₦airaland Forum

Nowenuse:
Let me be sincere to you. You appear very suspicious and you know what am talking about.

Haha what? why do you say that?

genieluv:
Kk. So, does that mean that no Tanzanian speaks his/her native languages as a first language other than swahili? If yes, then the native languages must be going extinct?

The more diverse or cosmopolitan the city the more likely the people that are born and raised there will speak Swahili as their mother tongue. People still speak their native languages though but i think the younger generation are starting speak it less and less.

I'm all for Swahili supremacy so i'm not too fussed

Muafrika2:
For your photo, the man has obviously had more Swahili than Arab Ancestors.How could he be Arab?

That reminds me of a pitch black man in one of our reality shows who claimed to be Arab. I thought it was just talking but now I see how he could claim Arab. So are you saying that having an Arab male in the distant ancestry makes him one?

My grandfather could have been Arab but my dad Swahili, who am I (for example.)

But I can see how the confusion would come in if the first ancestral male was can Arab and all his sons and sons sons married local women. Or a Swahili whose future generations continually married Arab women

Well, during the time of the British occupation in Zanzibar if you could prove you had any type of Arab ancestry you could lay claim to being considered a "Non-African" thus you get access to more resources.

Even today if you have Arab ancestry i guess you can call yourself an Arab but obviously the more black you look the more you get hit with the side eye.

Nowenuse:
Thank you so much for the enlightening piece. Nothing like info from the source. I also have many questions (please be patient with me).

> Were Indians also chased out alongside the arabs?
> How could the Unguja swahilis and native africans easily differentiate Pemba swahilis and Comorians? don't they so much look alike and have same cultures?
> Were there also arabs in Pemba? If yes, i guess those ones were safe.
> I also thought swahili people were highly interracially mixed and some looked more arab while others looked more african (or am i wrong?), if i am not wrong, then how were the British easily able to differentiate and classify swahilis who looked more arab from arabs? Or swahilis who looked more african from native africans? Since all of you speak the same language?
> Do swahilis and all coastal swahilized arabs and native africans have the same culture?

-The Indians were targeted as well, any group that subjugated or mistreated Africans got dealt with.
-To differentiate an Arab, a Swahili or native African wasn't as simple really, your ancestry meant everything not how you looked. Also there were is some cultural markers that was reserved for respected/wealthy individuals in society.
-Today everyone that consider themselves Swahili has the same culture for the most part

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/af/ce/c5/afcec56e75033f82b38ddb596a646072.jpg

Look at the man sitting for example, he's wearing a embroidered turban and black overcoat, he also has a dagger, holding a sword and he's sitting on specially carved wooden chair which indicates some type of power. Now, is he Swahili or Arab? I have no idea.

Nowenuse:
Okay thanks. West africa has the most beautiful and diverse cultural attires in africa.
Nigeria alone can account for 3/4 of the various types of cultural attires in Africa.

I have never really seen what original mainland Tanzanian culture looks like. Can you please show me?

The only cultural TZ music i have come across was this one by Diamond and Khadijah kopa. But i guess it is swahili culture, isnt it?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moE_dXt6-CQ

Also, the culture in the song also looks very similar with Kenyan Sauti sol's Sura Yako.
Is sura yako also a swahili culture song?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEJw64Zl28U

"Okay thanks. West africa has the most beautiful and diverse cultural attires in africa.
Nigeria alone can account for 3/4 of the various types of cultural attires in Africa." How you just going to flex on me like that? haha...I give you that but when it comes to the women.... au sio

Mainland TZ culture I guess you will have to go the cities, I think people are leaving their traditional attire behind. I don't know...

The Diamond and Khadija Kopa song is straight up coastal. Khadija Kopa is a popular Taarab singer from Zanzibar.

The Sauti Sol song is also coastal flavoured.

Nowenuse:
Okay thanks.

So, why exactly were the arabs chased out of zanzibar since they were already swahilized? And who chased them away? The native swahilis?

