The Wisdom Behind the Greeting Shikamoo

 

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

Early on May 25, 2026, Mwanakwetu went to a café to have tea. Unfortunately, even by 9:00 a.m., the café had not yet prepared the drink, so he decided to return.

On his way back, he met an older acquaintance and greeted him. While they were still exchanging greetings, another elder passed by and greeted them both with, Habari zenu! (How are you all?). They replied, Njema (We are fine). This passerby then went further and greeted the man standing next to Mwanakwetu with Shikamoo. The man responded, Marahaba.

 

After the passerby left, the man who had been greeted with Shikamoo asked:

 “Between me and that man who greeted me with Shikamoo, who is older?”

Mwanakwetu replied that they were about the same age.

 

The man then asked:

“Was it appropriate for him to greet me with Shikamoo?”

Mwanakwetu explained that it could indeed be appropriate, since Shikamoo can be used for various reasons. Curious, the man wanted to know those reasons.

Mwanakwetu elaborated:

“Shikamoo is a greeting used to show respect, whether to someone nearby or far away, especially now with modern communication technologies like video calls, phones, and social media. The word comes from two Swahili roots: ‘shika’ meaning ‘to hold/touch’ and ‘moo’ meaning ‘feet.’ The response ‘Marahaba’ is said to come from ‘mara’ (times) and ‘haba’ (few), loosely implying humility or acknowledgment. It can also simply mean ‘thank you’ or ‘I accept your respect.’”

Historically, this greeting became widespread during the era of the slave trade along the East African coast, where a slave would say Shikamoo and the Arab master would respond Marahaba.

 

Mwanakwetu continued:

“Shikamoo is commonly used by a younger person toward an elder—for example, a child to a parent, or a student to a teacher. However, it can also be used by an older person toward someone younger who holds authority. For instance, an older person might greet a younger leader with Shikamoo out of respect for their position. In such cases, respect is directed toward authority rather than age.”

Mwanakwetu added:

“It can also be used within family structures—for example, when greeting uncles, aunts, or in-laws. Even if the one giving the greeting is older, they may still say Shikamoo out of respect for familial roles such as fatherhood or motherhood, which are highly valued in Swahili culture.”

Returning to the situation, Mwanakwetu explained:

“That elder likely greeted you with Shikamoo because of your leadership role. It was respect for your position, not your age.”

The man agreed, noting that even in his own life, when visiting his in-laws, he greets his wife’s sisters with Shikamoo, even if he is older than them—out of respect for their relationship to his wife, not because of age.

Later, Mwanakwetu parted ways with the man and went on to write this article.

 

What is the message today?

This article aims to deepen understanding of how the greeting Shikamoo–Marahaba should be used appropriately in different contexts.

If someone older than you greets you with Shikamoo, do not hesitate to respond with Marahaba. There is always a reason behind such a greeting. Responding warmly can help the person feel comfortable and open up—for example, a parent greeting a teacher or a patient greeting a doctor. In these cases, the respect is for your role, not your age.

Are you there, dear reader? Remember:

“The wisdom of the greeting Shikamoo.”

Have a nice day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com

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NB.The writer of this article is a Swahili language teacher in Tanzania with 10 years of experience and a journalist with over 20 years of experience.