Lets Talk African History: The Swahili Coast

[Bawon Samedi]

A Place Without History - Archaeology Magazine Archive

For a long time historians thought elaborate stone structures like this didn't exist in this part of the East African hinterland. Nineteenth-century European travelers described the scorching, scrubby bush region of Tsavo as hostile and practically uninhabited. The assumption was that it had always been that way--a place virtually without history. The supposedly barren interior stood in sharp contrast to the flourishing towns along the East African coast, which historians had long believed were founded by Arabs and Persians as early as A.D. 800. Known as the Swahili, these Muslim communities sprouted along the coastline of East Africa from southern Somalia to Mozambique, and their inhabitants prospered trading with their neighbors around the Indian Ocean.

But over the past few decades new evidence has emerged suggesting that Swahili culture, while certainly shaped by Arabic immigrants, emerged from and also developed according to indigenous African traditions. The new thinking led Kusimba to reconsider the assumption that the people in the Kenyan interior were somehow separate and disconnected from those along the coast, and excluded from its economy. What, indeed, was going on in the Swahili hinterland and what ties did it have to the coast? These were the questions that sent Kusimba and his wife, Sibel Barut Kusimba, a Northern Illinois University archaeologist, to Tsavo in 1997.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Chinese
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Actually a ancient stone city has been found which was a buried underneath of the sands and according to archaeologist is about 24 foot ball fields in size and well preserved and with a very large Amun temple in North Sudan. This is the meroitic period, which is a separate from what is later became Roman Egypt. According to Archaeologist is can take over 30 years or more to excavate the entire city which is still buried in the sands, and locals villages no doubt are on top of the remains of the ancient city

You can find that information here, which they got from another website which is broken, and there is a video on youtube from archaeologist that discovered that city, which according to them is well preserved.
Search for the Lost City of Nubia - EgyptSearch Forums
Société des Cultures Nubiennes- La Nubie historique et archéologique -Dangeil

, but lets get back to the Swahili, because i think they are very interesting

What do you find interesting about the Swahili?

 

[Misreeya]

Yeah, its known that the Abyssianians or Axumites ruled southern Arabia.



Can't wait.

Actually if you visit Yemen once the country is not at war among themselves and Saudi Arabia with American blessing. The national museum if not ruined in San'a has artifacts of Ethiopian ruled in their country. Which i find quite interesting along with the kingdom of Saba.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Actually if you visit Yemen once the country is not at world among themselves and Saudi Arabia with American blessing. The national museum if not ruined in San'a has artifacts of Ethiopian ruled in their country. Which i find quite interesting along with the kingdom of Saba.

 

[Misreeya]

What do you find interesting about thie Swahili?

I find their architecture uniquely their own, and aspects of their culture i can somewhat relate to, and their language is definitely bantu based but with arabic loan words, since it was a trading language, and their relationship to Oman, and some people believe that the Qaboo or king of Oman is possibly of Swahili heritage, but i am not sure about that. There has always been connection btw East African coast and Oman over the centuries.

 

[Dr. Acula]

So @KidStranglehold did you major in African history or just have a strong interest? You seem very educated as it relates to it.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

I find their architexture uniquely their own, and aspects of their culture i can somewhat relate to, and their language is definitely bantu based but with arabic loan words, since it was a trading language, and their relationship to Oman, and some people believe that the Qaboo or kingdom of Oman is possibly of Swahili heritage, but i am not sure about that. There has always been connection btw East African coast and Oman over the centuries.

Where did you hear that from?

I too heard of the connections between the Swahili and Oman. But NEVER the kingdom of Oman being of Swahili origins.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

So @KidStranglehold did you major in African history or just have a strong interest? You seem very educated as it relates to it.

Just a really strong interest. And thanks.

 

[Misreeya]

Where did you hear that from?

I too heard of the connections between the Swahili and Oman. But NEVER the kingdom of Oman being of Swahili origins.