That's a lot to go into because it wasn't a simple "Arab" vs African thing as some historians like to paint it. The party that ousted the sultanate was Afro-Shirazi party which was made up of slave descendants, African migrants and Native Swahilis. When the British ruled Zanzibar they created a caste system that looked like Brits at the top followed by the Omani Arabs then Indians and native Africans at the bottom. So it easy to see why the native Africans supported the revolution but the Swahili didn't see themselves as "Africans" and their issue with the Omani Arabs was that they took most of their land. However, the Swahilis in the neighbouring island in Pemba (Unguja and Pemba make up Zanzibar) were on good terms with the Arabs and didn't have issue with them on their island so they didn't support the revolution for the most part. The Comorian community, Pemba Swahilis were more aligned with the Arabs but the Swahilis from Unguja weren't to fond of them thus the revolution occurred.

Something which isn't told to often is that the Comorian community and Pemba people were also targeted when the revolution kicked off.

freshest4live:
You guys make music videos like Nigerians.

I guess so

Nowenuse:
In the third song by Rayvanny and Diamond (SALOME).

Do you know that all the traditional attires in that song were Nigerian/Ghanaian?

Yeah of course, that's definitely not Tanzanian haha. I like it nonetheless, its cool

Nowenuse:
Okay.
What is the meaning of UFITINA?

Something like agitating

ednited:
I like Alikiba and Diamond but they better stop shooting abroad.

These are some songs that were shot in TZ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRO08vwMuPs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwxRpBWKRgU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bPjsDcPHks


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnI8GQQhw4A

ednited:
lol, why to Nairobi or SA?

Why not Dar es salam??

Tanzanians ask the same question...there are so many places the shoot their videos in Dar and other parts of the country. Most TZ artists shoot their videos back home, its just a select few like Vanessa Mdee, Diamond, Alikiba etc generally the top tier artist that go to South Africa. That will change soon I think...well I hope lol

Nowenuse:
Yes, Tanzanians have done so well in music and i would say are the shinning light of east africa.

Also, i would want to know, how come Tanzanians sing very melodiously and softly compared to other east africans like kenyans or ugandans? Their rhythms appear very pleasing to the ears just like Indian songs. Lol.

Just like this song below, have you listened to it? It's a new song and omg! The melody is awesome. What is the meaning of UFITINA? It sounds like a hausa word.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugZeUcidYrA

Tanzanians are just cool laid back people so it translates into our music I guess and also Tanzanians speak Swahili with a softer accent than mainland Kenyans. Listen to Brown Mauzo or Otile Brown from Mombasa, its similar to TZ music I think you will like it.

That artist is actually a Comorian but he isis singing in a TZ style...Where the hell did you even find that song? haha you really do like East African music

genieluv:
Kk. Enlightening. Do any of the arabs in TZ still speak arabic as their mother tongue?

Everyone that is born and raised in TZ speak Swahili as their mother tongue. I swear, nowhere in the world have Arabs assimilated into the local population as they have in East Africa. its quite impressive when you compare them to the North African Arabs for example.

TayserMahiri:
I truly respect your Bongo artists they make appealing and above all inspirational music. You will struggle to find a kenyan song with a message apart from partying (kujibamba) and women (mamanzi).

Sauti Sol got the blueprint though

TayserMahiri:
How is the union with Zanzibar? Those guys were demanding freedom sometimes back like our coasterians

I was in Zanzibar during the previous election it opened my eyes a little. The opposition party CUF and the ruling party CCM had equal amount of supporters in Zanzibar but I noticed the more well off Zanzibaris tended to support CUF. I can't say the majority of the Zanzibaris want to separate from the union.

NairobiWalker:
Nowenuse is going to be very mad at you. He made that post deliberately so that you could launch a scathing attack on Kenyans saying how jealous they are of Tanzania. You positive response isn't going to go well with him lol.

