Afrasian Memories in East Africa

Transregional interactions have produced complex cosmopolitan societies across the Afrasian Sea transregion. Individuals, communities, ethnic groups and nation-states exhibit a competition of memories as to who arrived in which territory first, who suffered more during certain atrocities, who participated or did not participate in which atrocities, who influenced which culture more, who made what contribution to whose culture more, or who should respect whose memory more and how. Such difficult and sometimes divisive dialogues are to be expected in a cosmopolitan space that has existed and constantly evolved across the ages. In such entangled spaces where shared imaginaries and memories of particular groups transcend the national scale or operate at a scale below it, it becomes imperative to investigate the complexities and tensions of scale (local, national, transareal, transregional, transnational and global). At the “Africa’s Asian Options” project at Goethe University Frankfurt (AFRASO), our main focus is contemporary relations amongst African and Asian societies across emergent Afrasian spaces. The film ‘Afrasian Memories in East Africa’ has emerged from our attempt at understanding imaginaries and memories that connect Africa and Asia, how these imaginaries and memories are produced and what they are used for within the Afrasian transregion. The film focuses on connective Afrasian memories while remaining sensitive towards connective Afrabian dynamics. Through interviews with various people, it delves into themes such as: the naming of the ocean, transoceanic trade, transculturality, colonialism, railway memories, identity politics, Kiswahili language politics, Afrabian solidarity politics, slavery memories and Bombay Africans’ Memories amongst others.
This film project has emerged from a collaboration between AFRASO and Community Images. Dr. John Njenga Karugia from AFRASO at Goethe University Frankfurt collaborated with one of East Africa’s most renowned documentary film-makers, Ramadhan Khamis of Community Images, in producing this film. The filming involved extensive travel across East Africa, the Indian Ocean and India. The film was launched during an AFRASO symposium titled “Afrasian Entanglements: Current Dynamics and Future Perspectives in India-Africa Relations” at the University of Mumbai in June 2018. This film was sponsored by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Thanks to: Abdilatif Abdalla, Pheroze Nowrojee, Stambuli Abdillahi Nassir, Athman Hussein, Kuldip Sondhi, Ranjit Sondhi, Muhammad Mbwana, Mohamed Ali, Abdulrahman Bakathir, Mkuu Vae, Mbarak Abdulkadir, Hassan Mohamed, Amina Harith Swaleh, Kassim Mohamed, Dr. Kalandar Khan, Neera Kapur, Villoo Nowrojee, Siti Amina, Lorenz Herrmann, Athman Omar, Edwin Demla.
Acknowledgement: Asian African Heritage Trust, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi Railway Museum, The Reef Hotel Mombasa, Siti & The Band - Zanzibar, Gedi Ruins Museum, Rabai Museum, Swahili Hub Mombasa, University of Mumbai - India, Dhow Countries Music Academy - Zanzibar, Centre for Interdisciplinary African Studies - ZIAF, Frankfurt Memory Studies Platform - FSMP, Africa’s Asian Options (AFRASO) - Germany, Goethe University Frankfurt, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research - BMBF.
Special thanks to: Prof. Dr. Astrid Erll, Prof. Dr. Frank Schulze-Engler and Dr. John Njenga Karugia from the AFRASO Indian Ocean Imaginaries and Memories Research Project Team at Goethe University Frankfurt.

[@mideyeadde1470]

During medieval era, Somalis called indian ocean as Mogadishu ocean as Mogadishu was the most flourushing bussiness hub. When we lost dominance in this ocean foreigners called it other names.

[@themintleaf1778]

What a revelation! My mother's birth place is Mombasa, my birth place is Uganda. This documentary is very touching & related to us. Well done.

[@osmannassir1515]

We want more of this in kenya, Tanzania, uganga, Somalia and Mozambique.

[@ambetangu8341]

Indeed, to all African countries.

[@gijuvarghese6545]

Wow!, I was born in Ethiopia in 1967, as an Indian citizen to expatriate parents...then Zambia until '83, and South African since. Been through the coast of Mozambique. Awesome. Respect to all Africa!

[@arajan9899]

Nice to hear from a fellow traveler!. Have a similar story in many ways-born 1968 in Ethiopia, then Zambia till 1978, Nigeria till 1986 and now in the US. Children of expatriate Indians from Kerala.

