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BAGAMOYO
BAGAMOYO
THE HISTORICAL TOWN PART 1
Moiz Husein
Bagamoyo is a small historical town, which lies approximately 70 kms, north of Dar es Salaam along the splendid sandy beach, curved palm, and winged with the unpolluted water of the Indian Ocean
Bagamoyo is one of the most fascinating towns in East Africa, with a host of historical associations. It boasts as one of the east Africa’s largest assembly of 18th century architecture.
There is still controversy over the etymology of the word Bagamoyo. One explorer claimed that the name signified “Coeur de l Afrique” – thus suggesting that the town was the gate way to the interior of Africa
Some say its name is derived from the word “Bwagamoyo”, which means, “here I throw down my heart” reflecting the desperation and despair of the ‘broken hearted’ captives whose voyage into the unknown began here. Caravan porters praised the town as “Bwagamoyo”-“to throw off melancholy”, while slaves lamented it as “Bagamoyo”, Kiswahili for “crush down your heart”
A more frequent explanation is that the word is a version of “Bwaga – moyo”:
“A double interpretation developed: the first theory holds that the town’s name originated with the lament of slaves who knew that, although they were to be shipped to distant lands, their hearts would forever remain in their beloved homeland. The second theory (which is thought to be more probable) contends that Bagamoyo was named by the caravan porters who felt they had reached the end of their long arduous journey from the interior – now cease this enter port was popularly known as Bagamoyo. They foresaw compensation of words for all the hardships they had endured and perhaps thought this combination of words a symbol of hope and encouragement.
Bagamoyo was the terminus for caravan from the interior coming far to bagamoyo; the caravan porters name this town “Bwagamoyo” meaning throw off your melancholy. Later bagamoyo became the terminus for thousand of slaves who gave in new name to the town “bagamoyo” meaning crush your heart
…WHERE CULTURES MET.
Oman Arabs were the first immigrants to resettle in Bagamoyo. Their wish was to attract more commerce to Bagamoyo and they were successful. A large number of Oman Arabs and Indian merchants settled in bagamoyo and established Bagamoyo as a trade center on Africa’s East Coast. Arabs and Indian were businessmen while African population worked at the plantations and salt mines or as fishermen. Many different African tribes came to bagamoyo because of the caravans.
The Germans subsequently made their presence felt, establishing Bagamoyo as their commercial center and administrative capital of the German East Africa. In addition to the Arab and German trading center for ivory, copra, ebony and other natural resources. Bagamoyo was the town of different cultures where they all met.
THE CARAVAN DAYS
For decades Bagamoyo was in 19th century the main terminus in the east African – Arab and Indian trade network. Its closeness as a mainland port close to Zanzibar led to its development as a center for caravan and an expansion of commerce in ivory and slaves soon followed. Boat building center that supplied craft to other coastal settlement was built.
“It has always meant the comfortable life”. In these words the old men at this historical coastal town summed up the spirit that was once Bagamoyo. Recalling the days of prosperity when the custom house has as much activity as the bustling market place, they related endless tales of good food, magnificent clothes and love adventure ‘all these and more’-that was Bagamoyo which emerged as a major 19th century.
Caravan enter port on central trade route, coming from the Great Lake Tanganyika and Victoria, porters carried ivory to Bagamoyo. The proximity to Zanzibar attracted traders from Shiraz in Persia from Oman at Persia Gulf and from India. The town prospered magnificent buildings in Old Town with so many beautifully curved Arabic and Indian doorframes give evidence of this former splendor.
Bagamoyo gained its name in the caravan days when the streets were devise with the people and merchandise. It was only possible to move in the streets with differently and now and then caravan porters tripled the town population. Ships from distant ports where a common sight in the harbor. Arriving at Caravan Serai in Bagamoyo porters used to sing:
Be happy my soul, let go all worries; Soon the place of your yearnings is waahed, the town of palms bagamoyo!
Far away, how my heart was aching when I was thinking of you, your pearl, your place of happiness, Bagamoyo
There the women wear their hair parted; you can drink palm wine all the year around in the gardens of love, in bagamoyo! The dhows arrive with streaming sails and takeaboards the treasures of Uleya in the harbour of bagamoyo!
Oh, what delight to see the ngomas. Oh, the lovely girls are swaying in dance at night in bagamoyo!
Be quiet, my heart, all worries are gone! The drumbeats and with rejoicing. We are reaching Bagamoyo!
