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Dhow Race Finale

Swahili racing teams come together several times a year to compete in traditional hand-crafted, Arabic-styled Mashua dhows in the Lamu Archipelago off Kenya's northern Swahili Coast.

 

This dhow is in the lead as it heads to the finish line at a small Swahili fishing settlement in the archipelago.

 

As anticipation builds, local spectators from across the archipelago gather along the Shela Beach shoreline to witness the spectacular finale.

 

Intense village rivalries build over the years, often reaching pitch fever on race day. The winners will return with team bragging rights and a certain village swagger that may last several months until the next race.

 

The Omani-styled, Claudio Modola-designed residential fort in the backdrop is situated at the head of a pristine 14-kilometre stretch of unspoiled beach and sand dunes.

 

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Kenya's Swahili Coast

 

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Uploaded on July 19, 2025
Taken on January 1, 2009