The Ajami inscription on the hand-carved wooden door of today’s German Post Office Museum reads: Gustav Denhardt, date 10th day of the last month of dry weather in the year 1310 of the Islamic calendar. It is attributed to Denhardt’s close friend Muhammad bin Abubakar bin Omar al-Bakary (1855 – 1945).
Born in Lamu, Muhammad bin Abubakar was gifted with exceptional intellect, character, and artistic ability. His remarkable talents earned him the nickname Kijumwa, meaning “one born with innate genius”. He was a scribe, calligrapher, poet, musician, and master woodcarver, whose legacy resonates across East Africa and beyond.
His deep understanding of Kiswahili literary traditions bridged cultures, contributing significantly to both Swahili heritage and Western academic study.
Among his most enduring artistic achievements is the aforementioned ornately carved entrance door of the former German Post Office in Lamu. Gustav Denhardt commissioned it in 1892. This masterpiece remains a living testimony to Kijumwa’s skill in woodcarving. It is believed that the Denhardt brothers were living in this building themselves, and it is likely that the original Bwana Kisitavu mat (Mat 8), whose commissioner and producer we do not know yet, once belonged to the interior decoration of the house.
Kijumwa and Denhardt also maintained strong ties with Sultan Ahmed of Witu, a relationship that played a crucial role in the declaration of Witu as a German protectorate between 1885 and 1890. During this period, Kijumwa served as a scribe under the Sultan’s direction, while Denhardt pursued political and commercial interests in the region.
Muhammad Kijumwa’s life and work exemplify the fusion of artistry, diplomacy, and intellectual tradition that shaped Swahili cultural history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kijumwa is also recalled within oral memory among the inhabitants of Lamu through sayings that he coined, such as Aso tchaa ana tomomo (“Who doesn’t have a tchaa [a kind of woven basket] has a tomomo [a different kind of woven basket]. Figuratively this translates to: No one is without flaws). He is known for songs that he composed (such as Nina maneno tisiya (“I have nine words/things to tell you”) and Wanawake wa Kiamu (“Lamu women”) or also known as Babukheti (“The peacock”) and through poems that he wrote, copied, and transcribed, such as Utendi wa Mkunumbi (The poem about Mkunumbi).
The international collaborative and co-curational work within the Talking Mats project highly involves local community participation. It depicts the orally and culturally aesthetic ways of remembering the entangled historical German and Swahili intellectual-aesthetic relations that were already interwoven during the time of Kijumwa’s friendship with the Denhardt brothers at the turn of the 20th century.
Vocals: Mohamed Lali Mahazi
Music: Julia Kingma, Jürgen Strathmann
Image credits: Sarah Chouraqui, Bildarchiv der Deutschen Kolonialgesellschaft, Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main, image no. 018-0072-10.
Video editing: Rebeca Ofek