Shelby Ann Mohrs

When did Zanzibari cuisine(s) become Zanzibari? This project examines the formation of distinct Zanzibari cuisines in the 6th-15th centuries CE during the rise of urbanization and cosmopolitanism. To accomplish this, I will focus on four distinct sites on two islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago: Unguja Ukuu on Unguja and Bandari ya Furaja, Bandari Kuu, and Mkia wa Ng’ombe on Pemba. During the 6th-15th centuries, villages in Unguja and Pemba developed into major cosmopolitan trade centers in the Indian Ocean World. Understanding the links between cuisine, identity, and cosmopolitanism is salient today as new ancient DNA studies have transformed our understanding of the “origins” of the Swahili (Brielle et al. 2023). Therefore, this multi-sited project provides important nuance to regional similarities and differences in Zanzibari cuisine throughout time. To investigate these changes, I will utilize archaeobotanical research to investigate when, where, and how discrete Zanzibari cuisines formed. I hypothesize that as the four sites grew into urban cosmopolitan cities centered on the Indian Ocean trade, there were changes in ingredients and cooking techniques. In investigating these changes, this project will contribute to a growing focus on African cuisines that center local conceptions of food and identity.