20 March 2023
The National Museum Inaugurates “Oman Gallery” at Nairobi National Museum
The National Museum inaugurated today “Oman gallery” under the title “Oman -Kenya: A Collective Memory” at the Nairobi National Museum in the Republic of Kenya, as an embodiment of the common history and cultural heritage between the two countries, in the presence of His Excellency Jamal bin Hassan al-Moosawi, Secretary General of the National Museum, Dr. Edwin Jacob Abonyo, Chairman of the Board of the Directors of National Museums of Kenya and Mr. Said bin Muhammad al- Amri, Charge D’ affairs of the Sultanate of Oman’s Embassy in Nairobi in the Republic of Kenya, and a number of Eexcellencies , governors, official ambassadors, and a number of prominent Omani personalities in Kenya .
The gallery divided into four main sections, which are: Ancient South Arabian Kingdom, Omani influence at the East African Coast, development of Omani Kingdoms and dynasties, and key Omani personalities at the East African Coast.
The gallery celebrates the historical and cultural ties between the Republic of Kenya and the Sultanate of Oman. It offers a glimpse into the various kingdoms and dynasties in Southern Arabia and East Africa, with a reflection on notable Omani personalities.
The gallery also highlights aspects of cultural heritage of significance in world history. Cultural impacts on focus are the spread of Islam into the East African coast, the emergence of the Swahili peoples and culture through kinship across centuries, impacting all aspects of life, and the development of Mombasa and other trade centres.
The gallery recounts the important exploits of the Omanis in East Africa, such as the rich cultural heritage that they built, leaving an indelible mark in world history represented in the spread of Islam, the emergence of Swahili culture and people, and the development of Mombasa as a cultural artery for the coast of East Africa, and other important commercial cities. The gallery will open to the public until 2028 CE.
The gallery includes a collection of selected artefacts, including a compilation of Prose in Marine Sciences “Sufalia, Moa’lakiya and Alttayiya” by the author and copyist Ahmed bin Majid al-Sa’adi dating back to the 16th century. The manuscript provides an in-depth understanding of the sciences of the navigator Ahmed bin Majid al-Sa’adi on the coast of East Africa, In addition to a lithograph depicting Swahili people from the book "Documents on History, Geography and Trade in East Africa" by Charles Guillain dating back to 1857.
The selected artefacts include a letter holder belonging to Sayyid Sir Ali bin Salim al-Busaidi with depictions of key architectural features of Zanzibar made of silver, gold, and copper, dating back to 7 November 1932. Those also include an article titled “Be Where You Want” about a poem written by Sheikh Abdullah bin Saleh al-Farsi and presented on the occasion of the National Day of Sultan Khalifa bin Harib al-Busaidi. It was part of Al Nahda newspaper’s issues on 2 September 1954.
Moreover, the collection also comprises a facsimile of a single volume translation of the meanings of the Holy Quran into the Swahili Language. The single volume is a third edition which dates back to 1969. It was translated by Chief Justice Sheikh Abdullah Saleh al-Farsi and published by The Islamic Foundation in the Republic of Kenya. The collection contains a letter holder presented by The Arab Community of Kenya to Sheikh Sir Mubarak bin Ali al-Hinawy, on the occasion of being knighted in 1959.
It is worth noting that the Nairobi National Museum is the leading brand of national museums in the Republic of Kenya, showcasing Kenya`s rich heritage with four distinct themes representing the country`s culture, nature, history and contemporary art; Other attractions within the museum include the Snake Park and Botanical Gardens, as well as a state-of-the-art ballroom; The museum also includes exhibits that indicate the new and ancient civilization of Kenya.