[@gijuvarghese6545]

@@arajan9899 where on Ethiopia & Zambia? We ,/ folks know each other. My brother in US too - we there often. Greetings

[@jumpnsathis]

Varghese is malayalee

[@gijuvarghese6545]

@@jumpnsathis yip, and I wear a thin lungi :-)

[@guccianddodul]

Wow. That's indeed impressive to hear! A glorious exposure you must have got!

[@nusratdavdani7045]

I am from Mombasa originally and LOVED this documentary- very valuable information - roots discovered

[@mohamedsalhajri]

Amazing video. Thank you..

[@MoRasheed]

Was happy to see Bakathir in there. Great, informative video 👌🏾

[@mmanek3465]

Excellent documentary, learnt a lot.

[@sitiandtheband]

Great outcome! Thank you for featuring us!

[@rose-kp4lf]

वाह वाह bless you you are spot on after marriage self worth में कोन क्या हु my roots very nicely written video wow ! bombay african BEAUTIFUL 🙏

[@ayyb6789]

Interesting video I learned couple of things new.

[@mansuralibhai]

Extremely excited to watch this...I was born in Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania)...maybe 4th generation...but not aware of my origins !!

[@richardopole5487]

Well done👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@mbuyarams]

Very useful and great lesson

[@GGathingi]

❤❤❤❤ this such an eye opener.

[@kinyashmpa]

Great work. For a long time we have let others tell our stories. It is time we owned our identity.

[@Powerofhelp]

Very good video

[@mosaidi2633]

The whole story started in Zanzibar back then 1600

[@osmannassir1515]

Great I love this

[@reinsonkibisu2056]

There is more to East African history than just the British, and German,colonization which they do not teach as in Kenya while talking about Kenyan history.

[@chalehmotif4748]

They teach in High school,,,history subject

[@reinsonkibisu2056]

@@chalehmotif4748 am taking about history that talks about what Kenyans in the 1900s had accomplished we know Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, Hali Selassie but who else do they teach I don’t know anyone else like Apollo Milton Obote Uganda because Mombasa was the port the British used to Export to Uganda, and it was the second largest port In Africa 1885 After Tanzania’s Tanga port which was build by the Germans to Rwanda, and Uganda, The Rwandan, and Burundi Genocide but nothing else we can be proud of and say we did that was great. www.kpa.co.ke/AboutUs/Pages/KPA-History-Introduction.aspx. en.reingex.com/Ports-East-Africa.shtml. www.maritimeheritage.org/ports/Africa_Eritrea.html. www.tanzaniayachts.com/about-tanga.shtml, www.africa.upenn.edu/NEH/thome.htm,

[@donnatate6327]

Why are you expecting THEM to teach us? If YOU believe that it should be taught get to work and do it. We all ME included need to stop complaining and and expecting someone to do something about a problem that we see. Peace

[@reinsonkibisu2056]

@@donnatate6327 I don’t work for the government I don’t have any power it’s just a question that came to mind and I only went to a Kenyan private school until primary then I was taken to an international school that is why asked the question.

[@gatheringleaves]

What is this video about more specifically? Is it about East Indian immigrants in Eastern Africa and the Swahili Coast, Mixed African Indian people, or the history of the trade, migration, and culture of the Swahili Coast, and not any ethnic group or diaspora in particular?

[@ayyb6789]

Good question, I was kinda confused 😏

[@mucherusidney2045]

More of a mixture of everything you mentioned there

[@justinamusyoka4986]

The teller is Asian.

[@mahamedyusufibrahim2859]

@@justinamusyoka4986 kkkkkkkk evilish

[@justinamusyoka4986]

@@mahamedyusufibrahim2859 can you explain please ?

[@eltonrisvsi3316]

this is the history that should be taught in schools

[@missjuneplum1]

True!

[@winniehall5569]

Jameni ndugu zanguni, haya maisha yana mambo. Binadamu ni wengi lakini humo katikati kuna shetani. Mungu atusaidie sana. Tazama hili jambo, Mehmood from Sudan had doubts hapa, lea hii KZbin. Asante for taking time to educate us.

[@pshivjee]

Well Compiled Movies. 🎬 👍

[@Bipkhim]

Just watched this short film and must give my full appreciation to the people behind this. And as for the name Indian Ocean, one fails to understand history!

[@user-cx4jc1wn2e]

Ive ejoyed it asante saana shukran

[@sufiyyahmusa4420]

More of this music ...how can I find it. She and the musicians are such a great sound.

