Next: about 24 to 27 Jul 2027
Mwaka Kogwa
The Shirazi new year in Makunduchi, Zanzibar, with a mock fight and a feast of rice, coconut and spiced dishes.
Spices for Mwaka Kogwa
In late July the people of Makunduchi, in southern Zanzibar, celebrate the Shirazi new year with a symbolic fight with banana stalks, the burning of a hut and a shared meal. The tradition links back to the Persian new year, Nowruz, and the Persian settlers of the coast. The meal includes pilau, fish in coconut with turmeric and tamarind, and cassava with chilli, reflecting a coastal blend of Persian, Arab, Indian and African cooking.
The spices
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Mwaka Kogwa" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.