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bagamoyo is not just a town of different cul-tures; it is a microcosm of east African history: Arabs and indians established the trade. The African populations were either shipped off as slaves or they worked at the plantations, in the salt mines or as fishermen. The european explorers went through on their way to and from the African continent. later came the mis-sionaries, the German colonizers, and today the tourists.

Few other places in Africa offer such a high con-centration of history in only one place.

Bagamoyo is indisputably of great historical importance: in fact, it has recently been designat-ed as a world heritage site. Regrettably, this does not soothe the fact that a lot of the historical buildings are deteriorating due to lack of mainte-

A dAytRiP to BAgAmoyoA lectuRe in eAst AfRicAn histoRyBy Pernille Bærendtsen

nance. Still, Bagamoyo is an excellent destination for a daytrip out of Dar es Salaam if you have an interest in Swahili history and culture.

Bagamoyo is one of the oldest towns in Tanzania, situated about 70 kilometres north of Dar es Salaam on the coast of the Indian Ocean. You can easily establish an overview of the town, check out the historical sights at your own pace, watch the local artists while they work, or simply take in the sea breeze while dipping your feet in the Indian Ocean. Today the town has about 30,000 inhabitants who make up the living prod-ucts of its unique history. You do walk straight into history and you might even occasionally think that moments must have been frozen.

Bagamoyo was founded at the end of the 18th century by Muslim families from Oman who estab-

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A dAytRiP to BAgAmoyoA lectuRe in eAst AfRicAn histoRy

lished a trading centre, and in the first half of the 19th century Bagamoyo became a busy port for ivory and slaves. From the 1850s the European explorers set off from Bagamoyo, and in 1886 the Germans turned it into the capital of German East Africa. The name “Bagamoyo” reflects this nuanced past:

Historians are uncertain whether this refers to the slaves, as in “give up hope,” or to the porters who rested in Bagamoyo after off-loading the goods as in “put it down and rest.” Sources indicate that the latter seems more likely due to the fact that the town of Kilwa, further south on the Tanzanian coast, had a greater share of the slave trade, and

because the number of porters increased at the end of the 19th century.

A good starting point for a walk around Bagamoyo is where the road to Dar es Salaam joins town. Start by walking towards the beach in the direction of the German Boma. It used to be a two-storey building, constructed in a U-shape in 1897 by the Germans as the colonial admin-istration headquarters. The building collapsed 100 years later due to heavy rains and has not yet been restored. Near the German Boma you’ll find a plaque marking the first expedition done by the British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke, who set off from Bagamoyo on June 27, 1857.

Close by you will find another landmark of the German past – a cemetery with 20 graves dating from 1889. Going over the names carved in stone tells of people who left Europe at a time in history where they were unlikely to return. If you walk back towards the town along the beach, you will pass the monument of the “German Hanging Place” for the Africans who were hanged during colonial times. You will then end up at the Customs House, built in 1895, also by the Germans.

It’s a very lively spot, marking the line between the sea and the market. During the morning, dhows line up at the shore where the low tide allows sailors to on or off-load cargo: just like it has been done for hundreds of years, though the cargo has changed significantly. Now the dhows carry secondhand clothes, charcoal and other supplies for Zanzibar. This might also be the very spot the explorers landed when they arrived by dhow from Zanzibar. Livingstone supposedly set off from Bagamoyo in 1866 to look for the source of the Nile, and Stanley went off in 1871 to look for Livingstone. The only sure fact of Livingstone having been in Bagamoyo is that his dead body stayed at the Catholic mission before being sent to England for burial in 1874. One year after the slave trade in East Africa was officially prohibited.

From the Customs House you will notice the

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energetic fish market, scattered between the sea and the old stone town. Walk through it, uphill, and you will reach the old stone town. Not much comforting can be said about the state of these old buildings, mainly of Arab and Indian influence, which make up the oldest part of Bagamoyo. Over the years the buildings have lost the majority of their impressive carved doors and windows – most of them stolen and sold.

Wood carvings are nevertheless still being done in Bagamoyo, though the style has changed. Look out for the art students from Bagamoyo College of Arts (Chuo cha Sanaa) which is teaching tradi-tional Tanzanian arts – resulting in a great variety of young artists working on different sites from where the craft is also sold. Worth knowing is also that every year in October Bagamoyo hosts an Art Week/Festival organised by the art college.

Other historical sites of interest are the Roman Catholic Mission and the Kaole Ruins. In 1868 land for a mission was given to the “Fathers of the Holy Ghost,” who accommodated children rescued from slavery. The mission became the first in East

Africa, growing into a church, a school, and other projects. Both the museums at the Kaole Ruins and the mission offer a historical and cultural overview. The Kaole Ruins date back to the thirteenth cen-tury, comprising remnants of two mosques and several tombs built with coral stones – and worth a visit in terms of Bagamoyo’s earlier history.

Lots of people from different cultures have gone through Bagamoyo for centuries, creating the foundation for the town. Now the majority of strangers are tourists. Bagamoyo declined when the Germans built a railway into the interior and because the harbour could not accommodate modern ships. In 1891 the Germans decided to establish the capital in Dar es Salaam, and the Arab and Indian traders followed track. It might not seem as an advantageous position for Bagamoyo to have been this close to Dar, but for tourists the short distance and the dense history makes it a real good option for a day trip. The tourists are now a source of income for Bagamoyo, and one can only hope that the prospect of becoming the 8th Tanzanian world heritage site would boost the conservation in order for future visitors to Tanzania still having a chance of learning about its history.

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WheN to Go?

Every year in October, Bagamoyo hosts an Art Week/

Festival organised by the art college. What the festival

might lack in logistics, it certainly makes up for in cre-

ativity and spirit. It is usually announced here: www.

sanaabagamoyo.com

hoW to Go?

You can take a dalla dalla from the centre of Dar (Posta)

and change in Mwenge on the Old Bagamoyo Road. The

trip takes about an hour, depending on the traffic jam.

Ask to get off at the Tourist Information in Bagamoyo

(basically where the Dar es Salaam road meets the town)

and start your walk around town from here.

What to BUY?

Look out for the art students from Bagamoyo College

of Arts (Chuo cha Sanaa) which is teaching traditional

Tanzanian arts – resulting in a great variety of young art-

ists working on different sites from where the craft is also

sold. Art is a matter of taste - in Bagamoyo you are sure

not to get mainstream curios only.

What elSe to Do?

The dhows returning to Zanzibar frequently offer rides

to tourists. We are talking an absolute lack of comfort,

but also quite an experience. Some dhows claim they

have a motor for emergencies, but do not expect secu-

rity. Obviously it is dangerous, and you are on your own

if something goes wrong on the way to Zanzibar. It is

much safer to arrange dhow trips along the coast. Ask

for information at the Customs House.

WheRe to StaY?

Do yourself a favour and get clear on the standard and

the access to the sea if that is what you want. Some of

the hotels face the muddy mangrove, and not the sandy

beach. The prices range from unreasonably expensive

(for what they offer) to very low budget if you pick a

guesthouse in downtown Bagamoyo.

WheRe to eat?

Travellers’ Inn is reckoned the best place to eat by the

local expats. Millennium at the other end of town, near

the German cemetery, is another good choice.

Pernille Bærendtsen is working as an information officer for a Danish NGo in tanzania. Visit her blog: www.pernille.typepad.com

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