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)