Page 49 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 35
P. 49
History
ancient Swahili society, women were the
heads of the household, not men. When a
man married, he moved into his wife’s house.
The dowry was given to the woman herself,
not her family. It was not a mere gift but a
payment for the role she was about to play
in his life. The amount was determined by
the woman, not the man. If the man chose to
divorce her, she would take everything with
her. Additionally, although Swahili men, as
Muslims, were allowed to marry multiple
wives, the decision to do so rested with the
first wife. She had to be satisfied with how
she was being treated before he could marry
another woman.
video, titled Ancient African Cities That
Were Destroyed by Europeans and Why, Correcting Assumptions About Vasco da
sheds light on this issue. The reason is Gama
always the same—never allow Africans to
know that their history did not begin with Zena also corrected some common
poverty and debt. misconceptions about Vasco da Gama, the
Portuguese explorer. She explained that when
Walking Through Gedi Vasco da Gama arrived in Mombasa, he was
turned away by Sultana Alidah, a female
After the warm welcome from Zena, entering ruler of Mombasa at the time. She refused
Gedi and seeing the massive structures and to assist him because she did not want to be
the vast collection of indigenous trees, some seen as a traitor by her people. He was forced
centuries old, was an incredible experience. to leave and sailed north to Malindi, where
It made me think about what life must have he received the supplies he needed. He later
been like back then and the thought process returned with reinforcements and attacked
behind the city’s architectural design and Mombasa. This marked the beginning of the
layout. Zena even mentioned that at some construction of Fort Jesus, which was built
points in history, female rulers who bore using enslaved locals who had refused to
the title Sultana governed Gedi, and not just convert to Christianity.
males who bore the title Sultan.
Contrary to what many history books suggest,
Regarding women’s roles in Swahili culture, Vasco da Gama did not discover Mombasa or
Zena shared something fascinating. In the Kenyan coast. He merely sought help for
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