Lamu: A treasure of history and culture

By Ngumbao Kithi

The annual cultural festival that just came to a close last weekend in Lamu celebrated the town’s rich history. Thousands flocked to the island from as far away as Mombasa for the three-day holiday that showcased the culture and skills central to the town.

Crew members of Tuhifadhi Boat try to rescue their boat from sinking in the heavy currents of the Indian Ocean at a dhow race during the Lamu Cultural Festival. Photos: Maarufu Mohamed/ Standard

Lamu town has a rich history of endurance against invasions from foreigners as well as rulers of neighbouring islands like Pate and Mvita (in Mombasa) in the latter years. Arab merchants began to settle in Lamu permanently between the 9th and 12th Centuries, building a series of trading centres from south Somalia to Mozambique and bringing with them Islam. Inter-marriages resulted in a mix of Arab and African peoples that produced a new culture — Swahili — so called after the Arabic word ‘sahil’ that means ‘coast’.

The Swahili town is the joint product of trade and Islam. It provided wealth and the incentive for settling since, in Islamic law, it is stipulated that the Friday noon prayer be held in a permanently settled location.

resistance against portuguese

The monsoon winds supplied the energy the ships needed. Building materials, coral and mangrove, were available on the shores. Preferred sites for towns were on islands that were protected from external attacks.

One of the city-states founded by Arab travellers was located on the island just off the northern coast of modern Kenya called Lamu. While there were earlier settlements on the island, the present town site is not likely to be much older than the 14th century. Lamu town flourished as an independent city-state until 1506 when Portuguese traders, seeking to control a lucrative market with the Orient, invaded. Over the course of the 16th Century, the once prosperous Swahili town lost its middleman position and gradually declined. Resistance to the Portuguese was finally successful with the help of the Turks.

In 1698, the last forces surrendered. The Omanis who had helped overcome the European invaders now became the dominant force in the region.

east africa protectorate

Under Omani protection, coastal commerce slowly regained its previous momentum. The commercial revival stimulated a resurgence of building all along the coast, and it was during this period that Lamu’s inhabitants built most of the traditional stone houses and mosques still standing in the old town today. They used the coral stone and mangrove timber from the archipelago, employed skilled craftsmen from India and brought slaves from the interior.

The island remained prosperous for over two hundred years until the late 19th Century when the British began to take an interest in East Africa. They forced concessions on the ruling Sultan and the East Africa Protectorate was established in 1895. Lamu town became the headquarters of Lamu District, administered by a resident British official together with a Muslim official.