Haha I'm a positive guy

PissedYagami:
Someone told me Swahili is a nation, not a tribe. The swahili nation. Like the Miji Kenda of Kenya are considered Swahili people. And those Arabs identify themselves with Swahilis rather than Arabs. Kenyans generally call those Arabs Swahilis.

Mijikenda aren't considered Swahili by actual Swahili people but they are cousins, thats clear.

Yeah i would consider the Swahili a nation myself.

Nowenuse:
@Nabhani

I love Tanzanian musicians like Alikiba, Diamond, Vanessa mdee, Christian bella, Butera knowless, Rosa ree and a whole lot of them.

I can see that Tanzania has a very well developing music industry, far better than that of Kenya. But many Kenyans here have denied this repeatedly as obvious as it is. They claim that most of TZ artistes mostly base their music in Nairobi and started recording music success as soon as they started recording and shooting their songs in South Africa?
How true is this?

Back in the days some artists used to shoot their videos in Kenya, even today they may shoot a video there from time to time, more rare now. I wouldn't say most of the Tanzanian artists were running to Kenya to do their music and direct their videos.

The top Tanzanian videos today though are definitely shot in South Africa, better quality FOR NOW...why lie? lol

Lets give Tanzanians props for their work ethic and aggressiveness in East Africa when it comes to the music. To have even a little impact on non-swahili speaking countries is quite impressive, you dont even know what they are saying 90% of the time.

Nowenuse:
Okay.

Pls, can you give an estimate of the swahili population percentage in Tanzania?

How come did Islam spread more into mainland Tanzania than mainland Kenya?

I read that Tanzania does have some religious problems between the muslims and christians especially in Zanzibar (where the muslims tend to be more fanatic). Can you tell me about this?

How different is Zanzibar politically from Mainland Tanzania?

Native Swahili probably 1 million or but if you count the Swahilized Swahilis the numbers increases but i don't know. They have a presence though.

Islam spread more because the inland trade was more aggressive in TZ. There is a city in Tanzania called Tabora, home of the Nyamwezi people they also traded heavily with the coastal muslims. The coastal people established themselves so thoroughly in Tabora, it was considered the mainland version of Zanzibar.

There isn't any real Muslim and Christian issue in TZ or Zanzibar for that matter. Zanzibar sees thousands and thousands of Christian tourists every year. However, you do have those Zanzibaris that studied in Saudi Arabia that are a bit too Islamic for a lack of better words.

genieluv:
Kk.

****Please can you explain the african parts of your cultures? Cos the only thing i learnt about your people is your Taraab music which looks very much non-african.

I have heard about the Zanzibar revolution of how the arabs were overthrown n chased away. I'd like to know more please.
Were the overthrown arabs also swahili speaking?
Were arabs also attacked on the mainland TZ?
Are there still arabs left in TZ or Zanzibar?

Diamond Platnumz song Nasema Nawe is a good example of Coastal music that's more African, even how the women are dressed is very East African. Some Swahili societies still have matrilineal system (Comoros for example), as a matter of fact Comoros was ranked top in the Arab world for women's rights. Bantu societies regard women much higher than Arab societies.

-Yeah the Arabs were Swahili speakers, they still speak it in Oman
-I dont think the were attacked on the mainland
-There is a bunch of Arabs and Baluchis in TZ. You have coastal Arabs who can be considered Swahili and you have the mainland Arabs who i don't think can be called Swahili but because their ancestors most likely arrived at the coast before they went inland, they may be Swahili...confusing stuff...let them figure that one out...

TayserMahiri:
Oh, Trump must have supporters right now over there. But atleast English people are more tolerant, right? I am glad you never set foot in Old Trafford.

It's just a theme in the Western World where the right-wingers are gaining more and more influence but the English are tolerant for the most part.

I'm an African, let the Europeans run Europe how they see fit, take my a$$ back home to TZ.

TayserMahiri:
Glad for you. Europe these days is not safe with all the migrants from the middle east. Africa will soon turn from a backwater continent to the safest one. So twambie, have you been to Old Trafford or Etihad?

