Kenyans in Diaspora Launch Institute to Promote Kiswahili in the US
A group of Kenyans living in the diaspora has established an institution to promote the Kiswahili language and culture in the US.
Swahili Cultural Institute, which was registered as a non-profit organization, was launched during a virtual event streamed from New York on May 12th.
The function was attended by guests drawn from over 10 countries in Africa, Europe, and the US. Kenya’s Ambassador to the US Lazarus Amayo was the chief guest.
Kevin Somoni Machine, the president of Swahili Cultural Institute said the institution seeks to capitalize on the growing interest in the Kiswahili language in the US.
The institution will offer classes for children and adults, and organize Swahili cultural events in New York and other states.
Machine said they will target Africans in the diaspora, Americans, and other immigrants living in the US, including students, diplomats, academics, researchers, religious groups, volunteers, among others.
“This is a great milestone. As Africans living in the US, we want to tell the African story in our own language which is the true signature of our voice,” said Machine, a linguist and financial consultant.
“The Institute will not only serve as a language center of excellence but will also foster a positive narrative about Africa. It will be the gateway to Africa in the diaspora.”
Top American universities that currently offer Swahili lessons include Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, Princeton, Cornell, Howard, Ohio, Rutgers, and Texas. The language has also been designated as a “critical language” by the US State Department.
Prof. Leonard Muaka, a language lecturer at Howard University in Washington DC, says over 100 universities and schools in the US teach Kiswahili.
With more than 200 million speakers, Kiswahili is the most widely spoken language in Africa and top 10 in the world. It is the national language in Tanzania and Kenya and is spoken in parts of Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, South Sudan, Somalia, Comoros, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Schools in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, Ghana, and the Middle Eastern countries of Oman, and the UAE teach Kiswahili.
Comments (14)
Haya ndo maendeleo basi. Tupate fursa kujifundisha na kuisambaza lugha yetu. Kwa wale ambao hufikiria kwamba lugha zetu asilia ni duni hivi kwamba hata hawaziongei na hawana habari nazo, nawaomba mfikirie tena. Muda umewadia tukitukuze Kiswahili, oyeee!
Itafanyika vipi kama wakenya wenyewe hawajui kuzungumza kiswahili sanifu? Vijana wa siku hizi wanaaibika na lugha ya kiswahili na wanasifu lugha ya kiingereza, Kwa mafikira yao, kuongea kingereza ni kuerevuka na kiswahili ni ya wale wasio na maendeleo"washamba"
Kwanza sisi wakenya lazima tutumea kiswahili kama luga yetu husiano vile Tanzania wana itumea.Kiswahili ni luga yetu wa africa na lazima tujivunia na luga yetu ya kiswahili
Lakini wewe si umearibuko kiswahili baane?
You and your Swahili sound Funny!😅🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
Kiswahili Kitukuzwe! I hope that they are stocking Ken Walibora's books.
Na waunga mkono tujivunie chentu mwacha mila ni mtumwa
Elfu huanzia moja. Tuzidi kusambaza lugha yetu.
There is No better Way of Promoting SWAHILI Culture in the US (to begin with) than having SWAHILI Tv station(s) like the Nigerians do or have done. All else is just gimmicks.
Somebody needs to do a fact check or establish the truth of this article Kiswahili is spoken in Zambia,Comoros, Mozambique and Malawi by who probably border crossers from Tanzania.Somalians do not speak Kiswahili unless they are those from Kenya and South Sudan seem to copy everything in Kenya including the flag not sure they speak Kiswahili unless they are refugees from Kenya.The way the article is written is misleading if I go to Zambia or Mozambique and only speak Kiswahili will they understand me probably not.
What exactly is Swahili culture? If it will involved at least promotion of African names, discourage skin lightening,and encourage wearing of African natural hair,or hair style,then its a good idea.
Kiswahili ni lugha ya Kibantu. Asili ya wasemaji wa lugha hii ni Afrika ya Magharibi. Inaendelea mpaka Afrika ya Kusini mpaka Afrika ya Mashariki.
