The Swahili Coast to 1500History 1700

IntroductionAfrica – Giant Plateau

Lofty Height in the East, sloping off to the westHighest Areas – spine from Ethiopia to South

AfricaEastern part of Africa – narrow band at sea-

levelSomalia in the north to Sabi River mouth in

southBand known as the Swahili Coast – fluctuates

At times disappearing, other time 15-20 miles

Swahili Coast – Ecological ZoneDistinct Ecological Zone – common

characteristicsHundreds of miles long, few miles broad on

averageOff-shore islands – Pemba, Zanzibar, Lamu,

MafiaLocated entirely in tropics – similar climate

north to southRelatively fertile soil, and free of tsetse flyMany small harbors, occasional larger onesIn some ways, forms it’s own world

Early interior contactRelatively little contact with inland area, or nyiha

or nyika areaDifficult for three reasons

Lack of navigable riversTsetse fly in interior – no pack animalsInland area characterized by thorny scrub vegetation

– few people, and little the coastal people wanted Few areas with no tsetse fly, like Somalia, interior people

nomadic, little the coastal people wanted Only luxury goods – ivory and gums

Coast area distinct from interior, also relatively isolated from it

The ShiraziLong Time – Africans themselves, and visitors –

assumed Swahili was product of migrations to African coast of people from Arabia and Persia.

Migrants known as ShiraziMuslims – therefore, people of Swahili Coast were

an extension or outpost of the Islamic world, and not “really” African

Interpretation not unlike that of Great ZimbabwePeople of Swahili Coast also believe in Shirazi

origins outside of Africa – fabrication/genealogical distortions of 19th century.

Swahili Coast to 1500History as we understand it today – inter-

disciplinary – comparative linguistics and archeology

History of coast and development of Swahili culture far more complex and subtle than Islam world outpost interpretation

Periodization from around 100 CE to 1498 and arrival of the PortugueseFour Periods – Intertwined with broader global

history

Period One – 100 CE to 350 CEPeriplus of the Erythrean Sea

Roman Imperial Officer from Alexandria (Egypt), end of first century

Voyage – down Red Sea, into Indian Ocean, along East Coast of Africa – port called Rhapta – traded for ivory/tortoise shell

Recorded trade into region with Egypt – 15 centuries old – oriented eastwards to Persian Gulf area and Arabia – as far away as China, Indonesia, India

During Roman Period – Africa not in trade network – trade largely between Mediterranean and India Archeological evidence – India, Roman coins, nothing from Africa –

largely uninhabited coast Monsoons – East-West commerce – Indian Ocean Basin Intertropical Convergence Line and relative wind predictability

Period Two – 350 CE to 800 CEContinued trade between India, China, Persia, through the Red Sea –

East Africa largely ignoredBeginning late 4th century through 5th/6th centuries, all trade through

Red Sea drops off precipitously.Three economic/geopolitical reasons:

Roman Empire declined – Byzantine/Vandal successors could not sustain trade.

Rise of Sassanid Empire – contemporary Iraq/Iran. Bypassed trade through Red Sea, with patterns from Persian Gulf Zone to Indian Ocean continuing until 643 CE with Arab invasions after death of Muhammad

Axum – Growth of new state – located in northern Ethiopia-Eritrean zone. Population of mixed Africans and immigrants from Yemen (Saba). Arab and Jewish influences combined with local African culture. Conversion of leaders to Christianity, allied with Rome in 4th century. Geographically positioned to take advantage of remaining Eastern Mediterranean trade

Period Three – 800 to 1150Abbasid Caliphs – Arab Empire and its

bureaucratization, based in Baghdad after its founding c. 750 CE.Geographical expansion, well-developed

bureaucracy, common culture, Islamic religion, written Arabic

Trade – Expansion beyond previous routes to India and East Asia. Monsoon winds to Africa.

