Swahili and Eastern Africa
Andrea WysongColleen Lowery
Emily WilsonSho Arguez
Swahili People• Language: Ki-Swahili– Arab word meaning
“coast”– Arabic alphabet
• African and Arab culture
• Islamic– Food – Clothing– Lifestyle
The Lion King and Ki-Swahili
• Hakuna Matata: no worries• Pumbaa: careless• Simba: lion• Rafiki: friend• Nala: gift
Dining Etiquette
• Eldest male eats first
• Beverages are not served with meals
• Finish everything on plate
Influences
• African• Arabic(Middle Eastern)• Indian
Indian
African (local)
Arabic
Muslim
Popular foods: Pilau
• Pilau - rice cooked as rice pilaf, vegetables, and meat flavored with Indian spices.
•It has been spread across Africa by the Arabs, and was brought by enslaved Africans to the Americas.
Wali• Wali - rice boiled in
coconut milk.
• Along the Kenyan coast, wali is a popular meal in the Swahili culture.
• Palm trees are grown all across Kenya's coastline and fresh coconut is always readily available.
KASHATA
• Kashata can be seen to include both peanuts and coconut both “flavor principals” of this culture.
• Since both coconut and peanuts grow natively to the region it can be seen that the combination of these two foods with sugar create a satisfying sweet treat.
Peanuts (nguba)
Coconuts
When, Where, Why and by Who?
• When: snack, dessert• Where: Eastern Africa– Somalia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Mozambique, Madagascar
• Why: dessert food of Ramadan• By who: prepared for children, occasionally for adults
Flavor Principle
• “Another aspect to take into account when discussing flavor principles is the culture itself.” (monkeydish.com)
• Kashata is a simple recipe• Snack foods and desserts don’t incorporate the
kind of base that is found in regular meals• Coconut milk is widely used in East Africa;
specific to coastal region– Cow milk is rare
Why is Kashata a “Slow Food”?
• Slow Food USA: Good, Clean and Fair (slowfoodusa.org)• “Slow food aims to be everything fast food is not”
–USA Today• Natural• Recipe consists of natural and plant-based ingredients
– Sugar– Coconut– Peanuts– Oil– Cinnamon– Salt (optional)