It's different climate out here in Europe, the Wazungu want their land back . I'm Already planning my departure to the motherland.

I'm not really into football but I went to Etihad once when I was younger.

TayserMahiri:
Daamn, is it safe now?

Yeah for now I guess, we had a little situation but its calm now...

TayserMahiri:
Way to go man. Which city are you currently?

I'm out here in Manchester

genieluv:
Kk. Nice explanation. At least, it's refreshing getting info directly from the source. You are welcomed to this thread. You should be the first Tanzanian i have come across.

****Exactly as much as i thot.
In your own words, how will you describe the culture of your people? Cos from what i see, your cultures look far more middle-eastern than Bantu.

>>>> I'd also like to know, do all the swahili peoples share a strong same culture n heritage?

Its a hybrid but I would say its more Bantu than Middle Eastern. Aside from how we dress and some of our food, we are different from Arabs.

Take the Omani Arabs that went back to Oman after the Zanzibar revolution in 1964, their own people shunned them for being more African than Arab. Our mode of dress may be similar but once you get deep into our culture, you can see clear differences.

Nowenuse:
Wow, its so nice to have a Tanzanian here. I have been waiting for this all along. Habari

Great explanation above.

So, many things i'd like to know about TZ. But first of all, i'd like to know what part of the swahili clan you belong to, the swahilized african, swahilized arab or native swahili?

Good question! well, you could say my clan is a mixture of native Swahili and Swahilized Arabs but arabs of respectable pedigree (Sharifs, descended from the Prophet Muhammad) not the immigrant ones that came to the coast looking for greener pastures, yes there is a difference

Personally, I take more pride in my Swahili ancestry tho

TayserMahiri:
They speak really nice, and you guys too. So you going to Dar ama wapi? Its good that Africans these days are coming back home to stay and invest.

Yeah I'm going to Dar, I love that crazy city. I agree, more and more Africans are starting to look to Africa.

TayserMahiri:
Too bad man. Do you still reside in ulaya? So far so good, we are still the most badass Swahili speakers here until resident Tanzanians come, in which case we will call upon our Mombasites.

I remember when I was in Mombasa, I couldn't get over their Swahili, its like they are singing lol

Yeah still in ulaya but definitely plan on moving to Tanzania sooner than later, I love it there. Africa is where it's happening as far as I'm concerned.

TayserMahiri:
ohh, you said b!tch and misled me. Sawa kaka blaza! So we weren't too mean? Nice. These guys tried so hard to create a wedge between us after we had given them a TKO If you can do me the honor of communicating in deep Swahili and I reciprocate in deep Sheng' I'll be glad bro

Even though I'm a Tanzanian-Swahili, my Swahili skills is really lacking. I was born and raised in ulaya around non-Swahili speakers soooo...you are on your own i can't help you bruh

Muafrika2:
We are,

They were using TZ to mock us so we may have been a little mean in self defense,

I hear that, it's all good

TayserMahiri:
Mrembo, if you start that way nuhh, Naijas might think Tz gals have no manners and you might lose their sincere admiration and support. We are family but of cos in some issues we dont see eye to eye. That doesnt make us any less of mandugu na madada. Utani tu

I don't take non of that serious, It's quite funny actually

I'm a TZ brother tho

MtuMsuper:
Karibu ndugu. I have a new perspective on swahili people now. Dominicans also tend to downplay their African roots too.

It also goes without saying that the native speakers of any language speak it best. In Kenya too, as elsewhere, one can tell where another is from by the accent they use. Our "beef" with some people on this thread is when they want to disassociate Kenya and the origins of Swahili when it is known that two major dialects of kiswahili namely kiamu and kimvita are native to Lamu and Mombasa, which are squarely in Kenya.

I went through your posts and saw you included a dialect called chimiini. Where is it from?

genieluv direct all your inquiries about Swahili culture and language direct to this brother.

Chimiini is the northern Swahili dialect spoken by Barawanis from Barawa, Somalia.