her husband she will have a mourning period for about four 4 months and ten days - 'edda'. During this period she is not supposed to be seen by any man, other than close relatives. Edda is ended by a heavy feast. Conclusion

Celebrations which are usually public performances, mark important events in the life of an individual or a community. Celebrations of Joyous events are festivals; more solemn celebrations commemorate death, martyrdom, or glorious defeat. Though the community may seem divided by rank, class, role, gender or age, in the celebrations they identify themselves as one ethnic group, the Waswahili, culturally united by the celebrations discussed above. Adapted, with thanks, from an article by Athman L. Omar (1987), Curator, Lamu Museum, for a 'Know Kenya Course' presentation. T. BagaJah, 2009 Updated August. 2010 5