Projects

The Khanga Spreadsheet catalogues the personal collection of 50 khanga made over 50 years by Elsbeth Court who taught ‘African Art’ at SOAS for 29 years using some of the pieces.

The spreadsheet aims to stimulate interest in this historical and iconic form of Swahili art, which has been appropriated widely and used variously in eastern and southern Africa and beyond.

The spreadsheet uses 17 variables/categories for each khanga: 10 provide basic information about its production and acquisition, 4 for its appearance, 4 for its saying and 1 for notes.

The Centre welcomes donations from people and organisations wishing to support its activities. If you are interested, you may wish to consider funding MA or PhD studentships, or events hosted by the Centre such as workshops, lectures or conferences. Please contact the Centre manager to discuss any possibilities further.