Djibouti

At the mouth of the Red Sea, Djibouti's culture is shaped by Afar and Somali nomadic pastoralism and centuries of maritime trade.

Nature & herbalism Language & oral Crafts Music & dance Food & cooking

Knowledge in this place

Afar pastoral knowledge

Afar pastoral knowledge

Nomadic herders track scarce water and grazing across the volcanic Danakil lowlands.

Nature & herbalism

Somali gabay poetry

Somali gabay poetry

An oral tradition of long alliterative poems composed and recited from memory.

Language & oral

Dhow boat building

Dhow boat building

Shipwrights build wooden lateen-rigged dhows used for Red Sea fishing and trade.

Afar song and dance

Afar song and dance

Call-and-response songs and group dances mark weddings and pastoral festivals.

Skoudehkaris stew

Skoudehkaris stew

A spiced one-pot rice and meat dish considered the national dish of Djibouti.