Bibi Jordan - Swahili Chic

User Reviews

“I have just completed my safari through your book. It is so informative and entertaining. You have made me see the beauty of our ‘things.’ When time comes to build my house in the village, I will ‘Swahilize’ it like you have done. I think all your ideas are wonderful. Your writings will put Swahili culture on the map.

I am very happy to see your final product of what was an idea at infancy stage when we met. Not many people follow their dreams. It seems you do and therefore you deserve credit. I regard your work as a significant contribution towards poverty reduction in East Africa, and we are looking forward to more tourists visiting our our areas.”
– Mohamed Muombwa
Director, Department of Union Affairs
Chief Minister Office
Zanzibar, Tanzania
www.mzuri-kaja.or.tz

“What a beautiful book, evoking such an exotic, special place in the world! My husband and I own an apartment just outside Mombasa and this book captures beautifully the unique architecture and culture . . . and, more importantly, the gorgeous people. When we are not in Mombasa, we can now dip in to this book and remind ourselves of the sights and sounds and smells of the Swahili coast!'”
– Elizabeth Loker
Head of IBM UK Workforce Diversity and Inclusion
Edgeworth, Gloucestershire, UK

“There are great photographers with no text (like the Ashes & Snow) and there are great books on Africa with not accompanying photos to enhance the text. You have quite a knack for combining words with pictures, a task not easily achieved by many.”
– Don Mann
Location Manager
Malibu, CA

“Your book has already given me so many ideas about how to redecorate our house. Over the years we have collected furnishings from all over the world and only after looking at your photographs was I able to see how to blend them all into one cohesive look. Thank you for the insight and inspiration!”
– Barbara Fish
Lecturer, Pierce College
Woodland Hills, CA

“Finally, a coffee-table book with text as beautiful as the photographs! As an architect, I appreciated all the information you provided regarding the layout and construction of Swahili Stone Houses, as well as the symbolism embodied in the fabrics and customs of the Swahili. I amazed at how applicable Swahili designs are to the work I’m doing here in Brazil.
Beatrice Alvarez-Roldao
Architect
Brazilia, Brazil

WOW! The book is simply amazing. I knew it would be good, but you really did an excellent job. It will be a fixture on our coffee table for a long time.
Brax Cutchin
Musician
Los Angeles, CA
www.brax.net

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Beautiful shells, azure glass and bewitching treasures are used by Swahili shamans for talasimu (amulets) to court maruhani (good spirits). From around the world, I’ve been blessed with the help of kindred spirits. Mentors, colleagues, friends and family… these are my lucky charms that turned an idea into a book.

A man alone cannot launch a ship.
– Swahili proverb

"The beautiful photographs in this book are wonderful testimony to the skill and sensitivity of the author who has produced something quite different from the run of the mill publications on East Africa. I trust it will enjoy a wide circulation!”
– Richard Leakey,
Author/paleontologist
Past Director of Wildlife and Conservation, Kenya

Swahili Chic deserves a prominent place on the book shelf of anyone enthralled by innovative and stunning decor and interior design. Bibi Jordan has encapsulated the unique and spellbinding style of one of the most unknown and romantic architecture treasures of the Africa Continent -- an inspirational blend of Indian, Persian, African and Arabian cultures inspired by the century old dhow sea trade which for centuries dominated the Arabian Gulf.
– Angela Fisher and Carol Beckwith,
authors African Ceremonies and Africa Adorned

Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa, a new book by author and photographer Bibi Jordan, who is a great friend of Kenya, provides an extraordinary look into the architecture, design, and décor of Kenya’s coastal communities. With magnificent photographs and prefaces to Kenya’s history and culture, this beautiful book is a work of art that captures the magical beauty and sophistication of the Swahili coastal culture and brings it to your home.

It is also a fascinating introduction to an intriguing culture that never fails to charm the traveler with its magical ‘Arabian Night’ ambience and idyllic coral island setting, all so powerfully conveyed in the photography and prose of Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa. Beyond its admirable form and content, this book proves that no African safari is complete without a sojourn on ‘the sweet Swahili shores.’ Enjoy!
– His Excellency Ambassador Peter Ogego
Embassy of Kenya
Washington, D.C.

