|
Zanzibar is an island partner within the United
Republic of Tanzania, located in the Indian
Ocean about 35 km off the coast of mainland
Tanzania at six degrees south of the Equator.
Zanzibar is made up of many islands, the main
two being Unguja (sometimes called Zanzibar)
and Pemba. The land is divided into three main
areas, the plantation area, the coral rag area
and the indigenous forests. The highest point
is 390 feet above sea level. The population
is estimated at around 1 Million, including
Pemba and Mafia islands.
|
| |
| |
|
Zanzibar has lured traders, adventurers, plunderers
and explorers to its shores for centuries. The
Assyrians, Sumerians, Egyptians, Phoenicians,
Indians, Chinese, Persians, Portuguese, Omani
Arabs, Dutch and English have all been here
at one time or another. Some, particularly the
Shirazi Persians and Omani Arabs, stayed to
settle and rule. With this influence, Zanzibar
has become predominantly Islamic (97%) - the
remaining 3% is made up of Christians, Hindus
and Sikhs. The earliest visitors to Zanzibar
were Arab traders who are said to have arrived
in the 8th century and settled in Unguja Ukuu
. The earliest building that remains on Zanzibar
is the mosque at Kizimkazi, which dates from
1107, and is a present-day tourist attraction.
For centuries
the Arabs sailed with the monsoon winds from
Oman to trade primarily in ivory, slaves and
spices. The two main islands, Unguja (normally
known as Zanzibar Island) and Pemba, provided
an ideal base for the Omani Arabs, being relatively
small, and therefore fairly easy to defend.
Indeed, in 1832, Sultan Seyyid Said, of the
Busaid dynasty that had emerged in Oman, moved
his Sultanate from Muscat to Zanzibar, perhaps
making it easier to protect, where he and his
descendants ruled for over 130 years. Most of
the wealth lay in the hands of the Arab community,
who were the main landowners at that time. They
kept themselves to themselves, and generally
did not intermarry with the Africans.
This was not true
of the Shirazi Persians who came from the Middle
East to settle on the East African coast. The
story goes that in AD 975, Abi Ben Sultan Hasan
of Shiraz in Persia (now Iran) had a terrible
nightmare in which a rat devoured the foundations
of his house. He took this as an omen that his
community was to be devastated. Others in the
Shirazi court ridiculed the notion, but Sultan
Hasan, his family and some followers obviously
took it very seriously and they decided to migrate.
They set out in seven dhows into the Indian
Ocean but were caught in a huge storm and separated.
Thus, landfalls were made at seven different
places along the East African coast, one of
which was Zanzibar, and settlements began.
No longer very
prosperous in the fiscal sense, the island has
a wealth of historical monuments to visit which
commemorate the African, British and particularly
Arab influences- sultan's palaces, cathedrals,
mosques, fortresses and old colonial houses.
"Spice Tours" are the ideal way to
see the island's historic sites and spice plantations.
There is also a sanctuary for the rare Zanzibar
duiker and the red colobus monkey in the protected
Jozani Forest, just twenty-five kilometers from
the town. |
| |
|
The main language is Kiswahili. Even if you
only use a few words whilst you are in Zanzibar
you will make many friends. English is widely
spoken and many people also speak Arabic. Other
European languages such as French and Italian
are known by some local people, especially around
the tourist areas.
|
|
|
|
|
About 97% of the local population
is Muslim. The remainder are Hindu
or Christian and some with traditional
beliefs. As well as many many mosques,
Stone Town hosts an Anglican and a
Catholic Cathedral and a Hindu Temple.
|
|
|
|
Zanzibar, home to taarab, is just the place to
loosen those hips and get the toe tapping. Taarab
is a style of music that snatches inspiration
from African, Arabic and Indian influences, and
is so irresistible that it is sometimes credited
with fostering a degree of harmony among the volatile
islands. Traditional dance, is an energetic and
mesmerising way of expressing thanks and praise,
marking rites of passage and a means of communicating
with ancestors. Tanzanian figurative art was traditionally
an important creative outlet, but most of the
art you'll see these days may as well be carved
in the shape of a tourist.
The population of
the Zanzibar Archipelago is almost
exclusively Sunni Muslim (Christians
comprise barely 1% of the archipelago's
population, and there is a small Hindu
community). The official languages
are Swahili (of which there are three
major dialects) and English. Swahili,
widely used as a lingua franca in
East and Central Africa, originated
in Zanzibar and has adopted many words
from Arabic. Unguja is the dialect
spoken in the Zanzibar Archipelago.
The three indigenous ethnic groups
in the Zanzibar Archipelago are the
Hadimu, Tumbatu and Pemba. The Hadimu
are of mixed origin, originating from
different parts of the mainland; the
Tumbatu live primarily on Tumbatu
island and in the northern part of
Zanzibar; and the Pemba are on the
island of Pemba. The non-African population
are primarily Shirazi, descendants
of immigrants from Shiraz in Persia
(present-day Iran).
One of Zanzibar's
most common local dishes is ugali,
a staple made from maize or cassava
flour, or a mixture of both, and eaten
with a sauce usually containing meat,
fish, beans or greens. In the Zanzibar
Archipelago, traditional Swahili dishes
of seafood cooked in coconut milk
are ubiquitous. Early in the morning
in Zanzibar Town, you may see vendors
selling uji, a thin, sweet porridge,
as well as bread and hard-boiled eggs.
Also look out for mkate wa kumimina,
a bread made from batter that is unique
to Zanzibar. Surely the most welcoming
sight in the morning is a coffee vendor
carrying around cups and a piping-hot
kettle with coals fastened underneath.
|
|
|
|
Although Muslim holidays
make for heady celebrations in the
Zanzibar Archipelago, you may feel
like you're fasting even when it's
not Ramadan - many restaurants close
down during these times. Coinciding
with the end of the hajj in February,
Eid al-Kebir commemorates God's change
of heart: Abraham was about to sacrifice
his son as per God's command when
the almighty decided, at the last
moment, that a ram would do instead.
Ramadan, the annual 30-day fast when
adherents do not eat or drink from
sunrise to sunset, and Eid al-Fitr,
the feast that marks the end of Ramadan,
are also celebrated in style. The
precise dates of events, according
to the Islamic calendar, are known
only shortly before they fall, and
depend upon the sighting of the moon.
July is the fashionable month
for non-Muslim festivals. Consider lobbing in
for the Zanzibar Cultural Festival, held annually
around mid-July, the Zanzibar International Film
Festival, also held in July, and Mwaka Kogwa (marking
the Shirazi New Year or Nairuzim), held in late
July.
|
|
|
