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Competitors line up with their beasts of burden just before the preliminary rounds of the donkey race which is a major attraction of the Maulidi festivals. |
The great blue expanse of the Indian Ocean spurns a powerful wind steadily as one waits to board a boat from the Kenyan shores of the Indian Ocean for the archipelago of Lamu. Like most people on the East African Coast, the inhabitants of Lamu are known as the Swahili—a group of people with mixed Arab and African (Bantu) ancestry. Arabs are thought to have settled on the island town in the seventh century. The old part of the town has in fact been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Other visitors to this ancient town were the Turkish, Portuguese, and Chinese.
What immediately catches the eye of the visitor on arriving at Mokoye jetty on the mainland are the Swahili men, women, and children adorned in Islamic attire, patiently scanning the waters in anticipation of a dhow—a boat whose origin is Arabian and which is prevalent on the East African Coast. There are approximately 250 such boats plying between the mainland and the archipelago.
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The streets in the ancient town are narrow and lined with ancient buildings constructed hundreds of years ago.
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Where the waves of the ocean pound against the bright sandy beaches, wooden motorized boats of ancient design glide towards the port of Lamu. These vessels have triangular white sails strapped on the poles as a backup, just in case the engines fail. These boats are laden with fish, fruit, coconuts, chickens, and all sorts of merchandise. Palm trees rustle in the hot breeze, towering prominently in the skies on the island. Dhows and motorboats are rushing to and from Lamu, loaded beyond capacity with human cargo.
Architectural designs all over the island bear a heavy Arabic influence. Oceanfront buildings are constructed with coral blocks that appear to have been hand chiseled from quarries. Firmly attached to them are nicely decorated, very heavy wooden doors. The oldest ones bear inscriptions in Arabic. Houses here are neatly arranged and designed to allow the sea breeze to blow through the streets, thus providing some relief from the otherwise offensive heat.
Lamu town has narrow streets. That, however, is no impediment to the unceasing movement of people in all directions. Walking these streets, one comes across residents clad in their traditional clothes. Men wear kanzus, (robes) and kofia (embroidered hats), while full length dresses, buibui, are preferred by the women. Donkeys—a common means of transportation in this island town, which boasts no less than two vehicles, both belonging to government officials—also compete for space in the cramped lanes. Pulling wooden carts, the donkeys thread their way through the human traffic.
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Competitors gallop away on saddleless donkeys.
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Donkeys here are so much cherished that they hardly sport any scar or wound, unlike their counterparts in most parts of Kenya. So important are these beasts of burden, that they are used as dowry or mahari as it known in the Swahili language.
This is the part of the islands that annually hosts the historic Maulidi festivities. Other islands in this region are Manda, Faza, Kizingitini, Pate, and Kiunga. The Maulidi festival commemorates the birth of Prophet Muhammad. The religious festival is said to have its origins in Egypt. It was, however, introduced in Lamu by Habib Swalleh Jamal Lely, an inhabitant of the Indian Ocean island of Comoros who migrated to Lamu in 1866. He established a mosque in the town—the great Riyadha Mosque—and introduced an East African version of the Maulidi. To date, the climax of the annual festival, which normally takes place in early June, includes a procession from Riyadha Mosque to the grave of Habib Swalleh. The celebrations, which last for a week, are accompanied by much pomp and color, with thousands of the town’s residents, old and young, being joined by visitors drawn from as far as Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Comoro Island, Uganda, Somalia, and Tanzania.
During this period, the town, which is known as the heart and soul of Islamic learning in the whole of East Africa, becomes a beehive of activity. Abdullah Ali Muhammad, the chairman of the Lamu Boat Association, says that during the Maulidi festivities business booms as thousands of pilgrims have to be transported from the mainland to the island. He says that around this time he can charge a total of KES40 ($0.50) per trip—an amount higher than their normal rate. Muhammad says that safety measures are put in place to ensure no accidents occur.
The Maulidi ceremonies are both spiritual and cultural. The Riyadha Mosque hosts the religious ceremonies, which include overnight prayer vigils, contemplation accompanied by songs and rhythmic chanting, and narrating the life history and achievements of Prophet Muhammad.
At the mosque’s square, men also stage a traditional drum dance called goma, in which they stand in line holding walking sticks. Swaying gently to the beating rhythm of the drums, they stage mock fights, using sandals as shields.
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Visitors from far and wide board a boat at the Mokoye jetty on the mainland which will take them to Lamu to attend the Maulidi festival.
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Other cultural events include dhow races that are watched by many spectators, some of them on rooftops and town piers and jetties. Football matches are also organized and are a big attraction for both residents and visitors.
Swimming is yet another activity that accompanies the festivities. Various Islamic schools (madrasahs) participate in calligraphy competitions, while women take part in henna design and painting competitions. A cross-country race along the waterfront also adds spice to the festivities.
During this competition, deafening roars of applause emanate from spectators as they cheer their favorite competitors. Photographers and television cameramen click and roll their films and tapes to capture these exciting events.
One of the games that require all one’s mental and physical concentration is walking a greased wooden plank barefooted, with the gaping ocean underneath. A flag is pegged at the far end of the lumber and one has to reach and snatch it from its position. Whether one succeeds or fails to detach the cloth, there is one sure destination: a spectacular plunge into the yawning ocean! Reason enough to elicit cheers, congratulations, and laughter.
The most popular event attracting unequalled attention is the donkey race. Lamu’s jockeys spend a considerable amount of time practicing for this event. Riders gallop along the edge of the island town, whipping and deftly controlling their beasts of burden. They have to go through preliminary rounds before the epic final that one cannot afford to miss!
A local sheikh, Abdur-Rahman Badawy, says that the various events that accompany the Maulidi festivities play a major role in preserving Swahili culture. “These activities provide us with an opportunity to bring our culture to the fore.”
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Being the only means of transport from the mainland to the island, boat services are usually on high demand during Maulidi festivals.
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The National Museum of Kenya plays a pivotal role in the preservation of the rich historical tradition of Lamu. It displays a number of ancient artifacts, which attract a large number of tourists, and uses Maulidi festivities to stage events designed to encourage local skills and crafts that are central to Lamu life, such as Swahili pottery and Qur’anic recitals.
The residents of Lamu Island are very proud of their history and traditions. In the celebration of Maulidi, they fuse together the past, the present, and the future. As a community, they hold to strong religious and cultural values. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the island is one of the few places where crime is negligible and where the people’s hospitality is unrivalled.
Sources:
1. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Kenya.
2. Coast Express May 30, 2003.
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