Shela craftsman, Athman Mohamed Athman, strings the backing for a carved Lamu chair. This style of chair is inspired by 20th century furniture coming from India during the British Colonial period. At right; the ebony and ivory inlaid chair, called Kiti Cha Mpingo, or in the olden days, Kiti Cha Enzi (Throne Chair of Power) is used by the Swahili elite and placed in the outer two galleries of a traditional 18th century Lamu house.
Carved Swahili doors made in the wood workshops ofLamu Town indicate the wealth and status of the owner of a private house or shop, as well as the
importance of a mosque. At center; the carved inscription over the teak wood door is from the Koran, Al Fatiha and As Saff: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Help comes from Allah and
victory is near at hand.”
The floral designs on these doors are influenced by Hindu lotus flower patterns, which are acceptable to Muslims because they are abstract without being
figurative. Using seasoned hardwoods, a craftsman may take several months to complete his masterpiece.
An old Lamu door of Gujurati design, crafted in the woodwork shops of Lamu town.
The Kofia is a hat worn by men and designed and embroidered by both men and women. Each design has a name and often depicts a flower or cashew nut,
or some other natural motif. Some designs may relate to a place, such as Lamu, Zanzibar, or Mombasa, or connect to a proverb that is used to advise people on moral issues.
Turned laquered spindle beds, called Pate Beds, were once the most stylish bed for a mother to give her daughter for her wedding. This style of bed was later
made in Siyu on Pate Island, a Swahili town with a large Indian population in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Inside her home, a mother swings her baby
in a traditional lacquered cradle originally imported to Lamu from Gujurat, northern India, and later copied by Siyu craftsmen from Pate Island.
Calligraphy in its finest form is inscribed not only on paper, but carved in wood and stone and incised into metal. It is valued not just for its decorative functions, but also for the powers of its verses from the Koran, offering protective blessings. Top to bottom; a Du’a or
prayer for display in a home or shop, “Allah give us success”. Another Du’a to protect a shop or home, “Allah make things easy, not hard”. A script by the
renowned Lamu born calligrapher, Muhamadi Kijuma, featuring the names of Allah, Prophet Mohammed, and the four Caliphs.
Most Lamu chests originate in India and were brought to the East African shores a century ago or more by Arab traders. It is widely believed that some of these handsome chests were made and decorated onboard trading dhows sailing the high seas. Once the chests became a feature of Swahili homes, Lamu craftsmen
began replicating them and adding their own influences and embellishments to the design.
At left: a Surat chest, made of teak with brass plates, studs, and elegant clasps for locking.
At right, top to bottom; A Bombay chest with a hidden secret drawer. An Inchape rosewood chest with brass ornamentation cut into tendrils, leaves and fruit. Detail of a Surat ches twith perforated brass and studding.
The Pokomo people, a mainland ethnic group of Bantu origin, make beautifully woven mats for sleeping and eating. Both natural and commercial dyes are used to
color them. The Pokomo also sell them to the Swahili who use them for prayer. A mat used for prayer may not be used for any other purpose. In modern Swahili
homes, these mats are sometimes used for interior decoration.
A model replica of a Mtepe whose prow is said to represent the head and neck of Mohammed’s favourite camel. The design of this “sewn” boat, with a square coconut matting sail, dates back 2,000 years.
The Mtepe ceased to be built around 1920. Hassan Kamoro, a highly skilled Swahili craftsman, fabricates miniature model boats based on both historical and
existing vessels.
Engraved brass and bronze trays, called Sinea, are traditionally used to serve meals to Swahili men who eat together seated cross-legged on floor mats in the
privacy of their homes. These intricately designed trays were introduced to Lamu by the dhow sea trade from India and Arabia.
Valuable pieces of jewelry are often locked away in small wooden chests. Among a family’s prized possessions are the large silver belt, a curved ornamental dagger worn by men, large bolt anklets in
the shape of signet rings, and flat box pendants which hold religious verses. Of typical Swahili origin are the round earplugs worn by women, displayed on the lower shelf of the box lid. Bottom left and center; a Du’a or prayer, incised on a silver pendant is translated as follows: “Savior oh savior; keep me from trouble; oh one who is all around me; Ya Allah, Ya Allah.” Bottom right; this beautiful talisman, worn as a protective amulet or charm, follows the superstitious practice called Talasam – the jumbling up Arabic letters and interspersing them with phrases from the Koran to conceal their true meaning.
A Swahili girl on Pate Island displays a pair of large, traditional silver armlets. Wrapped around her body and tied over her shoulders are brightly colored red,
white, and black cloths called Leso, favoured by brides of Pate.
Khangas, locally known as Leso, are brightly colored cloths worn by women. They come in pairs; one piece is tied around the body and the other draped over the head and shoulders, both concealed under the black Bui-bui a woman wears in public. Many Khangas feature a Swahili proverb along the decorative border: Top center; “That which may happen, let it happen.” Top right; “Come close.” Bottom right; “Nobody is perfect.”
The proverb printed at the hem of a Khanga cloth refers to friendships between female friends and relatives, offers loving messages to a husband, or as seen here, celebrates the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, “Kenya’s son”. This Khanga bears the message “Congratulations Barak Obama, God has
granted us love and peace.”
