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The Lamu Maulidi festival is a four-day Islamic festival held during the third month of the Muslim calendar to celebrate the birth of Prophet Mohammed. It is also part of activities to celebrate the island as a UNICEF World Heritage Site.

The Lamu Maulidi festival
photo gallery

The festival brings visitors and pilgrims to Lamu from far afield for recitals of praise poems, music and dances, calligraphy and art exhibits, dhow and donkey races, swimming competitions and finally a lively parade or zeffe that winds through the narrow alleyways of the town, lined by cheering crowds. Below are a select photographs from a past Maulidi festival in Lamu.

Maulidi festival enthusiasts being entertained during a past Maulidi festival in Lamu County. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED

Lamu people are renowned experts in walking-sticks (bakora) fights. Here they display their knowledge during the Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Some activities of the Lamu Maulidi festival are hosted at the Riadha Mosque on the archipelago. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Key religious themes dominate during religious processions at the Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED

The sword-dance is a crowd puller during Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED

A religious procession along the picturesque Lamu waterfront during a past Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED

Lamu streets dotted with huge crowds during a past Maulidi festival religious procession. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Dice score contest (Bao la Kete) during a past Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Traditional drummers entertain guests during a past Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

The donkey race is a key event during the Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

The sword-dance is a key event during the Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

A religious procession during a past Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Animated entertainment outside Riadha Mosque in Lamu during a past Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

A religious procession at Lamu Island seafront during a past Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Lamu elders demonstrating their expertise in how to fight with walking sticks during a past Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

All manner of entertainment are displayed during the Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Happy Lamu residents taking part in a religious procession to mark the Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED.

Drumbeats dominate activities at the Lamu Maulidi festival. PHOTO/MAARUFU MOHAMMED

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