Linguistic and Cultural Contributions of Gujarat in Eastern Africa

A consequence of generations of contacts between Indians and East Africans has been cultural and linguistic borrowings, which can be appreciated from the long list of Indic elements in Swahili. Eastern Africa shows today a wide range of cultural influences from India, especially in maritime activity, trade, commerce, tools, architecture, textiles, garments, food and spices, literature and art. The cultural impact of India in East Africa is particularly significant on language, and historical data and phonological analysis of Swahili words generally favour Kachchhi and Gujarati etymology. The paper looks into these linguistics connections, as well as other cultural links between Western India and East Africa, in particular literature and Swahili studies, architecture and music.