Linguistic Features of Makawa Inscriptions in Chake-Chake District, Pemba Island, Tanzania

Makawa are traditional Swahili food covers commonly used in households in Pemba Island, Tanzania. In addition to their practical function of covering and protecting food, Makawa may contain written inscriptions that communicate ideas, feelings, beliefs, and social values. Despite their presence in everyday Pemba society, these inscriptions have received limited linguistic attention. This study examined the linguistic features of Makawa inscriptions in Chake-Chake District, Pemba Island. The study was guided by Basic Linguistic Theory and Social Semiotic Theory. A qualitative approach and descriptive research design were employed. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and focus group discussions involving Makawa designers, weavers, elders, vendors, and custodians. The collected inscriptions were photographed, transcribed, translated where necessary, coded, and analysed thematically. The findings showed that Makawa inscriptions employed Kiswahili, Arabic, English, and mixed-language forms. They also demonstrated stylistic features such as rhyme and rhythm, parallelism, metaphor, proverbs, and hyperbole. In terms of sentence structure, simple, compound, complex, and conditional constructions were identified. These linguistic features enabled the inscriptions to communicate messages in memorable and accessible forms. The study therefore shows that Makawa inscriptions constitute meaningful forms of everyday linguistic and social communication in Pemba society.