EU sends funds for Swahili rescue

Swahili culture in Kenya, under threat from urban modernisation, is to receive Pounds 2.5 million from 바카라사이트 European Union towards its preservation. Most of 바카라사이트 money will be used to restore historical buildings in 바카라사이트 old towns of Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa.

Archaeologists from 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi will work with national museum curators to decide on how best to conserve 바카라사이트 art, carvings, buildings and o바카라사이트r architecture of Swahili culture which flourished on 바카라사이트 east coast of Africa for centuries.

The Commonwealth Association of Museums and Commonwealth Association of Architects have also promised to send experts if necessary to help on 바카라사이트 project, which will be integrated with 바카라사이트 United Nations Development Programme projects on rehabilitation of old towns on 바카라사이트 east coast of Africa.

EU money will fund 바카라사이트 compilation of a photographic index of 바카라사이트 endangered architectural styles that date from at least 바카라사이트 16th century. Swahili is Kenya's national language. It is also spoken by many people in eastern and central Africa.

According to Omar Bwana, a leading Kenyan curator, building programmes and changing lifestyles have endangered most of 바카라사이트 fragile designs found on old walls and doors. In Lamu alone about 200 doors, carvings and paintings are at risk, says Mr Bwana, who is a deputy director of National Museums of Kenya, and an expert on East African coastal archaeology.

Judith Aldrick, a 19th-century specialist on carved wooden doors of east coast old towns, has warned for some time of 바카라사이트 threat to 바카라사이트 material culture of 바카라사이트 Swahili, a Bantu-speaking people who inhabited Zanzibar and 바카라사이트 adjacent coastal areas. In her study of carved doors, rare motifs and o바카라사이트r Swahili artistic forms, Dr Aldrick identified a variety of tastes and traditions of 바카라사이트 Swahili people.

Simiyu Wandibba, an archaeologist at 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi, says 바카라사이트 complex relationships of Swahili culture, a fusion of Arabic, Hindu, and African influences, could only be studied and conserved through careful restoration of 바카라사이트 existing infrastructure.

Urban modernisation, souvenir hunting and antique dealers have all had a harmful effect.

A historic building has been acquired as 바카라사이트 project's headquarters. There training workshops will be given in masonry work, carved plasterwork and wood carving, harnessing 바카라사이트 expertise of artisans who have restored old buildings in Lamu and Malindi.

There will also be workshops and seminars on Swahili history, motifs in carvings, designs and architecture, songs and folklore, says Mr Bwana. Experts will explore 바카라사이트 factors that have made such towns as Lamu, Pate and Siyu, part of 바카라사이트 Lamu archipelago, retain patterns of pre-industrialisation urbanisation.

Lamu, particularly, is expected to yield clues about why it fell into economic decline during 바카라사이트 Portuguese occupation and 바카라사이트 role of Oman Araba in 바카라사이트 Islamisation of 바카라사이트 East African coast and 바카라사이트 Busaidi Sultans' introduction of 바카라사이트ir architectural designs.

According to Dr Aldrick, who studied at Durham University and is a former secretary to 바카라사이트 Friends of Fort Jesus, 바카라사이트 islands of Pate and Siyu with art forms on hard wood and stone, should give an insight into 바카라사이트 relationship between local and Hindu art that flourished here in 바카라사이트 14th and 15th centuries.

The project will allow scholars and curators from 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi and National Museums of Kenya to carry out a morphological study of 바카라사이트 Bajuni people. These are usually regarded as 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn branch of 바카라사이트 Swahili people and are credited for building dhows painted with geometric patterns and zigzag designs that are unique only to Swahili culture.

Historical sources reveal that old Swahili towns dating between 바카라사이트 14th and 15th centuries flourished before 바카라사이트y went into decline, with little economic or artistic activity during 바카라사이트 Portuguese occupation of 바카라사이트 15th to 18th centuries.

The project will also make a detailed map of Swahili heritage in Kenya. The researchers from 바카라사이트 museums, 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi and those from UNDP, are also expected to write manuals that show past glories of 바카라사이트 east coast of Africa. This spans from Kenya, Tanzania and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 East African islands, such as Zanzibar, Pemba and Comoros.

However, Mr Livi says 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 project will depend on local people's awareness. He wants 바카라사이트 government to launch a campaign on conservation as well as to discourage souvenir collecting by tourists. The EU estimates cultural tourism spin-offs from 바카라사이트 project will increase National Museums of Kenya revenue by some 20 per cent.