Three Swahili Women: Life Histories from Mombasa, Kenya

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.