[@swalehelshabiby5915]

The Queen of sheba whose roots from Yemen and Ethiopia Arabia is connected to Africa.

[@dorandacolbert5973]

Ethiopia Arabia?

[@thirdeffect]

Yes, Afroasiatic peoples are related since ancient times. Salaam ✌🏽 jazakhalakhair

[@tabbychebet9120]

Deep History I was not even aware of! Brilliant!

[@Edwins0n]

great history

[@esmailjiwaji2185]

I was born in Mombasa, Kenya and so was my father. My grandfather came to Mombasa as a lad from Gujarat in 1890. It brought pleasant memories to see the footage of places, many which I had seen in person. A commendable piece of work. I have one comment is the editing is very poor. As the presentation unfolds it flits between scenes, people, narration, etc. There is a total lack of continuity.

[@navdasone4710]

Beautiful music. How to access it?

[@aluruvlogs1756]

I have studied in Uganda in 1981 to 1983

[@johnsayi1673]

Rich untold history. Thank you

[@hortenseclarke2589]

John Sayi, do your own research. They only tell you what they want you to know. The early centuries was a terrible time for Africans. And, the descendants of the Africans who were taken as slaves to the various Arabs countries and India and Pakistan are still treated like sub-human even today. Black people need to do their own research. How are we treated today in India, Pakistan and Arab countries?

[@johnsayi1673]

@@hortenseclarke2589 you are right. I'm aware that as Africans we need to dig deeper and do more research instead of relying on those 'half truths' that they want us to believe.

[@justinamusyoka4986]

@@hortenseclarke2589 well said,the story here is being told by the opposite side,those who invaded the land and claimed it.

[@mucherusidney2045]

I like this

[@rashmighai8246]

Africa is so beautiful my birth place is Kenya

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

It's the native the black race

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

It's the native the black race

[@ompareek5millionsucbribe132]

I want to relocate to Africa, please explain more about there, and opportunities

[@truborne1642]

Your birth place belongs in india

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

@@ompareek5millionsucbribe132 We don't want you racists here.

[@AnilKumar-in9cx]

Afrasian is not just the story of Kenyan shores but Tanzanian,Ugandan and other Asian indians mostly .I request you to cover their history as well.

[@AliOmar-bx2oz]

Mohamed Ali- Lamu. Swahili is mix of Arabic, Bantu ,Shirazi, portuguese etc.

[@truborne1642]

Watanzania walikuwa wanaongea kiswahili kabla waarabu waje,unaongea hivyo tu juu we ni mixed

[@AliOmar-bx2oz]

@@truborne1642 swahili is also Arabic name . The current swahili language is a mixer of languages including Arabic. Why you mentioned Arabic only?

[@truborne1642]

@@AliOmar-bx2oz wtf are u talking bout,i'm telling you tanzanians spoke kiswahili way before the arabs came and you're telling me what?

[@MrMazhar8551]

Nice history of the swahili people and their connection with other communities which played an important part of the swahili culture. Although born and bred in Mombasa, I have always wanted to know what and how time was being told. For instance, if the time is 12 am/pm why is it called "sa seeta" meaning 6 O'clock. Always reversed. Since there are historians on this forum, I should be most grateful to know the mystery of reversed time-keeping.

[@shiningstar4181]

I'd like to know also

[@MrMazhar8551]

Dear Sister I have already sent out the sleuths on the quest to gain knowledge of this mystery. The moment I get a feedback I shall let you know. Take care and be safe. Yours truly Sayed Mazherali Al-Haddad

[@crioulom120]

The African slave trade by the Arabs started right here, on the east coast of Africa, 400 years b4 the beginning of transatlantic slave trade on the west coast of Africa. Yet many of of us on the east coast don't and/or are uncomfortable talking about the crimes that the Arabs committed against our ancestors due to the religious they brought to us, but are quickly to condemn the evil deeds of the Europeans on us..

[@justinamusyoka4986]

Facts.

[@missjuneplum1]

True

[@josuekirshner]

Sweet!

[@rose-kp4lf]

african asian music 🎶 🎵 👌 "african indian"

[@Churros1616]

We need to rebuild the mansions, castles from our ancestors!

