Who are the Queens of the Swahili seas? - Lamu, Kenya

This documentary is a product of a research project "Queens of the Swahili Seas" aimed to unearth legendary women from the Kenyan coast, focusing on the Swahili community in Lamu, Kenya. The completion of this project could not have been accomplished without the immense support of British Council and the National Museums of Kenya.
Read the full stories on shujaastories....
Disclaimer*
Our illustrations are imaginative portrayals of these legendary figures, not exact depictions of their real appearances. We've added superhero-inspired elements to make the visuals more appealing to younger audiences, who often connect with modern comic styles. This creative approach helps highlight the extraordinary powers these heroes possessed-powers that go beyond what the eye can see. The outfits combine traditional and modern influences to bring out the timeless essence of these legends.
#britishcouncil
#SubSaharanAfricanArts
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[@BeeSugar1]

Fantastic work. Just came across your video. So much info that I didn't know about. Will be watching this will my kids.

[@shujaastories]

Thank you very much. We are glad you learnt something new. We shall keep updating more of these stories.

[@DerrickIbalai]

This is amazing!
We need more of this

[@shujaastories]

Thank you! We strive to do more🤗

[@vjchesterkenya5029]

Great research..Heads up✌️

[@shujaastories]

Thank you very much☺

[@Mjuaji]

👏👏👏 kazi nzuri sana

[@shujaastories]

Asante sana!

[@masehoart7569]

What an impressive & highly needed project. Especially, as contemporary feminism focuses on African female leadership of the West & West Africa. I live in Germany & a lot of young Black women, when it comes to historical African queens/women leaders, only know about Ya Asantewaa & Nzingha Ngola. East & Southern historical African women in power are completely overlooked or just unknown 😢

[@shujaastories]

Thank you for your thoughtful comment! We're glad the Queens of the Swahili Seas project resonates with you. And you are right! There’s a lot of focus on the queens and legendary women from Western Africa but very little is known about the East African ones, in this case Kenya. We hope projects like this can help bridge the gap and bring these powerful stories to light for more people, especially young Black women in the diaspora. Thank you for your support.