On the Shoulder of the World (Tanzania, Zanzibar)

The fabrics adorning the women are kangas, emblematic textiles of the Swahili coast that appeared at the end of the 19th century from imported coupons. A kanga is read in three parts: pindo (border), mji (central motif), and jina (the motto printed in Swahili). This text makes the kanga a true social media: compliments, advice, and little digs circulate at markets, weddings, or funerals.

Versatile, the kanga serves as a veil, loincloth, baby carrier, and blanket against the monsoon wind; it differs from the kitenge (thicker, waxed). In Zanzibar, the supply chain mixes local workshops with prints from the continent or Asia, which explains the profusion of saturated colors and patterns that invade the markets.

In Swahili culture, accompanying a child everywhere—including during classes—is less an arrangement than a principle of family inclusion: the market is a place of exchange, spontaneous care, and sociability.