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Periodical article Periodical article
Title:Who are the Waswahili?
Author:Eastman, C.M.
Year:1971
Periodical:Africa
Volume:41
Pages:228-235
Geographic term:Kenya
Discipline:Anthropology & Ethnology
Subject:Swahili - society
Abstract:The question posed in the title concerns a problem of identification: certain people consider themselves Wa-Swahili and others not. Beyond various linguistic criteria there are other criteria to be considered such as religion, geographical origin, name and educational background. On the basis of these criteria, eight categories can be distinguished, but even so the term Swahili is rather more an epithet of reference than a medium of self-identification. With the growth of Ki-Swahili as a lingua franca all over East-Africa, and the growing feelings of Ki-Swahili speaking people to be Kenyans and Tanzanians rather than Wa-Swahili or non-Wa-Swahili, the problem of definition is about to resolve itself. (Source: ASC Documentation).
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