Matatizo ya lugha za kiafrika kusimama kidete kunatokana na "Lugha-jogoo." Nyote mwajua ya kwamba, jogoo hamruhusu jogoo mwingine kushiriki kuku wa kike. Hata kama kuna kuku wa kike mia mbili, jogoo hataki kumsikia jogoo mwingine akiwika karibu naye.
Lugha-jogoo (rooster-languages) ni Kiingereza, Kifaransa, Kireno (portuguese), Kiarabu, Kirusi, na kadhalika. Ndiyo sababu unawaona Wakenya wengi wakiona aibu kusema Kiswahili au lugha ya asili kwa sababau walipigwa msasa (brainwashed/brain-jacked) ya kwamba lugha ya Kiingereza ndiyo lugha ya pekee inayostahili kujulikana na kusemwa: lugha nyingine ni takataka na hazifai.
Ndugu yetu Ngugi wa Thiong'o anasisitiza umuhimu wa kujua lugha ya mama, Kiswahili, na pia Kiingereza.
Lugha ya Kiswahili ni tamu jameni. Lugha hii inakutambulisha utokapo, ukulacho, udhaniavyo, asili yako na vile vile, ukusudiacho. Lugha ya Kiswahili imenikuza mimi tangu elfu ulela. Ikaniokoa nisiwe mjinga wa kupindukia, ikaifanya hadhi na utu yangu ukaelea pasipo pasilo. Isingelikuwa lugha hii tamu ya Kiswahili, ningalikuwa mwizi wa mali ya umma, mcheshi wa kudunisha binadamu wengine wa haiba ndogo. Diposa niliamua kitu kimoja miongo sita iliopita: takipigia debe kokote nitakapoishi. Nitatumia fursa zitakazoafikia kukiendeleza, kukitukuza, kukitangaza, kukitekeleza na kukidhabiti ipasavyo. Kila ninapotoa hotuba au gumzo katika hadhara ya Wakenya Marekani, Wakenya hunichukulia kana kwamba natumia lugha ya maskini, lugha ya akina yahe, au lugha ipasayo kutumiwa na watu wasioelemika. Hapo ndipo hushikwa na butwaa na ghadhabu. Ghadhabu kwa sababu wanaohubiri kanisani au katika sherehe au kongamano yoyote ile ya Wakenya, wao hukusudia kuongea kwa Kiingereza cha Wamarekani. Kisa na maana: Kiswahili ni kama lugha ya wapumbavu, wachochole, wala hoi na wenye dhambi. Wakenya waliozaliwa Kenya, wakalazimishwa kukifanya Kiswahili toka utotoni hadi shule ya sekondari, sasa wanakikana na kuidunisha lugha iliowalea wao, lugha iliowafanya kuvuka daraja ya ujinga wakajipata Marekani. Sasa wanachozingatia kwa makini, ni kuongea kwa lafudhi wasioilewa ipasavyo: mmmm gonna, gotta, wanna, woraa, what the ...., what did you just say, excuse me, Gad, na kadhalika. Mbona Wakenya waishio Bara Hindi hawangei na lafudhi ya Kihindi? Jiulize na ujijibu. Hata 'mwakilishi' hakupendezwa na blogu zangu(oped) za KIswahili katika jarida lake. Nikafunga virago vyangu nikavikunja kama mkeka. Wakenya ongeeni lugha hii katika kongamano zote zile. Hii ni kwa sababu lugha hii inawakumbusha na kuwaunganisha na mlikotoka.
Kusema kweli, huwezi kufundisha "Mila" za Kiswahili. Kwa nini? Watu wote ambao wanasema Kiswahili, kila msemaji ana mila zake, na isitoshe tabia zake ni tofauti sana jirani yake.
Taasisi hii inaweza kufundisha historia ya wanaosema Kiswahili, na pia usemaji wa lugha ya Kiswahili. Basi: Kusema wanafundisha mila za Waswahili ni porojo tupu tu!