Munyakei at the coast: Part 3

January 13, 2024
2 mins read

The daily grind of life in Mombasa
By Billy Kahora
There was a power hierarchy in the small Ganjoni house. Kariuki, who owned a car and earned the most, was boss in this company of men. Ndungu, who was largely dependent on his brother, was the youngest and at the bottom of the food chain. David soon made Ndungu his errand boy, his kanda ya moko.At the time David left Nairobi, he had been living with a Taita girl called Janet in Ongata Rongai, a fast growing township just outside Nairobi. She now began visiting him in Mombasa over weekends, staying in hotels in town or with a cousin in Bamburi.
Kariuki describes her as a tall mjuaji (know-it-all) girl from Nairobi. Not far from where Janet’s cousin lived was a small kibanda that sold ā€˜vegetables, fruit and other takataka’ as its Bajun female vendor would describe it years later.
She was then 14 years old and had been born and raised in Lamu – an historical island enclave 200 kilometres north of Mombasa that in the time of the Zanzibari sultans had been forbidden to non-Muslims – by strict Muslim parents.
Her name was Mariam Ali Muhammad Hani and she had only recently moved to Mombasa with her older sister, who worked in town. The sister had started the business for her when Mariam had finished her Quran studies in the Madrasa.Most historical accounts describe the Bajun as a mixture of Bantu, Somali, and Arabs, who maintain themselves as a distinct cultural group. Living primarily in the district of Lamu on the Indian Ocean coast, the Bajun speak a language they call Tikuu, a dialect of Kiswahili.

The Bajun evolved when Arab traders began coming to the coast of Kenya to trade and eventually settle. Over the decades, as the Arabs intermarried with the African population, a Muslim community grew. As time passed, the Arabs introduced their social structure to the family-oriented Africans.It is said that the way of life among the Bajun has changed very little in the past thousand years. Because the Bajun live near the water, most make their living through occupations connected with the sea. They are fishermen, sailors, ocean merchants, shipbuilders, and the like. Some are also engaged in farming. Their main foods are coconut, fish, and rice.The Bajun community conduct their affairs according the laws of Islam, with a Muslim judge, or kadhi, handling both criminal and civil disputes within the community. The woman’s place among the Bajun is in the home, and older Bajun women customarily only leave the house to visit other homes or to go to the market.
Mariam’s mother, for instance, did her visiting late in the afternoon when the housework was finished and the children were at play. Her father would meanwhile meet with the other men at the mosque or the town square.
To be continued.
Billy Kahora is a Kenyan journalist and and an assistant editor at KwaniĀ – a literary magazine. HeĀ won the 2001 South African short story competition with his story Bookfan. He holds all copyright to this piece.
Ā 
With thanks to Wambui Mwangi at the University of Toronto, Canada
Ā 
Pictures courtesy of Inside African Art
Ā 
Please e-mail comments to comments@thenewblackmagazine.com

Ā  Send to a friend Ā | Ā 

View/Hide Comments (0) Ā  | Ā 

Ā  Print

63 Comments

  1. Šŗ Ń‡ŠµŠ¼Ńƒ ŃŠ½ŠøŃ‚ŃŃ найти клаГ в Гоме как Š°ŠŗŃ‚ŠøŠ²ŠøŃ€Š¾Š²Š°Ń‚ŃŒ став огнем, как Š°ŠŗŃ‚ŠøŠ²ŠøŃ€Š¾Š²Š°Ń‚ŃŒ Ń€ŃƒŠ½Ń‹ ŠŗŃ€Š¾Š²ŃŒŃŽ по Š³Š¾Ń€Š¾ŃŠŗŠ¾ŠæŃƒ
    лошаГь характеристика
    Šŗ Ń‡ŠµŠ¼Ńƒ ŃŠ½ŃŃ‚ŃŃ Š¼ŠµŃŃŃ‡Š½Ń‹Šµ во
    сне женщине на Ń‚Ń€ŃƒŃŠ°Ń… Šŗ Ń‡ŠµŠ¼Ńƒ ŃŠ½ŠøŃ‚ŃŃ большой
    Š°ŠŗŠ²Š°Ń€ŠøŃƒŠ¼ с рыбами

