Swahili: East African City States - African Empires Ep.3
Swahili: East African City States - African Empires Ep.3
Chronology Cast · YouTube
Key points
By the end of the lesson the learner can describe how Islam came to and spread in Kenya and East Africa.
By the end of the lesson the learner can explain the role of trade and the Swahili coast in spreading Islam.
By the end of the lesson the learner can appreciate the contribution of Islam to Kenyan culture and society.
Audio narration — reads aloud, works offline
Transcript
[0:00] Islam reached the East African coast many centuries ago, mainly through traders crossing the Indian Ocean.
[0:45] Muslim merchants from Arabia, Persia and the Gulf settled in coastal towns such as Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa.
[1:35] Through peaceful trade, marriage and daily contact, the coastal peoples gradually embraced Islam, and the Swahili language and culture grew.
[2:25] Swahili itself blends Bantu grammar with Arabic and Persian words, and remains the lingua franca of East Africa today.
[3:10] From the coast Islam later spread inland, and today Muslim communities live across Kenya, from Mombasa and Lamu to Nairobi, Garissa and Wajir.
Plays from this package with no internet. Subtitles are on; the 🔊 Listen button also reads the lesson aloud.