Swahili Trek

Since I've been engulfed in Swahili over the last few years, I've heard it in some unexpected places. After connecting cable TV in my house in Zanzibar, I'm watching movies I never would have otherwise, and Swahili seems to be the 'go-to' foreign/ethnic/tribal language in Hollywood. It's an interesting use of a language once known as the 'language of civilization' or 'Kiungwana'.

I'm now on Star trek 'wiki', reading about Lt. Uhura's escapades through the universe. Lt. Uhura -you guessed it- is a Swahili speaking space explorer, the only African on the Enterprise. Her name means 'Star Freedom' (uhuru has been changed to uhura in the show). I'm not sure if the small Mercury space station here in Zanzibar inspired the writers to get a Swahili women in space, but Nyota Uhura's definately Mswahili; according to the shows' many fan sites, she's from the United States of Africa. Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura in the original series, is also a spokesperson for the Kiwanzaa Foundation (yes, Swahili again!) and was one of the first black women on an inter-racial American TV show.

For Trekkies or hard-core Swahili fans, Nichelle Nichols' Swahili speaking Nyota Uhura

I'm inviting Swahili students to join the search for more examples! Go to 'Teach me Kiswahili' on the Mambo forum here.