Muslim Cultures beyond the Aperture: An East African Photo-Story Illuminated by First-Hand Accounts

Abstract

This paper is an exploration of Indian Muslim culture in East Africa through pre- and post-independence eras via the medium of photography.It examines the art and craft of photographic practice, the training of photographers, their social networks and those of their patrons, as well as the personal context of photographs. It also discusses the dispersal of archives and personal collections.It is based upon first-hand accounts from professional photographers, their family members as well as patrons, whose ancestors travelled from India via Indian Ocean trade routes. Fareh te chareh is a Gujarati proverb meaning ‘A person who roams advances.’