Protective Fire (Tanzania, Zanzibar)

The technique of fire applied to the hull is an ancestral know-how still alive on the Swahili coasts.

This method involves passing a controlled flame under the canoe to harden the wood, repel pests and extend the life of the boat. It is particularly used for ngalawas , the outrigger canoes typical of East Africa.

In Zanzibar, these gestures demonstrate the resilience of maritime communities in the face of the erosion of traditional practices. As plastic and motors gradually replace hand-carved canoes, fire here becomes a tool of resistance , a link between past and future.

Beyond the utilitarian function, this ritual contains a strong symbolic dimension: the burnt wood is not destroyed, it is prepared to endure . An island philosophy, in an increasingly threatened marine world.