To What Extent is Old Town Mombasa a Swahili Town?

An Analytical Framework for Assessing Heritage Richness

Abstract

The identity of the Swahili remains fluid and contentious due to varying ethnography but also a history of intense contact and exchange with the outside world. This paper uses Mombasa Old Town in Kenya to illustrate an analytical framework that can be used to assess the authenticity of Swahili towns. The study utilized literature review, content analysis of archaeological and historical-cultural discourses, and interviews with key informants. Based on weighted variables across social logic and spatial practices, the study qualified Mombasa Old Town as a Swahili town at a moderate score of 60.5%. The study concluded that Mombasa Old Town is a mid-ranking town on the continuum of Swahili heritage. The study recommends that the approach to urban heritage should pay attention to the entire range of urban space discourse, including the way space was conceived, structured, and used, while pragmatically paying tribute to elements of place-making from the past.