SOAS led workshop explores AI and gaming for heritage engagement in Kenya
An interactive workshop led by Dr Marie Rodet, explored new ways of engaging with African history through gaming and artificial intelligence in Kenya earlier this month.
Supported by SOAS Impact and Knowledge Exchange (IKE) funding, the project brings together academic research, creative practice and community collaboration at Fort Jesus, UNESCO World Heritage in Mombasa, Kenya.
Working with young creatives in Mombasa was incredibly rewarding and underscored that the future of digital heritage and AI lies in collaboration—where technology and local knowledge come together.
Unveiled at Fort Jesus as part of a two-day co-creation workshop held at SwahiliPot, the Umoja game is an interactive narrative-based experience exploring Kenyan histories of resistance to slavery, serves as the foundation for this new AI-driven extension.
The workshop brought together youth creatives, developers, and cultural practitioners to collaborate on its development - while also developing a conversational AI avatar based on the life and legacy of James Juma Mbotela, Umoja enable players to engage more interactively with historical narratives.
Alongside Dr Marie Rodet, Dr Ida Hadjivayanis contributed her expertise as a leading scholar in Swahili–English translation, strengthening the workshop’s multilingual and cross-cultural dimensions.
Dr Rodet, Reader in the History of Africa added: “Working with young creatives in Mombasa was incredibly rewarding and underscored that the future of digital heritage and AI lies in collaboration—where technology and local knowledge come together. The workshop showed how AI can move beyond being just a tool, opening up more interactive and inclusive ways to engage with and share complex African histories.”
Developed in partnership with National Museums of Kenya, SwahiliPot and JIWE Studios, the project highlights how digital innovation can build on existing cultural content to create new forms of engagement while also placing local knowledge, heritage and at the centre of the game. By combining AI technologies with community-driven design, the initiative reflects SOAS’s commitment to equitable global partnerships and demonstrates how digital tools can open up more dynamic, interactive ways of engaging with African histories.
Umoja is now available via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
