with pull, precision & professional skill
Encountering the historical mikeka collection in Ethnologisches Museum Berlin sparked deep conversations around the vocabulary and etymology tied to mat-making traditions. In conversations that unfolded throughout the Talking Mats project, native Kiswahili speakers highlighted the significance of words, technical terms, and their local variations when discussing the art of making mikeka. They emphasised the rich linguistic diversity within Kiswahili-speaking communities and the importance of documenting and preserving this knowledge.
Since the Talking Mats workshop held in Lamu in 2024, words have been gathered from various sources and combined with illustrations into a glossary that brings together terminology related to the handicraft of plaiting. Understood as an evolving resource, it will further grow through dialogue, shared knowledge, and ongoing cultural exchange.
You are warmly encouraged to share additional terms, images, or stories, by sending them to: digitalesteam_em-aku@smb.spk-berlin.de in order to be included in this document.
The glossary starts with a poetical reflection inspired by the multiple meanings of the Kiswahili word vua which can mean “to take off,” “to fish,” or “to rain”. It speaks to the layered, context-rich nature of language, and the many interpretations and associations it holds within Swahili mat-making traditions.
Download the Glossary here.
Idea, production and illustrations: Myriam Perrot