Baobab 5

Coastal views of Baobabs

Swahili Coast describes, in geographic and cultural landscapes, the stretch of land along the Eastern coast of Africa starting in northern Somalia and ending in southern Mozambique.

Swahili culture is a fusion of archaic Arabic, Persian, Bantu, and more recently Indian and European cultures. Manifestations of these varied influences can be traced not only through language and written records, but also through architecture, food, religion, ethnicity, clothing and social aspirations. At the center of this fusion is African heritage, a backbone of the Swahili culture. The foundation of Swahili traditions and communities has always been seafaring and trade with the Arabian, Indian peninsulas, other parts of Asia as well as the continental African heartland.

Lamu Town is the oldest inhabited town in Kenya and is one of the earliest established towns on the East African coast. It is located within the Lamu Archipelago which consists of three main islands: Lamu, Manda and the largest, Pate. Lamu Town was established as a trading center, like many other stone towns along the 3000 km Eastern African coast and has therefore been influenced historically by numerous cultures. Cultural blending is the fiber contemporary Lamu life is made of. Swahili people have emerged from this extended period of trading and cultural blending - a unique cultural community.

Shela village is an old fishermen’s post and lies just on the edge of the dunes forming the backdrop to the sandy beach and open waters of the Indian Ocean. The architecture and the layout of the village houses built of coral bricks follow the Swahili architectural language, complete with flat roof terraces and thatched shady towers.

Manda island has far fewer inhabitants than Lamu island, most probably because of the lack of a source of drinking water. Contemporary economic activity is limited here despite evidence of past settlement, including the ruins of Takwa and Manda. Manda hosts a few hotels along the southern beachfront as well as the main airport, the gateway to the Lamu archipelago. It acts as the main source of coral bricks used in Lamu Town and Shela, hewn out of the coral reef using traditional tools and methods. Apart from small patches of subsistence farming, Manda is covered by tropical lowland shrubbery and forests of acacias, mangoes and baobabs.

The presence of mangrove forests on the East African coast made exploitation of the area lucrative for Arab, Indian and Chinese traders. The mangroves were and still are harvested specifically for poles due to their ability to withstand harsh weather conditions and extended human use. They are well adapted to grow on the muddy shores of the ocean which means they are at a significant risk of overexploitation due to the ease of harvesting. Mangroves were also removed to give way to other economic activities on the coastline.