“Tales from the Swahili World” – Zanzibar with Beata Lewandowska-Kaftan

Zanzibar begins with a sense of wonder. The vivid colours of the women’s attire, the blue and turquoise of the ocean, the delightful scents and flavours, the warm breeze and the sun. But then, almost immediately, a sense of astonishment sets in... Women in African kanga pass by those in black buibui. Faces as dark as ebony greet other faces – golden, with almond-shaped eyes – with a polite “Habari”. Strong coffee, like that in the tents of Saharan nomads, smells of cardamom from the Far East. A girl in a sari sells hot kachori, and the sound of drums mingles with the notes of the kanun lute. Where exactly are we? In Africa or Arabia, or perhaps in Persia or India?

This is Zanzibar – the heart of the Swahili coast and an ancient culture shaped over the centuries by Africans and sailors and merchants from the Far and Middle East, from India and the Spice Islands. Africans and newcomers – open-minded and curious about one another – blended blood, languages, beliefs, customs, flavours, scents, attire and music. And they created a gem – Swahili culture, which took the best of African and Oriental traditions.

Join us on a journey to Zanzibar, a journey through scents and flavours, to meet fishermen and sailors, to explore underwater fields of seaweed, to witness a traditional wedding and the secret unyago ritual, to visit the homes of our Traveller’s Zanzibari friends, and to hear stories and see photographs from the Swahili world.

We look forward to seeing you on 8 April at 6.00 pm at the Warsaw Gasworks Museum. Free admission​.