"Before you book your tour, tour this book! It’s a tour de force that connects Ancient History with New Age. Verbally and visually exuberant, Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa is written in a wondrous, flowing tone that evokes the fragrance, the harmony, the luminance and the accumulated wisdom of the Swahili in a presentation as lyrical as it is learned. I found it, like good health, deeply satisfying."
– Jessica L. Jamerson
Managing Editor
Your Health Connection
www.yhcmagazine.com

"Gloriously illustrated book… ideal for the armchair traveler, globetrotting adventurer as well as decorating devotees!"
– Concept for Living Magazine

"A visual feast!"
– Vogue Magazine UK

"As pages of white walls, dark woods, expanses of blue sky or sea and bursts of rich bright fabric drift by, the reader is struck by the balancing of cultures, by the subtlety of overlapping textures. You can feel the surf breeze catching the cloth. The non-representative geometry of Islamic art in the patina of plaster walls is echoed in the patterns made by colonial can furniture and picked up in Asian pottery…. Jordan is respectful of the places and people she photographs. Unlike the brasher international design books, Swahili Chic is elegant and informed. It comes with a glossary of Swahili words and is scattered with quotations from all the peoples who have made a home in East Africa. “Live harmoniously together like the coffee that takes the shape of the cup” runs one piece of Swahili wisdom."
– The Independent on Sunday

This magnificent book is a ‘must have’ for anyone already smitten by the allure of the Swahili coast, anyone planning a trip to East Africa’s golden beaches, and everyone who loves the exotic and beautiful.

Like the culture it celebrates, Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa is many-layered and multi-faceted. It might seem an impossible task to create a book that is at once a fascinating introduction to Swahili history and society, a sumptuous photographic portrait, and a useful and inspiring décor reference book, but Bibi Jordan has achieved that with Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa.

Bibi Jordan truly understands the complexity and nuance of Swahili culture, and her words and photographs not only manifest her love for this part of the world, but also testify to her deep respect for the traditions and values that are the foundation of all aspects of Swahili live.

The Swahili coast doesn’t just attract visitors, it seduces them, and Bibi Jordan has captured that mysterious seductive quality and reveals it between the covers of her book. Swahili culture has always been dynamic: continuously and gracefully incorporating
influences and elements from all points on the compass. Now, thanks to Swahili Chic:
the Feng Shui of Africa, the beauty, the grace, and the rich heart of Swahili culture can radiate outwards and bring its magic to homes all over the world.
– Donald Young
Chairman, Newland, Tarlton & Co. Safaris
Kenya and USA

“Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa is a celebration of the Beauty and Spirit of the Swahili Stone Towns from ancient times to the present day. This incomparable architecture with its solid simplified forms, the shady patios radiant with color and the sheer beauty of the interiors is a legacy enchantingly presented in this most fascinating book.”
– Renee Amital,
Architect
Originator of ClubMed

“…a sensitive and visually pleasing window into the Swahili world for those with limited exposure to this distinct location… <that> provides imaginative insights into the lifestyles of the rich and famous people who were the product of the 19th century Indian Ocean cultures and traditions…. Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa enables a Western audience to visualize the elegance, sophistication and complexities of a culture and tradition that continues to change with the times. In an increasingly hostile 9/11 world that yearns for a sense of global community and commonality, there is a need for more people to understand and embrace the beauty of diversity in lieu of emphasizing the fault lines of conflict.”
– Professor Paul Kaiser,
African Studies Center,
University of Pennsylvania

“Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa cleverly depicts the common cultural traits and aspirations that are part of the human condition and which we share with the Swahili people. What is intriguing about Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa is that it addresses several concerns of an average American reader who may regard this book as an inspiration for ideas for interior design, as an educational journey to an area and culture that is unique even within Africa, or as a spiritual journey that has resonance within groups that already have a bond with the Swahili culture. I believe this work provides new knowledge about a region, though distant, but has much to offer in how we could blend all our cultural diversities in one unit that provides serenity and calm to our lives.”
– Dr. Ali B Ali-Dinar,
African Studies Center,
University of Pennsylvania