THE SLAVE TRADE
Bagamoyo is a place of considerable significance to world history, both as an entry point for Arabs and European missionaries, explorer and traders in east and central in the history of the slave trade.
In the 19th century Bagamoyo was for decades also the main terminus in East African slave trade. Bagamoyo was also the ending point of a major slave trade route that began in Lake Tanganyika area. It was mainly the Arabs who participated in the eastern slave trade.
Dr. Livingstone notes about the slave trade that”to overdraw its evils is simply not possible”. Slaves were obtained by kidnapping, incitement of tribal conflicts and by purchasing prisoners of war or tribal members from the chiefs. Villages were regularly destroyed and crops burnt Bagamoyo gained twice from the slave trade: the town expanded not only because of its commercial magnetism but also from the African tribe that fled famine and conflicts along the slave trade route.
The sight of slaves was shocking in Bagamoyo. Lines of several hundred of people chained together from neck to neck were probably not uncommon, sometimes they were herded in pens. Many were a poor sight and after three months of ill treatment and abuse along the slave trade route.
Most of the slaves saw the Indian Ocean for the first time in their lives at Bagamoyo. At its peak an estimated 50000 slaves per year were taken from the interior to bagamoyo for shipment to the slave markets and spice and clove plantations of Zanzibar. But there was another reality in Bagamoyo as well: Catholic missionaries ransomed as many slaves as possible and settled them for their protection in the “Christian Freedom Village” in Bagamoyo. Two different societies existed in the town at the same time: The slave based societies and the societies of free people on the Catholic compound.
Dr. Livingstone calculated that for every slave who reached the coast ten did not. Slave trade continued long after the official abolition in 1873.
THE FALL OF BAGAMOYO
Bagamoyo lost its importance to the growing port of Dar es Salaam in the late 1800s. The same happened to Kaole, south of bagamoyo when once was deserted in favour of bagamoyo.
Communities receded as other flourished. Kaole was an older settlement of Arab tradesmen, which was abandoned in the 1400s as the Portuguese began preying the coast.
Bagamoyo’s advantageous location with fertile hitherland access to the interior and a large, deeper harbour caused the late 18th century resettlement to occur here instead.
Prior to the caravan time the trade consisted mainly of dried fish, gum, copra and salt. This merchandise laid the foundation to the town’s wealth. Immigration to bagamoyo was not only triggered by its prosperity but also bye the town’s resistance to famine, which made it a haven in times of troubles in the interior.
The decline of the town was initiated when the harbour was too shallow to accommodate modern ships. The German government in 1891 decided to move the new capital of their new crown colony from bagamoyo to the new city.
Dar es Salaam was chosen; soon all modern trade route faced Dar es Salaam. The Arab and Indian traders left bagamoyo and opened new business centers in Dar es Salaam. Bagamoyo collapsed and became a ghost town soon only the wind blew around many historical buildings.
Attractions of interest tell the story of Bagamoyo’s colorful and at times turbulent past: of fishermen and farmers; of traders, explorers and travelers; of slaves, their captors and owners, and of the succeeding waves of colonialists that proceed the founding of the independent African nation of Tanzania in 1961.
ATTRACTIONS
THE FIRST STONE BUILDING/ OLD FORT
Oldest surviving stone building in bagamoyo built in 1860 by Abdallah suleiman Marhabi, a local Arab trader. It was originally Sultan Barghash of Zanzibar fortified the private residence of Marhabi.This building located in the north/west of the town at one point and in1870 its dimension was expanded to be the residence of Sultan's representatives together with his office and the Arab colonial prison. This building commands a strong history in terms of architecture. In fact Islamic architecture can be best seen from this building. The old fort has associations with slave trade.initially its function was to hold slaves before being shipped to Zanzibar.it has underground passage through which slaves were herded to dhows on the shore. It was later taken over by Sewa Haji, an influential Indian businessman, who presented it to the Germans in 1894
GERMAN HANGING PLACE
By the beach below the fortified house is the small pyramid marking what has become known as the “German Hanging Place”. Monument reminding the supporters of Bushiri who were hanged to death here in December 1889. This is the place where during the colonial period people who were found guilty of misconduct used to be hanged.
