Swahili

Swahili unites speakers throughout a wide region of East Africa, from Zanzibar on the Indian Ocean to Congo in Central Africa. This wide adoption makes Swahili one of the major languages of the African continent; it is an official language of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, as well as of the African Union. The cultural heritage of Swahili plays an important role in the African Diaspora, making it a prominent starting point in fields of African Studies, African-American Studies, and the study of other cultures of African origin throughout the world. Knowledge of Swahili is important to governmental work, international non-governmental organizations, and international business.

Habari Gani? [Ha-ba-rii Ga-nii]: "How are you?/What news?"

Department:
Department of African Cultural Studies

Advisor:
Andrew Bartsch, apbartsch@wisc.edu

Intro Class:
AFRICAN 331: First Semester Swahili

Contact Andrew Bartsch, apbartsch@wisc.edu, for details.

“Swahili is the most spoken language in Africa. It’s a language that’s really picking up and it can also help  professionally…and can boost your CV. It can raise eyebrows!”