Bajuni people

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The Bajuni people belong to the coastal region of East Africa, in particular northern Kenya and southern Somalia. They are traditionally sailors or fishermen, as well as pursuing other trades such as farming. The Bajuni people call themselves "Wabajuni". They speak Kibajuni, a language very close to Kiswahili. They are Muslims and their dialect of Swahili contains many Islamic words and phrases as compared to "inland" Swahili. The language has its own distinctive words and pronunciation; for example, the word "kichwa" (head) in standard Swahili is pronounced "kitwa" in Kibajuni. As a result of interethnic violence, some Bajuni have been driven to the United States and Europe.