[@elajahceesay1905]

Are u going to move back to India or what , some of these people were enslaved in africa . U want to be indian in africa but if u step ur foot in india they will call u slave . I don't know why african love to be mixed with other , why can't u be black african , what type of nonsense music that black african try to play . Arabs enslave some of these east african but they still want to claim arab , and indian who came to africa are from low cast system . What's good about indian and arab culture in africa

[@rose-kp4lf]

thank you lord ! 🙏

[@johnburugu6622]

We need to tap and preserve these rich historical knowledge from pheroze norwejee and the other great sons and daughters of kenya for the future generations rather than waiting until they're long gone these guys are an asset that kenya needs so badly rather than wasting time with loud empty mouthed broke politicians we tend to forget them so easily like we did with justice Madan and other great Kenyans

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

Those indians aren't native to Kenya. We'd rather preserve the Wanga, Maasai & Nandi history in Kenya.

[@justinamusyoka4986]

@@nairobinyeusi5811 the Bantus,nilotes etc

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

@@justinamusyoka4986 Mainly Bantus & Nilotes because these two define Kenya's demographic & Culture.

[@Eniola0ne]

If we go beyond illusion of Race, Race that created by Man. Human family, are always family, we all depend on each for survival. But those, that destroyed, the Culture and way of life, are greedy are uncivilized. For a very Civilized human beings, must let People he met, where he want, he must let they remain with their Culture and way of life. Any group that, want Control and Conquer. Are absolutely weak

[@matthewmann8969]

Many Desis could pass for being Horn Africans yeah

[@mirapatel1824]

Mimi na jua swahili!

[@AliOmar-bx2oz]

Mr Mbarak Abdulkadir say the truth about the history being written by foreigners. there is need for Local people to write their own history. For example slavery. The slave trade was carried out by european. European uses arabs to fetch slaves for them from interior mainland. Another example, If you go to Kaole ruins you will find different story there at the site.

[@rose-kp4lf]

parsi farsi community. ? bohra memon jain just to name a few top of mind oh yes sikh goan friends hindu punjabi wow all blend in fantastic 👏 🎉

[@swalehelshabiby5915]

Historians wa ukweli

[@bernardosa6690]

Now Africans of indian origine are officialy another african tribe in East africa and have same rights

[@tombimashri8149]

Good, wish all Africa would recognise nd accept their mixed children as an addition tribe in Africa

[@CycloneKenya1]

Keep winning

[@bettyjenkins2162]

Speak your language and be proud with no shame.

[@zakiaabdelouahab1616]

Neera kapur

[@RK-dj4xb]

Jews in india were/are never persecuted in India. Not sure why anyone of Indian origin would feel or be persecuted in India !!!!!!!!!

[@sundeepsinghjichudasama7143]

Excellent attempt to record a very complex issue. Disappointing result however. Dismal voiceover. One hopes that whoever takes up the baton has more delectable and well thought out and presented offerings in future. Peace from Kenya ... 😊🙏

[@mohamednoor4290]

kindly can you tel me the name of the king if I'm not wrong the of king was somebody gulende that is Somali name and again the people how rescue Swahili the our Somali Ajuran kings and that the true

[@veritasiumtry2015]

Learn some English you people from Somalia and whatever ! U always try to say u are arabs so u can view your selves as superior your comment sums up all somalians hate towards Africa and your worship for racist arabs.

[@hassanabdikarimmohamed2505]

@@veritasiumtry2015 the only hateful person here is you, projecting your insecurities, the person simply and cordially asked a question and mentioned a historical fact that the ethnic somali ajuran sultanate were the ones who fought the Portuguese empire and liberated the swahili coast which was ruled by arabs before this and Somalis returned the lands we captured to the arabs since it wasn't our land and they were the Muslims ruling your tiny swahili coastline

[@blessingchanne1866]

Ajuran sultanate used to ruled before omans. Even Mozambique some places are Somali named

[@mikewalters4045]

Then why don't you people use your african names to maintain your african roots ?