I don't think Oman is Swahili origin, but there is a obvious interchange btw the people of the coast East African coast and the kingdom of Oman. Which is apparent and well known btw both peoples, but as far as the present Qaboos or King of Oman has Swahili origins, i don't know. Most likely not, but who knows

The present king who been there since 1970's and never married, but unfortunately in today corrupt world there is speculation of his sexuality which is not necessary.

List of rulers of Oman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Bawon Samedi]

A miniature from a Persian Manuscript(Al-Maqamat) showing a Swahili(Zanji) Trading ship.-1237 C.E

 

[Bawon Samedi]

I don't think Oman is Swahili origin, but there is a obvious interchange btw the people of the coast East African coast and the kingdom of Oman. Which is apparent and well known btw both peoples, but as far as the present Qaboos or King of Oman has Swahili origins, i don't know. Most likely not, but who knows

The present king who been there since 1970's and never married, but unfortunately in today corrupt world there is speculation of his sexuality which is not necessary.

List of rulers of Oman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looking him up some people say he may be gay...

 

[Misreeya]

The Ruins of Gedi are the remains of a Swahili town located in Gedi, a village near the coastal town of Malindi in Kenya.[1]

From the 13th or 14th to 17th centuries, Gedi was a thriving community along the jungle coast of East Africa. Although no written record exists of this town, excavations between 1948 and 1958 revealed that the Musliminhabitants traded with people from all over the world. Some of the findings included beads from Venice, coins and a Ming vase from China, an iron lamp from India, and scissors from Spain. The population was estimated to exceed at least 2500 people. These items can be found in the museum in the complex which was opened in 2000.

Gedi had a mosque, a palace, and large stone houses. These houses were complex for their time, with bathrooms with drains and overhead basins to flush toilets. The city's streets were laid out at right angles and had drainage gutters. There are also wells which supplied water to the community. The material used to construct the buildings was made from coral reef from the nearby ocean.

In the early 16th century, the village was abandoned. A possible explanation was that a punitive expedition came from Mombasa against Malindi and forced the inhabitants to leave. A temporary reoccupation likely occurred by the nomadic Oromo tribe from Somalia in the late 16th century, who later abandoned the town.

It is unclear whether the actual name of the town was Gedi, Gede, or Kilimani. The Oromo word "Gede" means "precious", but the town might have been named after the last Oromo leader to camp on the site.[2]

The area was gazetted as a National Monument in 1927.[3] In 1948, the remains of Gedi were declared a Kenyan national park.[2] The ruins continue to be a popular tourist destination. Recently a tree house has been constructed in the center of the complex, around a giant tree near the main palace ruins. The site is usually open till 6 pm. There is also a small shop to buy drinks and souvenirs.

The site is inhabited by guenon monkeys, which frequently interact with visitors

Ruins of Gedi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Yet another nail in the coffin for the theory of the Swahili coast being founded by non-Africans.

"We ... traveled by sea to the city of Kulwa [Kilwa in East Africa]...Most of its people are Zunuj, extremely black...The city of Kulwa is amongst the most beautiful of cities and most elegantly built... Their uppermost virtue is religion and righteousness and they are Shafi'i in rite."

-Ibn Battuta, A.D. 1331

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Swahili ships.

The large, sea-going vessels of the Swahili Coast used to be so-called ‘stitched’ or ‘sewn’
ships, like in many regions of the Indian Ocean. Their hull was made out of planks that were
sewn together with coconut coir. One type of ship was called a mtepe (in Swahili meaning ‘sailboat’).
It is now extinct and little evidence of its existence remain

 

[Max B]

I don't think Oman is Swahili origin, but there is a obvious interchange btw the people of the coast East African coast and the kingdom of Oman. Which is apparent and well known btw both peoples, but as far as the present Qaboos or King of Oman has Swahili origins, i don't know. Most likely not, but who knows

The present king who been there since 1970's and never married, but unfortunately in today corrupt world there is speculation of his sexuality which is not necessary.

List of rulers of Oman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have family in oman and went there for a week i notice alot people from zanzibar/somalis living oman as its easier for em to obtain omani passport through a relative in monrach or just working for one. But alot north sudanese to.