Lamu Town 7

Lamu Town, a seeming timewarp, but in reality the site of an ever-changing response of the Swahili coast to the challenges of the moment

Lamu Town is the oldest inhabited town in Kenya and is one of the earliest established towns on the coast of Eastern Afrca. It is part of the Lamu Archipelago which consists of three 3 main islands: Lamu, Manda and the largest, Pate. Lamu Town was established as a trading center, like many other stowntowns along the 3000 km Eastern African coast and has been influenced historically by numerous cultures. Cultural blending is the fiber contemporary Lamu life is made of. The Swahili people have emerged from this extended period of trading and cultural blending - a unique cultural community.