  2. заговоры ŠŗŠ°Ń€ŠµŠ»ŃŒŃŠŗŠ¾Š¹ Ń†ŠµŠ»ŠøŃ‚ŠµŠ»ŃŒŠ½ŠøŃ†Ń‹ Šø настрои Š°Š½Š“Ń€ŠµŃ левшинова Ń‡ŠøŃ‚Š°Ń‚ŃŒ если ŠæŃ€ŠøŃŠ½ŠøŠ»Š¾ŃŃŒ что Š¼ŃƒŠ¶Ń‡ŠøŠ½Š° рожает женщина
    бык ŃŠ¾Š²Š¼ŠµŃŃ‚ŠøŠ¼Š¾ŃŃ‚ŃŒ по Š³Š¾Ń€Š¾ŃŠŗŠ¾ŠæŃƒ
    колена гаГание на Š»ŃŽŠ±Š¾Š²ŃŒ на ŃŽŃ‚ŃƒŠ±Šµ послеГнее виГео как ŃŠ“ŠµŠ»Š°Ń‚ŃŒ расклаГ таро на ŠŗŠ°Ń€Ń‚Ńƒ Š“Š½Ń

  3. псалом 90 Š“Š»Ń чего молитва таро гороскоп
    овен 2024 Š»Š¾Š²ŠøŃ‚ŃŒ ŃƒŃ‚ŠµŠ½ŠŗŠ° во сне Šŗ Ń‡ŠµŠ¼Ńƒ ŃŠ½ŠøŃ‚ŃŃ
    Š»ŃƒŃ‡ŃˆŠ°Ń ŃŠ¾Š²Š¼ŠµŃŃ‚ŠøŠ¼Š¾ŃŃ‚ŃŒ по знакам зоГиака овен женщина паж мечей таро значение magic

  4. бірГей ŃƒŠ°Ņ›Ń‹Ń‚ Ń–ŃˆŃ–Š½Š“Šµ бір математикалық Š¼Š°ŃŃ‚Š½ŠøŠŗ n1=20, серіппелі
    Š¼Š°ŃŃ‚Š½ŠøŠŗ неге Ń‚Ó™ŃƒŠµŠ»Š“Ń– арыс поликлиника,
    Š½Š°Ń€ŠŗŠ°Š±ŃƒŠ»Š¾Š² айГынбек аманбекович информатика гГз 7 сынып, гГз информатика 7 сынып 2021 жиен немере Геген кім, Š½Š°Ņ“Š°ŃˆŃ‹ мен жиен арасынГағы қалжың

  5. мтлб книга ŃŠŗŠ°Ń‡Š°Ń‚ŃŒ, Ń€ŃƒŠŗŠ¾Š²Š¾Š“ŃŃ‚Š²Š¾ по Ń€ŠµŠ¼Š¾Š½Ń‚Ńƒ мтлб өсімГіктерГің сыртқы Ń‚ŠµŠ¼ŠæŠµŃ€Š°Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š° 30° тан жоғары болғанГа, өсімГіктерГің су режимі американские боевики 2020 2021, быстрый
    волк военные Ń„ŠøŠ»ŃŒŠ¼Ń‹ 2021 во сне новое ŠæŠ»Š°Ń‚ŃŒŠµ Š¾Š“ŠµŠ²Š°Ń‚ŃŒ, Šŗ Ń‡ŠµŠ¼Ńƒ ŃŠ½ŠøŃ‚ŃŃ сваГебное ŠæŠ»Š°Ń‚ŃŒŠµ замужней женщине

  6. заГачи по химии 8 класс масса вещества, заГачи
    по химии на нахожГение массы вещества оңаша қалғанГа ŃŠŗŠ°Ń‡Š°Ń‚ŃŒ, сын ŃˆŠ°ŠŗŃ‚Š°Ń€Š“Š° қалғанГа
    ŃŠŗŠ°Ń‡Š°Ń‚ŃŒ голоГомор Š»ŃŽŠ“Š¾ŠµŠ“ŃŃ‚Š²Š¾, голоГомор в россии ŠŗÓ©Š·
    не ŅÆŃˆŃ–Š½ тартаГы, қабақ Геген не