[@cush5147]

AfroAsian why attach Asia to Africa as there has never been a Middle East before the Suez Canal was invented by the colonizing Europeans; what we call Middle East has always sat on the African tectonic plate; in terms of the East Indians, the Dravidians or the original people's sometimes referred to as Dalits are Ethiopians/Africans. The term Dalits means Bound and the name may have been given to them by those who enslaved them and put them into a racist caste system at the lowest levels. The Dalits or Dravidians were the indigenous peoples of India or the Eastern Ethiopians or Eastern Africans. THE distinction between the black skinned Sudroid races of Southern India and the fair skinned Aryan races of Northern India is not an invention of English colonialism historians; it is a feature mentioned by the earliest Greek travelers who visited South Asia centuries before the advent of Robert Clive. The ancient Greeks said that the black Africans and the Sudras(modern Dalits and Dravidians) as belonging to the same Ethiopian stock; Ethiopian was the Greek word for negro and Greek authors referred to the Negros as Western Ethiopians and the Dravidians as the Eastern Ethiopians or (Eastern Negros)! Witness the following citation from Herodotus: "the Eastern Ethiopians (Sudras) differed in nothing from the other Ethiopians, save in their language and the character of their hair texture; for the Eastern Ethiopians have straight hair, while they, the Western Ethiopians, are more wolly haired!

[@gnozza8683]

Please have correct English. I would love to understand what they are saying.

[@truborne1642]

What do you mean by correct english ,they are speaking fluent english with a diff accent ,f**k you mean correct english FOH

[@dwightthompson8984]

Swahili coast is African not Arab,not Indian and certainly not Chinese.it is purely African ,that is predominately Bantu and Nilotic.

[@hkular5220]

It is a mix.of Arab, Indian and Bantu. It is what makes the Swahili people.

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

@@hkular5220 Bantus & Nilotes are the Rightful owners of that religion & I'm glad they took it back. The only thing remaining is to united Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda then form one Mega state AZANIA.

[@hkular5220]

@@nairobinyeusi5811 Hiyo ni sawa ndugu. Lakini huwezi deny the fact. There is still that essence and influence. Kama uko na kikombe ya chai, ukitia ndani kijiko moja ya sukari., bado, kuna sukari ndani ya chai. So if they do a DNA test the influence is still there.

[@hkular5220]

@@nairobinyeusi5811More suited to UGANKENZANIA to include all 3 as a megastate?

[@hkular5220]

@@nairobinyeusi5811 ISLAM is the religion of the Swahili. So you are saying Bantus and Nilotes are rightful.owners of that religion? ISLAM was born in Saudi Arabia. It then spread to Africa, Asia etc. Bantu are indigenous to West Africa. Nilotes from up North ( Sudan). So how can they own acclaim to ISLAM?

[@rose-kp4lf]

british indian prime minister 2022 2023 how about kenyan indian prime minister 🤔 😊

[@jumpnsathis]

16.22 u speak like indian

[@malcolmking5023]

I want to learn the real KiSwahili that is so corrupted with arabic, or other influences.

[@mikewalters4045]

Bcoz of this most Somalis ,Eritrean,Djibouti and the northern Sudan thinking they are arabs,while the arabs says to them not arabs

[@adowabdi7894]

You idiot, the horners are not related to Arabs, Swahilis, or Bantus. We associate ourselves with our ethnicities and clans. Nothing else.

[@OsmanK699]

@@adowabdi7894 Horn of Africa present inhabitants are a mixed race people that have retained their physical features through the restriction of intermarriage between them and other African people. They are both African (Bantu, Nilote) and Eurasian in phenotype. The highest recorded Eurasian DNA genotype among Somalis is upto 38% while the rest is African.

[@nairobinyeusi5811]

@@adowabdi7894 You have 60% Yemeni blood according to Genetics make up of Cushitic people

[@adowabdi7894]

@@nairobinyeusi5811 you clearly do not know genetics and do not bother to read on this topic. All you did was look at these commercial DNA’s that are going around. If you are smart enough, you will read the published articles that discuss Horn African genes. Horners have no Arab or Bantu dna.

[@bigie2264]

@@adowabdi7894 stop laying Arabs came from kushitik since somalis are kushitic Arabs cary our DNA and by the way somalis are mixed with the yemenis in both ways we are african and somalis kushitic hamitic punty Egyptian Arabs

[@guccianddodul]

I so wish people would become more civilised and leave ISLAM!

[@nadyaawadh3524]

Islam itself is civilization

[@KK-ygh]

@@nadyaawadh3524 thanks nadya

[@nabadraadshe]

I couldn’t agree more. Well said.

[@omarabdullahi9804]

@@nabadraadshe I slotted your god, cow warships Islam ☪️ is the only true religion

[@yasumagastone]

Carving a statue,,then worshipping it and counting urself as civilized,,,damnn where's the Logic !!