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Khokholkova N., Ivanchenko O. “Swahili and Peace”: Symbols of Tanzanian National Identity (Based on Materials from the 2024 Field Study)

N. Khokholkova
Institute for African Studies of the RAS;
The Russian State University for the Humanities
Moscow, Russia
ORCID: 0000-0002-5165-1925
E-mail: khokholkova@gmail.com  

 

O. Ivanchenko
Institute for African Studies of the RAS;
The Russian State University for the Humanities
Moscow, Russia
ORCID: 0000-0002-4343-9844
E-mail: ayleen@yandex.ru

 

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ABSTRACT. The development of national identity in sub-Saharan Africa remains a crucial issue to this day. Among other countries, Tanzania stands out as a unique example of a state that has come very close to completing the nation-building process. The paper analyzes contemporary Tanzanians’ perceptions of symbols of national identity. The study is based on the fieldwork conducted in 2024 in northern Tanzania. During the expedition, 20 structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted in English and Swahili. Respondents were asked questions about key events and figures in Tanzanian history, the role of Arabs and Europeans in the nation-building process, interethnic relations in the country, and their views on the meaning and components of the category “Tanzanian nation”. A review of the historiography on the topic and an analysis of respondents’ answers once again confirmed the existence of a consolidated national community. The authors focus on the development of ideas concerning the commemorative and symbolic components of the concept “Tanzanian nation”. The study identified three main groups of symbols: cultural and moral values, natural values, and official state attributes. Particular attention is paid to the role of the Swahili language, the nature of moral categories (peace, freedom, unity), and the ideological significance of the “Torch of Freedom”. These categories have had a significant impact on the formation of national culture and the consolidation of society. The authors conclude that Tanzanians’ collective perception of national identity can be described by the phrase “Kiswahili na Amani” (“Swahili and Peace”).

 

KEYWORDS: Tanzania, national identity, symbols, Swahili, cultural values

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8600-2026-1(31)-254-273
UDC 39 (=352.41) (470.621)

 

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