Swahili Coast looked much different than that reported by the author of the Periplus of the Erythrean Sea Intervening period – two migrations took place

Two MigrationsNeolithic Culture Southern Cushitic peoples from

Ethiopia – brought herding cattle, sheep, goats, some agriculture

Kwale/Eastern Stream of BantuEntered along Tanzanian coast, moved southwardsBy 10th century – firm demographic base of Bantu

speakers established, new culture developingUnique culture – technologically, religiously,

economically, linguisticallyBy 1000 CE, Bantu language which today called

Swahili emerging with distinct dialects along the coast

Arrival of Merchants –Abbassid Caliphate9th/10th centuries – merchants bring with them two final

components to transform area’s specifically Bantu culture into Swahili cultureLong-distance trade Heirarchy-ruled town, with stone buildings

Stimulus of trade – first real cities emerge on Swahili Coast between 800 and 1100 – growth of some dozen citiesLuxury goods – gold, ivory, slaves, spices In return for iron tools, sugar and other foodstuffs, cloth/ornamentsProsperity of coastal entrepot cities – dependent on cont’d

economic health of Indian Ocean Basin. Changes in region’s economic history not connected with military disruption and civil instability – like case of Western Sudan, Ghana and Almoravids

Gradual fluctuations in underlying economic prosperity of region and fluctuations of trade itself

East versus West AfricaDifferences in sources of stability/instability

Prosperity of coastal entrepot cities – dependent on cont’d economic health of Indian Ocean Basin. Changes in region’s economic history not connected with military disruption and civil instability – like case of Western Sudan, Ghana and Almoravids

Gradual fluctuations in underlying economic prosperity of region and fluctuations of trade itself

Differences in structure of tradeWest Africa – unitary system – trade carried out for most part by

one large set of merchantsSwahili Coast – Three distinct sets of merchants in relatively

peaceful trade Asian traders who owned vessels and sailed to coastal cities African traders from interior who brought things to city-states Swahili city-dwellers serving as middle-men

Period Four – 1150 to 1500Period of intensification of previous patterns – changes taking

place in center of IslamNew expansive phase of Islam with Abbasid Caliphate, due to

succession crisis, with Abu Bekr and his decedents in the middle of it

Spread into Indian Ocean Basin, India by 1206 CE over next 150 years throughout South/Southeast Asia

Expansion to the west – Saladin conquered south-west Arabia down to Aden – opened up Red Sea trade routes

Same time – Europe emerging from Dark Ages – Renaissance of 12th century – revival of demand for gold/ivory and other products from Indian Ocean Basin

Double stimulus – great increase of trade with East Coast of Africa – pushed southwards, eventually to Sofala, Kilimani and Kilwa

Two Phenomenon along CoastGrowth of a host of new cities – wealth indicated by increase

of use of stone for buildings rather than mud and wattleSpread of Islamic Religion

Sharia – uniformity of legal practice – made sense of the Abbassid government

Ulema or legal scholars – held positions of great importance with their interpretation of Sharia

Muslims brought with them their religion, Sharia, ulemaAppeal of Islam to Bantu-speaking Africans

Universal message - increased cosmopolitanism with trade and new ideas

Sufi form in Africa – acceptance of saints, veneration of ancestors, toleration of rituals – type of Islam tolerant to African religious practices, like West Africa

Economic – Islamic contacts – gain access to banking and credit systems. Made economic sense to become a Muslim

IntermarriageMerchants did not bring their wivesMuslims up to four wivesIdeology of Kinship – once marriages took

place, children, etc., Muslim merchants established direct connections, aiding in their trade and agriculture, and guaranteed safety

Swahili language – began to acquire new words from ArabicBy 19th c. some 30% of Swahili lexicon of

Arabic derivation.

ConclusionBy last period – 1150-1500 – two processes of trade and Islam –

new Swahili culture developed – appropriately named, meaning “People of the Coast.”

Characteristics –Self-consciously MuslimCities modeled on those in Middle East/PersiaMosques built, courts established, schools foundedSame time – population remained distinctly non-Arab, non-Persian,

black African, and language BantuAfrican culture that had incorporated elements of Islamic culture,

with brand new African-Persian-Arab culture, using new written language (Swahili), Sharia, and acceptance of Islam

Some forty urban Swahili enclaves on coast, language lingua francaFuture – Strong economically, weak politically – no single city

emerges as leader, and all remain independent