Culture & folklore
Languages
Shikomori, a Bantu language and cousin of Swahili, comes in four variants, one per island. Alongside it: French, Arabic and, in Mayotte, Kibushi.
Discover the archipelago
Culture & folklore
A shared language, grand marriages, women's and men's dances, tales of djinns, msindzano and embroidered kofias: Comorian culture is lived every day on all four islands.
Comorian culture is the fruit of a thousand years of mixing between Bantu Africa, the Arab-Muslim world, Persia and Madagascar. It is passed on above all orally, through tales, songs, proverbs and ceremonies. Islam, village life, respect for elders and custom structure society. Each island has its own nuances, but all share a common stock of traditions.
In this section
Culture & folklore
Music & dance
Twarab, chigoma, wadaha, debaa, m'biwi: drums, violins and songs accompany every stage of life.
Culture & folklore
Tales & legends
Djinns, sunken lakes, prophets and cunning heroes: Comorian folklore is passed on in the evening, from generation to generation. An introduction, before diving into the stories of the Hale halele section.
Culture & folklore
Customs & the grand marriage
The grand marriage, age groups, custom and rites of passage: the social rules that organise village life.
Culture & folklore
Crafts & costumes
Embroidered kofias, carved doors, gold jewellery, colourful chiromani and saluva, the msindzano mask: Comorian elegance.
Culture & folklore
Cuisine
Coconut milk, Indian Ocean spices, fish, cassava and breadfruit: a generous, fragrant cuisine made for sharing.
Culture & folklore
Festivals & religion
Ramadan, Mawlid, Eid, national holidays: Islam and the lunar calendar set the rhythm of the year throughout the archipelago.
Culture & folklore
Literature & arts
From oral poetry to contemporary novels, from painting to cinema: a lively creative scene, between the archipelago and the diaspora.