THE GERMAN CEMETERY
There are 20 graves dating from 1889 and most Germans who were killed by the uprising (Arab and local) led by Bushiri. Bushiri bin Salim incited an uprising of coastal Arab slave traders against harsh German colonizers in German East Africa. Hermann Von Wissmann (1853-1905), a noted African explorer was appointed German commissioner of East Africa in 1888 and order to put down the uprising. In early 1889, he arrived on the German East African coast with 600 Sudanese troops and proceeded to engage the rebel Arabs in scrimmage. In May 1889 Wissmann was ready to attack the headquarters of Bushiri in Nzole, not far from Bagamoyo. The attack started on the 8th of May, Bushiri fled. Many German soldiers were killed who now rest in the German cemetery. December 1889, Wissmann’s forces stormed and took Bagamoyo, a rebel stronghold, and Bushiri was captured and hung. While Wissmann was reestablishing order on land, the Germans, joined by the British, carried out a blockade of the coast, preventing the export of slaves and the import of weapons by the Arabs. By 1890, Wissmann had completely suppressed the rebels.
The following is the list of the graves found in the German cemetery. There are 20 tombs of the German soldiers.
- 8 soldiers died of sickness
- 6 were killed in the Bushiri uprising
- 4 killed during 1890
One tomb is of the German nurse and the last tomb is of a child who died of sickness. One grave is of the British district commissioner who was buried at one edge of the cemetery compound after where the German tombs ended.
1. Otto Albrecht: Leutnant in der Wifsmanntruppe
2. Emil Hochstetter: K.Wurtt. Bauinspektor als chef einer ukerewe Expedition
3. Franz Quandt: Unterofficier in der Kaiserlichen Schutztruppe 1890-1891
4. Reinhold Wonneberger: feldwebel
5. Christian Von Urnim: in der Wissmanntruppe
6. Heinrtch Witzig: Unteroffizier in der Wissmanntruppe
7. Heirich Eanner: Sergeant als folge seiner im Gefecht am 4.1.1890 erhaltenen verwundung
8. Hier ruht in gott der unterlieutinent z.see Max Schelle von s.m.k.z,, schwalbe
9. Bum Anderken
10. Hcinritch Peter: Feldwebel in der kaserlichen Schutztruppe
11. In gott peter Merkel: zahlmeister der Deutschen Schutztruppe
12. Dem Anderken der schwester Antonie Baumler der deutsche frauenverein
13. Grich Von der Medem: lieutenant in der Wissmanntruppe
14. Gustarkarl Eduard: Ludwig sergeant
15. Franz Groucza: oberlazarethge hilfe in der kaiserlichen Schtztruppe
16. Karl Koetzle: lieutenant der kaiserlichen Schutztruppe
17. Krenzler comp fuhrer in der Kaiser Schutztruppe
18. Gottlieb Maier: unteroffizier in der kaiserlichen Schutztruppe
19. Dem Anderken unsereslichen gutensohnes und bruders Heinrich Heins
20. Hier Schlummert: unser geliebtes cretchen Schuller kind
21. Hon Williams Bamphilde: District commissioner died 1939
MWANAMAKUKA CEMETERY
The evidence of the early settlement in Bagamoyo, oldest tombs dating back to 1793 and later tombs dates back 1813
THE LlKU HOUSE
do slender iron columns and a central double door, this building served as first German colonial administrative center, support an old 2-storey building with an awning.
THE BOMA
Impressive two-storey building topped by crenellations, constructed in a U-shape in 1897.They are pointed arches on the ground floor. This was built by the Germans as the colonial administration headquarters of the first capital of the German East Africa and the Governors residence. The building exhibits strong tangible evidence of colonialism in Tanzania. The architecture of this great monument is typical of German architecture by this period. The district commissioner’s office was located in the Boma until the heavy rain fell in 1997. People say they heard crash all over Bagamoyo when the balcony joists, collapsed under the heavy loads of water and after a long period of poor maintenance.
PLAQUE INFRONT OF BOMA
A plaque set up near the beach which commemorates the first expedition, undertaken by the British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke, who set off from here on 27th June 1857
THE WISSMANN MONUMENT
The monument was built in 1894 and was dismantled in 1946 by the British.
THE ARAB COFFEE HOUSE
Abdallah Marhabi, an influential Arab merchant, constructed the building around 1860.Originally it was used as an Arabian cafe, where people could have their tea or coffee. Since then it has used as a hospital and is currently used as an office. In the 1900s it was extended with two wings on the back.
Bagamoyo Part 2
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