  7. Š»Š°ŃƒŃ€Š° сабыр арманымның аппақ құсы, арманымның аппақ құсы арГағым ковер отбасы
    банк, отбасы банк колл центр ŃŠ°ŃŃŠ°Ń‚Ń‚Š°Ņ“Ń‹
    мақсаттар мен құралГар, қоғамГық өмір жүйесінГегі ŃŠ°ŃŃŠ°Ń‚ слайГ мектеп кітап баспасы, онлайн мектеп

  8. қазақ халқының тұрмыс-салт әнГері сабақ жоспары, берілген Ó™ŃƒŠµŠ½ қанГай тұрмыс салт әнінен алынған
    жк амаль застройщик, жк амаль астана отзывы сколько стоит Ń…Š¾ŠŗŠŗŠµŠ¹Š½Š°Ń ŃŠŗŠøŠæŠøŃ€Š¾Š²ŠŗŠ°,
    Ń…Š¾ŠŗŠŗŠµŠ¹Š½Š°Ń форма бу астана түрлі көзқарас біртұтас ұлт Š±Š°ŃŠ½Š“Š°Š¼Š°, біртұтас
    ұлт Š±Š¾Š»Š°ŃˆŠ°Ņ“Ń‹Š½Ń‹Ņ£ Ņ›Š°Š»Ń‹ŠæŃ‚Š°ŃŃƒ мәселелері

  9. портфолио жасау үлгісі Ņ›Š°Š·Š°Ņ›ŃˆŠ°,
    мұғалім портфолиосы Š¶ŅÆŠŗŃ‚ŠµŃƒ Š¼ŃƒŠ·Ń‹ŠŗŠ° үйірмесінің жылГық жоспары, би үйірмесінің жоспары фиГ-Š“ŃƒŠ½ŃŒŃ
    нашиГ, ŃŠ°Š½Š°Ń…ŃƒŠ“Ńƒ Š“ŃƒŠ½ŃŒŃ текст на Ń€ŃƒŃŃŠŗŠ¾Š¼ сөйлеу мәГениеті Гегеніміз, сөйлеу мәГениеті тәрбие сағаты

  10. сақтар сұрақ жауап, үйсінГер Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ сұрақ жауап ŠŗŃ–ŃˆŠŗŠµŠ½Ń‚Š°Š¹ қыз өлең, ŠŗŃ–ŃˆŠŗŠµŠ½Ń‚Š°Š¹ қыз қаракесек ауа райы байсерке, погоГа в байсерке на Гве неГели той Š±Š°ŃŅ›Š°Ń€Ńƒ,
    той Š±Š°ŃŃ‚Š°Ńƒ

  11. 1988 жылғы 2 ақпанГағы аГам жұлГыз жорамал аГам және табиғат ŠæŃ€ŠµŠ·ŠµŠ½Ń‚Š°Ń†ŠøŃ,
    Ņ›Š¾Ń€ŃˆŠ°Ņ“Š°Š½ орта ŠæŃ€ŠµŠ·ŠµŠ½Ń‚Š°Ń†ŠøŃ қазақстанГағы ең көне қала, қазақстан жерінГегі ежелгі қалалар самый Š“ŠµŃˆŠµŠ²Ń‹Š¹ тариф актив, самый Š“ŠµŃˆŠµŠ²Ń‹Š¹ тариф актив без
    интернета

  12. Š½Š°ŃƒŃ€Ń‹Š· келГі Геген тақырыпта мәтін құрастыр,
    Š½Š°ŃƒŃ€Ń‹Š· Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ мәтін алқызыл желкенГер алексанГр грин, алқызыл желкенГер ŃŃŃŠµ
    погоГа в уиле на 3 Š“Š½Ń, погоГа
    ойыл на Š¼ŠµŃŃŃ† амазонка өзені,
    амазонка өзені ұзынГығы

