Introduction

Greetings play an important role in day-to-day life in Africa. Everyone has to know the welfare of each other as they connect with the community. In this article, explore the three types of greetings from Kenya, the importance of greetings, and how to accommodate greetings in this evolving digital era. 

Communal Greetings

Shikamoo: Shikamoo is a Swahili term for greetings, mainly used in East Africa, especially in Tanzania and the coastal parts of Kenya. It is a greeting of respect from a younger person to an older person. The young person greets the older one with “shikamoo,” and the older person responds with “marahaba.” In Tanzania, it is very strict that whenever a younger person meets an older person, the young person greets the older person with “shikamoo,” failure of which results in communal punishment. David Zerembka notes that “if a person passes a school just as the students are going home, each one will say shikamoo, requiring the response of marahaba hundreds of times until one is hoarse.” In Coastal Kenya, if a younger person bypasses an older person without saying “shikamoo,” it may result in insults. 

Suvaa: Suvaa is a Maa greeting amongst the Maasai and Samburu people in Kenya. When people meet one another, one greets the other by saying “suvaa,” and the respondent replies with “suvaalei,” signaling that all is well and there is no need for alarm. 

Mulembe: This is the greeting of the Luhya people of Western Kenya. Whenever two or more people meet, one greets the other by saying “mulembe,” and the other person responds with “mulembe.” This signals that all is peaceful and there is peace. 

Importance of African Greetings

Greetings in Africa are important in the following ways:

Firstly, greetings in Africa mark the beginning of conversations among people. It becomes challenging to start a conversation without knowing how one is faring or if he/she is in a position to engage in the conversation without greetings first.

Secondly, greetings in Africa support community connections. Various communities and families get closer to each other through greetings as they support each other socially, economically, religiously, and politically.

Thirdly, greetings in Africa promote discipline from the younger generation to the older generation. The virtue is cultivated and promoted from one generation to another, hence creating human harmony.

Lastly, greetings in Africa promote human relationships. Through greetings, people are able to establish relationships that result in marriages, job opportunities, educational scholarships, and business opportunities.

Integrating Africa Greetings in the Contemporary Digital World

As the world experiences the evolution of the digital era every day, it is important to incorporate greetings into social media spaces. Conversations need to begin with greetings from various communities in Africa. This will promote cultural understanding of greetings among the contemporary generation. 

Conclusion

Greetings are very vital in African communities, hence a reason to be emphasized by promoting their use in the native forms.