ZANZIBAR

MOSQUE WITH MI~ARET. lI1AUNDI. ZANZIBAR .

(Built late 19th century. ShaPe <>/ Minaret and Pattern of Chevron very
similar to those used by the builders of Zimbabu.e.)
( Frolltispzece)
ZANZIBAR
ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

w. H. INGRAMS

FRANK CASS & CO. LTD.

 Published by
FRANK CASS AND COMPANY LIMITED
2 Park Square, Milton Park,
Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

First edition 1931

First impression 1967

Transferred to Digital Printing 2005

ISBN 0-7146-11 02-6

 PREFACE
THOUGH the modern city of Zanzibar is at the most two
hundred years old, it has a fascination usually attributed
only to much older foundations. The impression it makes
on the casual visitor is a distinct one, that is not eclipsed,
much less effaced, by sojourns in other and better known
Eastern cities. It is generally admitted that one can re-
capture more of the atmosphere of The Thousand Nights
and a Night in Zanzibar than in the modern City of
the Caliphs, and I know of no other town where in a few
short hours one can see such a pageant of history as is
paraded before one's eyes in Zanzibar in the early months
of the year. At this season one sees anchored in the
harbour those strange crafts whose prototypes for years
untold have brought traders and colonizers from all parts
of the East, and one encounters in the streets representa-
tives of all the many races that have helped to make the
island's history.
But the fascination of Zanzibar extends beyond the
confines of the city. The island cannot aspire to majestic
scenery, but there is beauty to be found all round its coral
shores and in the waving palm and scented clove groves
of the interior.
The interest and the influence of Zanzibar, however,
reaches far beyond its own borders. For centuries it was
the principal emporium of the eastern seaboard of Africa.
I have written at length of the countries that traded with
Zanzibar and the east coast from the earliest times in the
historical chapters of this book, but I had not thought it
possible that those who traded there could have dealt with
the city of London in early days. However, it seems
likely that produce from Eastern Africa reached London
long before the merchants of Mincing Lane traded in its
cloves, for, delving into the history of Smithfield, I found
in Fitzstephen the following lines on London's foreign
trade, written in the twelfth century:
" Aurum mitt it Arabs: species et thura Sabreus :
Arma Scythes: oleum palmarum divite sylva
Pingue solum Babylon: Nilus lapides pretiosos."
5
6 PREFACE
At one time the Zanzibar Empire stretched from Guarda-
fui to the Rovuma River, and inland beyond the great lakes.
In addition, its ruler held sway over all the south-eastern
corn~r of Arabia, and his influence stretched beyond even
these extensive borders. At this time, the heyday of the
Zanzibari-Omani Empire, the island became celebrated in
the well-known saying, "When you play the flute at
Z'ilnzibar, all Africa, as far as the Lakes, dances." This
empire has passed, but much of its influence remains.
Swahili is one of the principal languages of the world,
and it has been spread far and wide from Zanzibar. From
Port Said to Durban, from Zanzibar across the Congo to
the west coast, in Southern Arabia, Western India and in
Madagascar, there will be found men who speak h.
Many of the Creoles of Mauritius and Reunion are of
Zanzibar origin, and the Creole language, though French
in its vocabulary, is Bantu in its grammar. You may
hear in the Creole of Mauritius the folk-lore that you have
heard in the Swahili of Zanzibar.
As for the Island of Pemba, though it is somewhat
overshadowed by the glory of Zanzibar, it is not without
its fame. It has been described as the "Pearl of the
Indian Ocean," and to the Arabs it is known as Jezirat
al Khuthra, or the Green Island. It is certainly one of
the beauty spots of the world. In East Africa and
Madagascar it has a more sinister fame, as it is looked
on as the very University of Witchcraft.
From the Colonial Civil Servant's point of view, I
suspect that there is but one Zanzibar and that one is
rather spoilt by starting a career in the Protectorate, but
none the less I count myself very fortunate to have spent
the years from 1919-1927 there. Nearly all the material
in this book was collected during that time from the
inhabitants themselves. Certain of the history has been
gleaned from other authorities, but as regards the
ethnographical part, I found an unexplored field and
therefore, despite its shortcomings, I hope the book will
be of use to those whose study lies in this subject, and
also to those who come to the island to help its people
to achieve their destiny.
I think it is true to say that Zanzibar until recently
has been only dimly aware of its earlier history, and barely
conscious of the fact that it is the mother of the other
dependencies of Eastern Africa. Some of this history
I have already published in work derived from the
historical chapters in this book and from others that from
 PREFACE 7
considerations of space have had to be omitted. An
abstract of it first appeared, together with a resume of the
Ethnography, in Zanzibar, an Account of its People,
Industries, and History, and in the School History· of
Zanzibar, which Mr. Hollingsworth, of the Zanzibar
Education Department, and I wrote in 1925. Some of it
has reappeared in Mr. Hollingsworth's Short History of the
East Coast of Africa, and the children of Zanzibar and
the east coast are therefore now enabled to learn something
of the story of their own country. No country can afford
to neglect its history, and it is my hope that lessons may
be gained from this story which may be of value in the
making of future history.
It is possible that Zanzibar history may yet be taken
much farther back. In 1927 I took to the South Kensing-
ton Museum some fossils obtained in blasting operations
at Chukwani, six miles south of Zanzibar town, anc:l was
informed that they had the appearance of being a typical
Pleistocene stone breccia. It has yet to be proved that
they are what they seem, namely the remnants of the meals
of Stone Age men, from the bottom of a collapsed cave.
As regards the ethnography, nothing beyond the
resume referred to above and a few articles in Man and
the Zanzibar Gazette has appeared before. The only safe
foundation for any civilization is that built on the
traditions and life of a people, and so I hope that this
record of the manners and customs of the Zanzibaris will
be of use to them and those who are called on to administer
them. I have included in the book a good deal of the
magic practised in both islands, and I hope that an
understanding of it will help, with patience and sympathy,
to its elimination as education progresses.
I have given an extensive bibliography of Zanzibar
literature in Zanzibar, an Account of its People, Industries,
and History. Space forbids the reproduction in this book
of the names of any books not actually used.
I have to acknowledge the help and encouragement
given to me by Mr. T. A. Joyce, M.A., O.B.E., Deputy
Keeper of the Department of Ceramics and Ethnography
'in the British Museum. It was he who first instigated me
to write the book, and he has given me every help possible
towards getting it published. He has very kindly read it
and made suggestions for its improvement, which I have
endeavoured to carry out. lowe quite an especial debt
of gratitude to Sir Claud Hollis, K.C.M.G., C.B.E., now
Governor of Trinidad, not only for reading the book and
8 PREFACE
giving me much help, but for the opportunities he made
for me while he was British Resident at Zanzibar, to get
material and to improve the book in different ways. To
many other individuals who have helped me I can only
extend a collective expression of gratitude, for their name
is legion.
Some of the photo~raphs have been taken by myself,
but for others I am mdebted to Mr. A. C. Gomes of
Zanzibar. The photos of native handicraft were taken by
the late Mr. John Heath, of Shrewsbury, and the objects
portrayed are either on loan to the Shrewsbury School
museum or deposited in the Museum at Zanzibar.
The book has been through many vicissitudes before
seeing the light of day. It was started in 1921, and
gradually grew till it had reached impossible proportions
in 1927; since then it has undergone various surgical
operations designed to reduce its bulk, but I doubt whether
it would have emerged finally into printed form if it had
not been for my wife, who rescued it from the oblivion of
a dusty shelf, read it, made further suggestions for its
:improvement and finally herself bearded the publisher in
his den.
The actual publication of the book has been made
possible by the generosity of the Zanzibar Government
who, with the consent of the Colonial Office, have
subsidized the work in a very substantial fashion, and I
wish therefore to take this opportunity of tendering my
very sincere thanks for their most practical assistance.
W.H.I.
PORT SAID,
October, 1930.
 DEDICATED
(BY GRACIOUS PERMISSION)

