Bikinis Among Nigabs

Zanzibar and the eastern coast of Kenya belong to the same culture, an Islam imported from Oman and Iran through the Indian Ocean and woven into tolerant African lores.

Both places have become fashionable destinations for tourists, most of them from Europe. Authorities and local inhabitants welcome these visitors because their hard currency contributes to the economy. Western mores brought by the same tourists are less welcome, although they are tolerated : bikinis on the beach are a common sight.

The resurgence of a traditionalist form of Islam is a resistance to...