36574 Safari link issue 31 2ƒ

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CULTURE Cultural Festival 22-25 November The Lamu Cultural Festival was established in 2001 at the start of the new millennia – the year UNESCO designated Lamu Old Town a World Heritage Site and dubbed it ‘the oldest and best preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa.’ Showcasing the island and its traditions, the festival combines all aspects of Swahili culture. During the four-day event, Lamu Town is a rainbow of colours with flags, banners and streamers fluttering from every building. Traditional dancers spin around the town square; swimmers race through the sea; donkeys career along the waterfront; musicians belt out local hits; lute players serenade the crowds and acrobats whirl through the air. And there’s more: henna painting, food bazaar, crafts exhibitions, gala dinners, football competitions and of course – this is Lamu after all – there’s a keenly fought dhow race. Maulidi Third month of Muslim Calendar In celebration of Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, Maulidi is celebrated across the Muslim world. In Lamu, prayers and processions take place in and around all the mosques, especially Riyadha Mosque, revered as a centre of Islamic learning. In the mosques’ courtyards, mosque elders give recitals from the Koran about the life of the prophet. In the evenings, traditional music and dancing fills the squares. Stick dancing is one of Lamu’s favourite traditions – participated in or watched by most of the island folk. Appearing almost a martial art, the Stick Dance sees men moving around each other, twirling their sticks and stepping in rhythm to the beat of the drum. On the last day of Maulidi, the competitions begin: football matches, swimming races, donkey races and dhow races. New Year’s Day Dhow Race 1st January Lamunians love a good dhow race, and none more so than the first of the year. Regardless of how big the party was the night before, Lamu captains and their crews are on their vessels good and early, ready to set sail. The traditional boats that in bygone days ploughed up and down the trade routes carrying spices, gold, porcelain, tortoiseshell and ivory now line up outside Peponi Hotel. When the starter cracks, the dhows take off down the channel, whipping around the buoys and skimming towards the finish line. The excitement of the crowd is palpable – and loud! Whether they’re watching from the shore or following the race in their boats, all eyes are fixed on the dhows, white sails gleaming in the sun, cruising towards the muchanticipated prize. CULTURE Shela Hat Contest February Possibly the most bizarre, ostentatious and well-loved festival in the Lamu calendar is the Shela Hat Contest. Patron of the Arts and long time resident of Shela, Herbert Menzer, saw the locals of Lamu labouring under homemade hats that protected them from the sun’s glare. The artist in Herbert remarked at the ingenious and unusual hats – and the idea was born. On an island so full of creatives, the competition – which started in 2010 – was an immediate hit. Now known as the Mad Hatters Contest, the event calls on the folk of Lamu to design vivid and vibrant headpieces. Watching the procession of hats – created from pipes, bones, shells, leaves, fabrics, coral and anything else to hand, and often inlaid with ironic and satirical messages – is a sight not to be missed. Image: T amara Britten OCT – DEC 2018 ISSUE <strong>31</strong> 20
Art Festival February If ever a place was made for an art festival, Lamu is it. Even if you’re not an artist, just being on the island is enough to prompt you to take up a camera or an easel. The fusion of Swahili architecture, aromatic spices, ornate crafts and innovative people ignites the senses in ways few places do. In 2016, in the days preceding the already popular Shela Hat Contest, the Lamu County Government established the Lamu Art Festival. Artists from around the world come for residencies, presentations, workshops and exhibitions, and international artists collaborate with local artists to create new works inspired by Lamu itself. Zihan Kassam, artist and art curator, says: ‘Lamu has long understood the artistic ingredients that bring splendour and luxury to everyday life’. Image: Herbert Menzer Food Festival April Swahili food is one of Kenya’s most favoured – and flavoursome – cuisines. The plethora of fresh fish in the sea gives the Swahili people the foundation for many of their dishes; cooked in coconut, steamed in lime, marinated in spices or tossed in tomato and onion, fish has never tasted so good. In celebration of their cuisine, the people of Lamu initiated a Food Festival in 2015. Traditional cooks and vendors set up stalls along the seafront and prepare their choice of dishes under the watchful eyes of the locals. During the cooking competition, chefs from around the country debate the merits of samosas and chapattis, pilau and biryani, prawns and crab, while onlookers wander around the stalls eyeing the colourful dishes hungrily. CULTURELINK Yoga Festival 18-22 March The Lamu Yoga Festival hit the headlines when DoubleTree by Hilton voted it the top yoga festival in the world worth travelling for. The festival started in 2014 and is now approaching its sixth year. Every March, yogis from around the world flood the island in a wave of litheness, colour and movement. In 2018, 26 yoga teachers offered 150 classes in styles as diverse as acroyoga, stand-up paddleboard yoga, core yoga, restorative yoga and aerial yoga. The festival also incorporates the more traditional yoga styles of ashtanga, yin and vinyasa flow, as well as chanting, drumming, dancing, dune walks and dhow cruise meditations. According to founder Monika Fauth, the festival’s success comes from: ‘the quality of the yoga, the calibre of the teachers, and the beauty of Lamu Island.’ Image: Neil Thomas LAMU FLIGHT TIMETABLE FROM TO DEP ARR Wilson Lamu 13:45 15:30 Lamu Wilson 16:00 18:00 21 OCT – DEC 2018 ISSUE <strong>31</strong>
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