Three Swahili Women: Life Histories from Mombasa, Kenya - Paperback

by Sarah Mirza (Editor), Margaret Strobel (Editor)

"This is altogether a most worthwhile book, a fine example of a growing genre of African literature . . . " --Choice

"Mirza and Strobel let these women speak about their lives in their own words, and the results are wonderful. . . . This is an excellent book with which to introduce students both to Africa and to life histories . . . " --American Historical Review

This exploration of the lives of three Mombasa women reveals the complexity of Swahili society--its ethnic diversity, the impact of slavery, and the varied reactions to colonialism and Western culture. They illustrate the rich interactions within the women's community, focused on family and festive or ritual occasions.

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This exploration of the lives of three Mombasa women reveals the complexity of Swahili society--its ethnic diversity, the impact of slavery, and the varied reactions to colonialism and Western culture. These women, born between 1890 and 1920, come from different ethnic groups and social backgrounds. Their lives illustrate the rich interactions within the women's community, focused on family and festive or ritual occasions. Through their stories and those of their families and friends, we discover the enormous changes that have swept the Swahili Muslim community in Mombasa with the abolition of slavery, the introduction of secular education for girls and the spread of new social and cultural practices in the colonial and postcolonial periods.