"Stunning photographs complement intriguing text that masterfully illuminates the Swahili people's long and fascinating relationship with the Chinese civilization. Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa is a well-researched, realistic, coffee table book that is sensitive to the feelings of most Africans and a complement to work by top scholars of East African history. A Swahili proverb states, Elimu kaipate Uchina, ikilazimu, (Go as far as China to learn, if necessary.) Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa illustrates the valuable lessons the West can learn by going as far as Africa.”
– Dr. Keene wa Mutiso,
Professor, Swahili Studies
University of Nairobi, Kenya

“It is most important that the American public become aware of the history and culture of the people of the Swahili Coast of Africa, and a book which discusses these in an accessible manner, as this book does, is most welcome. Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa is not just a history book, however, but a celebration of the unique and historic style of the Stone Houses of Lamu and Zanzibar as well. The decorative style of the Swahili – a fusion of African, Muslim and European elements – is well-known in academic circles, but somehow has never been popularized. This book, well-written and beautifully photographed as it is, achieves this admirably.”
– Dr. Anne M. Jennings,
Author, The Nubians of West Aswan

“Unlike academic books that may present material in rather stuffy style and impersonal manner, Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa seems to be a very entertaining and accessible book for not only encountering Swahili architecture, but also looking at the history of the architecture and the people. It is written in an engaging, informative, yet enjoyable style… It definitely will be required reading for my students.”
– Professor Deo Ngonyani,
Department of Linguistics,
Michigan State University

“We, at the African Millennium Foundation, applaud Bibi Jordan’s commitment to capturing the best of Africa in photographs and text and weaving them together into a story that captivates the American audience. Just as “Safari Chic” impressed readers with the luxury and style of the African bush, Swahili Chic: the Feng Shui of Africa promises to awaken Americans to the architecture and history of the coastal resorts of East Africa. For all of us striving to empower Africa, it is important that books such as this capture the best of Africa and be available to readers around the world.”
– Joe Sive,
Chairman
African Millennium Foundation

“The photograph exhibit was one of the most impressive and professional events that we have hosted. Both the slide show presentation and the teacher’s guide made this a wonderful presentation to share with our multi-cultural audience. Numerous visitors expressed appreciation at your ability to capture the spirit of the Swahili people and the beauty of their culture.”
– Joyce Maddox,
Curator
William Grant Art Center, Los Angeles

PRAISE FOR SAFARI CHIC:

We are all islands… in a common sea.
– Ann Morrow Lindbergh

“In photographs and editorial, Bibi Jordan conveys the intoxicating appeal of the wild settings, original style and eclectic personalities that first lured me to Africa.”
– Peter Beard,
Author/Photographer
The End of the Game, Eyelids of Dawn, Scrapbooks from Africa and Beyond

“I have spent much of my life learning from Africa, and now I learn again. Africa has produced a distinctive style of its own.To enjoy it is to appreciate why Africa, its people, its wildlife, its wild lands are so alive, so vital, so universal, and, in the end, so familiar to us all.”
– John Heminway,
Author
African Journeys, No Man’s Land, The Imminent Rains

‘…a must for the design-hungry!”
– Harper’s Bazaar

‘one of those must-reads for old Africa hands… and those who want to be.”
– Playboy Magazine

‘‘…tailor made for the armchair traveler and the designer…’
– Los Angeles Times

“no ordinary travel – or decorating – book, it shares the awesome beauty of that exotic continent through photos and anecdotes…”
– Los Angeles Daily News

“a unique book experience… with spectacular photographs, provocative stories and exciting personalities, we are taken of a journey of adventure and romance.”
– Alexandra Stoddard,
Creating a Beautiful Home, Living a Beautiful Life, You Are Your Choices