  13. отзывы ŃŠæŠµŠŗŃ‚Š°ŠŗŠ»ŃŒ мастер Šø маргарита, сколько иГет ŃŠæŠµŠŗŃ‚Š°ŠŗŠ»ŃŒ мастер Šø маргарита жерГің ŠæŠ¾Š»ŃŽŃŃ‚Ń–Šŗ Ń€Š°Š“ŠøŃƒŃŃ‹ ŃŠŗŠ²Š°Ń‚Š¾Ń€Š»Ń‹Ņ› Ń€Š°Š“ŠøŃƒŃŃ‚Š°Š½ Š°Š¹Ń‹Ń€Š¼Š°ŃˆŃ‹Š»Ń‹Ņ“Ń‹, теңізГен 64
    км жерГегі қаланы белгіле 16 желтоқсан сценарий ŃŃ‚ŃƒŠ“ŠµŠ½Ń‚,
    16 желтоқсан Ń‚Ó™ŃƒŠµŠ»ŃŃ–Š·Š“Ń–Šŗ күні тәрбие сағаты Š±Š°Š»Š°Š±Š°Ņ›ŃˆŠ°Š“Š° ŃŃ‚ŃƒŠ“ŠµŠ½Ń‡ŠµŃŠŗŠøŠµ ŠŗŠ»ŃƒŠ±Ń‹, творческие ŠŗŠ»ŃƒŠ±Ń‹

  14. Ń„ŠøŠ»ŃŒŠ¼ ŃŠŗŃŠæŠµŃ€ŠøŠ¼ŠµŠ½Ń‚ актеры, Ń„ŠøŠ»ŃŒŠ¼ ŃŠŗŃŠæŠµŃ€ŠøŠ¼ŠµŠ½Ń‚ ŃŠ¼Š¾Ń‚Ń€ŠµŃ‚ŃŒ онлайн ŃŽŃ‚ŃƒŠ± ŠæŃ€Š¾Š²ŠµŃ€ŠøŃ‚ŃŒ страховой полис халык по иин, ŃŃ‚Ń€Š°Ń…Š¾Š²Š°Ń ŠŗŠ¾Š¼ŠæŠ°Š½ŠøŃ халык отзывы паразиттің
    иесінің ағзасына ену тәсілГері,
    паразиттер ŠæŃ€ŠµŠ·ŠµŠ½Ń‚Š°Ń†ŠøŃ вреГ ŃŠ°ŃƒŠ½Ń‹ Š“Š»Ń
    Š¼ŃƒŠ¶Ń‡ŠøŠ½, сауна ŃŃ‚Š¾ харам

  15. ŠŗŃƒŠæŠøŃ‚ŃŒ ŃƒŃ€Š°Š» мотоцикл в казахстане,
    новый мотоцикл ŃƒŃ€Š°Š» цена
    работа в алматы без опыта ŠµŠ¶ŠµŠ“Š½ŠµŠ²Š½Š°Ń
    зарплата, работа в алматы 10,000 тенге в Гень ticketon dimash, Гимаш концерты 2023 ертегілер
    әлемінГе сценарий, ертегілер еліне ŃŠ°ŃŃ…Š°Ń‚ сахналық қойылым

  16. Šŗ Ń‡ŠµŠ¼Ńƒ ŃŠ½ŠøŃ‚ŃŃ Š±Ń‹Š²ŃˆŠøŠ¹ ŠæŠ°Ń€ŠµŠ½ŃŒ
    с ŃŃƒŠ±Š±Š¾Ń‚Ń‹ ŠæŃ€ŠøŃŠ½ŠøŠ»Š°ŃŃŒ ŠŗŃ€Š¾Š²ŃŒ
    на окне гаГание на библии ветхий
    человек который ŃŠ½ŠøŃ‚ŃŃ в ŃŃ€ŠµŠ“Ńƒ заговоры Š“Š»Ń
    красоты на ŃƒŠ±Ń‹Š²Š°ŃŽŃ‰ŃƒŃŽ луну

  17. бірлік Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ тақпақ, бірлік Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ өлеңГер он алтылык санау жуйеси, 2
    санау жүйесі көксерек сөзінің мағынасы,
    көксерек тест сұрақтары Š¶Š°ŃƒŠ°ŠæŃ‚Š°Ń€Ń‹Š¼ŠµŠ½ ŠøŠ½Š“ŃƒŃ†ŠøŃŠ»Š°Š½Ņ“Š°Š½ зақымГанған түрін
    Ń‚ŃƒŠ“Ń‹Ń€Š°Ń‚Ń‹Š½ себептерге мысал, ŠøŠ½Š“ŃƒŠŗŃ†ŠøŃŠ»Š°Š½Ņ“Š°Š½ Š¼ŃƒŃ‚Š°Ń†ŠøŃ

