#zanzibar

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The Spice Souk's Secret | ุณุฑ ุณูˆู‚ ุงู„ุชูˆุงุจู„

The Spice Souk's Secret | ุณุฑ ุณูˆู‚ ุงู„ุชูˆุงุจู„

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข3 min read

In the spice markets of Zanzibar, a merchant's widow meets a visiting historian. Between cloves and cardamom, they discover unexpected chemistry.

arabiczanzibarspices
The Zanzibar Spice Trader | ุชุงุฌุฑุฉ ุงู„ุชูˆุงุจู„ ุงู„ุฒู†ุฌุจุงุฑูŠุฉ

The Zanzibar Spice Trader | ุชุงุฌุฑุฉ ุงู„ุชูˆุงุจู„ ุงู„ุฒู†ุฌุจุงุฑูŠุฉ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

She trades spices from the Zanzibar markets her family has run for generations. He's the chef seeking rare flavors. Together, they create something new.

arabiczanzibarspice
ุฏูŽุฑู’ุณู ุงู„ุชูŽู‘ุนูŽุฌูู‘ุจู | The Lesson of Exclamation

ุฏูŽุฑู’ุณู ุงู„ุชูŽู‘ุนูŽุฌูู‘ุจู | The Lesson of Exclamation

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข6 min read

A traveler in medieval Zanzibar learns the grammar of wonder through ุงู„ุชุนุฌุจ, as she discovers that some beauties defy description.

arabicgrammarclassical-arabic
The Antique Dealer's Wife of Stone Town | Mke wa Muuzaji wa Vitu vya Kale wa Stone Town | ุฒูŽูˆู’ุฌูŽุฉู ุชุงุฌูุฑู ุงู„ุชูู‘ุญูŽูู ููŠ ุงู„ู…ูŽุฏูŠู†ูŽุฉู ุงู„ุญูŽุฌูŽุฑููŠูŽู‘ุฉ

The Antique Dealer's Wife of Stone Town | Mke wa Muuzaji wa Vitu vya Kale wa Stone Town | ุฒูŽูˆู’ุฌูŽุฉู ุชุงุฌูุฑู ุงู„ุชูู‘ุญูŽูู ููŠ ุงู„ู…ูŽุฏูŠู†ูŽุฉู ุงู„ุญูŽุฌูŽุฑููŠูŽู‘ุฉ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข8 min read

In the labyrinthine alleys of Stone Town, an antique dealer's voluptuous wife shows a young European collector the hidden treasures no tourist ever sees.

classical-arabicarabicswahili
The Ruins Guardian's Wife of Unguja Ukuu | Mke wa Mlinzi wa Magofu wa Unguja Ukuu | ุฒูŽูˆู’ุฌูŽุฉู ุญุงุฑูุณู ุงู„ุขุซุงุฑู ููŠ ุฃูˆู†ู’ุบูˆุฌุง ุฃูˆูƒูˆ

The Ruins Guardian's Wife of Unguja Ukuu | Mke wa Mlinzi wa Magofu wa Unguja Ukuu | ุฒูŽูˆู’ุฌูŽุฉู ุญุงุฑูุณู ุงู„ุขุซุงุฑู ููŠ ุฃูˆู†ู’ุบูˆุฌุง ุฃูˆูƒูˆ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข7 min read

At the ancient site of Unguja Ukuu, the oldest settlement on Zanzibar, a ruins guardian's voluptuous wife reveals ancient secrets to the young archaeologist who disturbs the past.

classical-arabicarabicswahili
The Seaweed Farmer's Wife of Ras Nungwi | Mke wa Mkulima wa Mwani wa Ras Nungwi | ุฒูŽูˆู’ุฌูŽุฉู ู…ูุฒุงุฑูุนู ุงู„ุฃูŽุนู’ุดุงุจู ุงู„ุจูŽุญู’ุฑููŠูŽู‘ุฉู ููŠ ุฑุงุณู’ ู†ูˆู†ู’ุบู’ูˆูŠ

The Seaweed Farmer's Wife of Ras Nungwi | Mke wa Mkulima wa Mwani wa Ras Nungwi | ุฒูŽูˆู’ุฌูŽุฉู ู…ูุฒุงุฑูุนู ุงู„ุฃูŽุนู’ุดุงุจู ุงู„ุจูŽุญู’ุฑููŠูŽู‘ุฉู ููŠ ุฑุงุณู’ ู†ูˆู†ู’ุบู’ูˆูŠ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข8 min read

At the northern tip of Zanzibar, a seaweed farmer's voluptuous wife shares the secrets of the tides with a young marine biologist from the mainland.

classical-arabicarabicswahili
The Spice Merchant's Daughter of Zanzibar | ุจูู†ู’ุชู ุชุงุฌูุฑู ุงู„ุชูŽู‘ูˆุงุจูู„ู ููŠ ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑ

The Spice Merchant's Daughter of Zanzibar | ุจูู†ู’ุชู ุชุงุฌูุฑู ุงู„ุชูŽู‘ูˆุงุจูู„ู ููŠ ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข6 min read

In the fragrant spice markets of Zanzibar, a merchant's voluptuous daughter discovers forbidden pleasures with her father's trusted Arab business partner.

classical-arabicarabicswahili
The Sultan's Concubine of Zanzibar | ุฌุงุฑููŠูŽุฉู ุงู„ุณูู‘ู„ู’ุทุงู†ู ููŠ ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑ

The Sultan's Concubine of Zanzibar | ุฌุงุฑููŠูŽุฉู ุงู„ุณูู‘ู„ู’ุทุงู†ู ููŠ ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข5 min read

In the palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar, a neglected concubine finds forbidden pleasure with the young palace guard who watches over her quarters.

classical-arabicarabicswahili
The Elder's Wives

The Elder's Wives

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข7 min read

When the elder leaves for business, his four wives turn to the household's young driver. What starts with one becomes all fourโ€”together.

