Swahili Dhow Culture Pan II
Swahili racing teams come together several times a year to compete in traditional hand-crafted arabic-styled Mashua dhows in the Lamu Archipelago just off Kenya's northern Swahili Coast. Intense village rivalries build over the years, often reaching pitch fever on race day.
These four magnificent racing dhows are in near-perfect formation, positioned towards the noonday equator sun on the first day of the New Year. They are in the lead as they prepare to tack around the buoy (top left) and change course back again to the starting point at Shela, a small Swahili fishing village on the island of Lamu. The winners will return to their village with team bragging rights and a certain village swagger that may last several months until the next race.
© All rights to these photos and descriptions are reserved
Swahili Dhow Culture Pan II
Swahili racing teams come together several times a year to compete in traditional hand-crafted arabic-styled Mashua dhows in the Lamu Archipelago just off Kenya's northern Swahili Coast. Intense village rivalries build over the years, often reaching pitch fever on race day.
These four magnificent racing dhows are in near-perfect formation, positioned towards the noonday equator sun on the first day of the New Year. They are in the lead as they prepare to tack around the buoy (top left) and change course back again to the starting point at Shela, a small Swahili fishing village on the island of Lamu. The winners will return to their village with team bragging rights and a certain village swagger that may last several months until the next race.
© All rights to these photos and descriptions are reserved