  18. вакансии провизора поГработка работа на Гому в щекино Ń‚ŃƒŠ»ŃŒŃŠŗŠ¾Š¹ области ŃŠ“ŠµŠ»Š°Ń‚ŃŒ текст Ń‡ŠøŃ‚Š°Š±ŠµŠ»ŃŒŠ½Ń‹Š¼ онлайн поГработка в шексне

  19. Ń‚Ó©Ń‚ŠµŠ½ŃˆŠµ жағГайларГың алГын алу, Ń‚Ó©Ń‚ŠµŠ½ŃˆŠµ жағГайлар кезінГегі іс әрекет шут таро Га
    нет, Š“ŃŒŃŠ²Š¾Š» таро Ń‡ŃƒŠ²ŃŃ‚Š²Š° Š¼ŃƒŠ¶Ń‡ŠøŠ½Ń‹ в чем специфика философского Š¾Ń‚Ń€Š°Š¶ŠµŠ½ŠøŃ мира?, Ń„ŃƒŠ½ŠŗŃ†ŠøŠø философии ŠŗŃƒŠæŠøŃ‚ŃŒ парики, парик ŃŃ‚Š¾

  20. жүзік ŃŃ‚Š¾, сырға Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ мәлімет форма Š“Š»Ń мма Š“Š»Ń Гетей, оГежГа
    Š“Š»Ń мма алматы комбинированные газовые плиты с ŃŠ»ŠµŠŗŃ‚Ń€ŠøŃ‡ŠµŃŠŗŠ¾Š¹ Š“ŃƒŃ…Š¾Š²ŠŗŠ¾Š¹, Š³Š°Š·Š¾Š²Š°Ń плита мечта с ŃŠ»ŠµŠŗŃ‚Ń€ŠøŃ‡ŠµŃŠŗŠ¾Š¹ Š“ŃƒŃ…Š¾Š²ŠŗŠ¾Š¹ госо Š²Ń‹ŃŃˆŠµŠ³Š¾ Šø послевузовского Š¾Š±Ń€Š°Š·Š¾Š²Š°Š½ŠøŃ рк 2022,
    госо рк 2023

  21. мәзи ŃˆŃ‹Ņ›ŃŠ° ғұсыл алу керек пе, ғұсыл Š°Š»ŃƒŅ“а мүмкінГік болмаса ŃŅ±Š»ŃƒŠ»Ń‹Ņ› Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ әнГер,
    ŃŅ±Š»ŃƒŠ»Ń‹Ņ› Ń‚ŃƒŃ€Š°Š»Ń‹ пост ŃŃ‚Š°Ń‚ŃŒŃ 57
    Ń‚Ń€ŃƒŠ“Š¾Š²Š¾Š³Š¾ коГекса рк, ŃŃ‚Š°Ń‚ŃŒŃ 49 Ń‚Ń€ŃƒŠ“Š¾Š²Š¾Š³Š¾ коГекса рк қазақстан Ń€ŠµŃŠæŃƒŠ±Š»ŠøŠŗŠ°ŃŃ‹Š½Ń‹Ņ£
    қылмыстық құқық негізГері, қр қк 10 бап

  22. Hi, i think that i saw you visited my blog so i came to
    ā€œreturn the favorā€.I am attempting to find things to improve my web site!I suppose its ok
    to use some of your ideas!!

  23. Do you have a spam issue on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was curious about your situation; we have created some nice practices and we are looking to exchange methods with others, please shoot me an e-mail if interested.

  24. Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit, but other than that, this is great blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.

  25. I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.

  26. Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

  27. An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a friend who had been doing a little homework on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast simply because I found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending time to discuss this matter here on your website.

  28. Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot
    about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is wonderful blog.
    A fantastic read. I’ll certainly be back.

  29. I just like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and take a look at again here regularly. I’m relatively sure I’ll be informed lots of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!

  30. Hi, I do think this is an excellent web site. I stumbledupon it šŸ˜‰ I may revisit yet again since i have book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.

  31. My family every time say that I am killing my time here at net, except I know I am getting experience every day by reading such good content.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous Story

Black people’s vocal intonation vs Whites’ vocal intonation

Next Story

Munyakei at the coast: Part 1

Latest from Blog

The Language of African Studies

    By OlĆŗfẹ́mi TƔƭwò   Thursday, March 5, 2026.   At various platforms in the past, I have criticized scholars of