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The Patriarch's Wife

The Patriarch's Wife

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข9 min read

His father remarries a Zanzibari woman half his age but twice his appetite. When baba travels, she shows her stepson the old Stone Town ways.

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Caught at Fajr

Caught at Fajr

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข7 min read

His aunt catches him with the housekeeper at dawn prayers. Her silence has a priceโ€”and it's due every morning before sunrise.

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The Translator

The Translator

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข3 min read

She translates for foreign delegations visiting Zanzibar. He's the junior trade attachรฉ. Between languages, they find a communication that needs no words.

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The Perfume Maker

The Perfume Maker

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข5 min read

She creates custom perfumes for Zanzibar's elite. To make his scent, she needs to know his body intimately. The best perfumes are mixed on skin.

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The Seamstress

The Seamstress

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข5 min read

She makes wedding clothes for Stone Town's elite. When measuring the groom, her tape goes places tradition never intended. Some fittings require private adjustments.

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The Quran Teacher

The Quran Teacher

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข7 min read

She teaches Quran to the children of Zanzibar's elite. When a grown man comes to her for lessons, she teaches him things not found in any holy book.

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The Second Mother

The Second Mother

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข6 min read

His birth mother died when he was an infant. His father's first wife raised him as her own. Now widowed, she wants repaymentโ€”and the currency isn't what he expected.

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The Clove Trader | ุชุงุฌูุฑู ุงู„ู‚ูŽุฑูŽู†ู’ููู„ู

The Clove Trader | ุชุงุฌูุฑู ุงู„ู‚ูŽุฑูŽู†ู’ููู„ู

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

An Omani merchant discovers the secret of clove cultivation in Zanzibar

classical-arabicarabicomani
The Ivory Crown | ุชุงุฌู ุงู„ุนุงุฌู

The Ivory Crown | ุชุงุฌู ุงู„ุนุงุฌู

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

A forbidden love story between an Omani prince and an African princess

classical-arabicarabicomani
The Pearl of Pemba | ู„ูุคู’ู„ูุคูŽุฉู ุจูู…ู’ุจุง

The Pearl of Pemba | ู„ูุคู’ู„ูุคูŽุฉู ุจูู…ู’ุจุง

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

A legendary pearl diver discovers the greatest pearl ever found near Pemba Island

classical-arabicarabicomani
The Slave Who Became King | ุงู„ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ูŽู‘ุฐููŠ ุตุงุฑูŽ ู…ูŽู„ููƒู‹ุง

The Slave Who Became King | ุงู„ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ูŽู‘ุฐููŠ ุตุงุฑูŽ ู…ูŽู„ููƒู‹ุง

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

A freed slave rises through courage and wisdom to become a powerful ruler

classical-arabicarabicomani
The Sultan of Zanzibar | ุณูู„ู’ุทุงู†ู ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑูŽ

The Sultan of Zanzibar | ุณูู„ู’ุทุงู†ู ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑูŽ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

The legendary rise of an Omani prince who became the ruler of the spice island

classical-arabicarabicomani
The Swahili Scholar | ุงู„ุนุงู„ูู…ู ุงู„ุณูŽู‘ูˆุงุญูู„ููŠูู‘

The Swahili Scholar | ุงู„ุนุงู„ูู…ู ุงู„ุณูŽู‘ูˆุงุญูู„ููŠูู‘

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข2 min read

An Omani scholar teaches Arabic and Islam to the people of the East African coast

classical-arabicarabicomani
The Zanzibar Princess | ุฃูŽู…ููŠุฑูŽุฉู ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑูŽ

The Zanzibar Princess | ุฃูŽู…ููŠุฑูŽุฉู ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑูŽ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข3 min read

An Omani princess in Zanzibar must choose between her royal duty and her secret rebellion

classical-arabicarabicomani
Milk Kinship

Milk Kinship

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข7 min read

In Islam, if a woman nurses a child, he becomes haram to marry. But she only nursed him twiceโ€”not the five times the law requires. They're forbidden by tradition. Permitted by technicality. And desperate for each other.

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The Merchant Prince of Zanzibar | ุฃูŽู…ูŠุฑู ุงู„ุชูู‘ุฌู‘ุงุฑู ููŠ ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑ

The Merchant Prince of Zanzibar | ุฃูŽู…ูŠุฑู ุงู„ุชูู‘ุฌู‘ุงุฑู ููŠ ุฒูŽู†ู’ุฌูุจุงุฑ

Anastasia Chromeโ€ข7 min read

On the spice island of Zanzibar, a wealthy merchant's lonely wife finds forbidden ecstasy with a young Arab sailor whose ship brings more than just goods to her shores.

classical-arabicarabichistorical