By Fathiya Bayusuf
Flowers and their scents are a major part of the Swahili culture on the East African coast that stretches from southern Somalia to northern Mozambique.
Their romantic symbolism dates back to centuries when Arab and Persian merchants sailed down the Indian Ocean aided by the monsoon winds.
Beauty and love among the Swahili is incomplete without flowers - used for scenting matrimonial rooms and worn as adornment by women. They are a must-have for a bride and groom in weddings.
Swahili bouquet consist of roses, jasmine and kiluwa - a local variety of magnolia flowers. Their bright, radiant colours and sweet smells speak volumes - symbolically and literally.
They can be made into floral brooches for women, known as vikuba or shada depending on size, or garlands for men, known as koja.
"They say a Swahili woman's beauty lies in always looking pleasant and neat, especially when she enhances her appearance using fragrant flowers,” Fatma Mohammed, a maker of Swahili bouquet in the historic city of Mombasa, told TRT Afrika.
"These flowers hold a high social value. When a woman wears vikuba, she appears to be a woman of elegance and value who knows grace and refinement,” she added.
The brooches and garlands are made by arranging and threading the flowers together using thread and needle.
Bouquets are also normally placed inside houses to freshen the smell; they can be placed in the living area or the bedroom.
“You can wear a kishada while you are at home, busy cooking for your husband and children, and it also enhances attraction and builds more love between a husband and wife," said Fatma Mohammed.
The production of these traditional ornaments has also provided employment opportunities for many women in Mombasa.
The florists are keen on passing on the skill to future generations in order to preserve the tradition of these timeless adornments.
"I used to help Mama Fatma make koja - she holds one end and I hold the other while we put in the jasmine. I assist her because sometimes, when she's not around, I make makoja or vikuba. I have gained skills from her, and I am grateful because I earn an income," said Tima Moh'd, an emerging talent.
The Swahili bouquet has become increasingly popular and successful in Mombasa due to its growing use in various other occasions such as birthdays or political events.