TO
HIS HIGHNESS SEVVID SIR KHALIFA BIN HARUB.
K.C.M.G., K.B.E.,
SULTAN OF ZANZIBAR

AND TO

HIS SUBJECTS,

ESPBCIALLY THOSB WHO,

EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,

HAVE ASSISTED IN THE

COMPILATION OF THIS BOOK.

 CONTENTS
PAGE

PREFACE 5

INTRODUCTORY
CHAPTER I
ZANZIBAR
Introduction-Geographical delimitations-Geological history
-Fauna and flora-Derivation of the name . . 19

CHAPTER II
THE PEOPLE
Population-Inhabitants-Connection of the Indians with the
coast from the earliest times to the present day-Political
and economic condition of the natives 27

PART I-HISTORICAL
A. EARLY HISTORY AND EXTERNAL
INFLUENCES
CHAPTER III
Introduction-Stone Age-The first inhabitants of Zanzibar-
The heliolithic culture-The Sumerians-The Assyrians
-The Chaldeans, Medes and Persians 41

CHAPTER IV
The ancient Egyptians-The Phrenicians-The Jews-The
Greeks-The Sabreans and Himyarites . 47

CHAPTER V
The Beginning of the Christian era-Resume of the early
trade on the Zanzibar ('oast. .. 59

CHAPTER VI
Rea.c;ons for paucity of information on East Africa from the
second to seventh centuries-The Bantu invasion-The
coast from the second to seventh centuries 6g

CHAPTER VII
IlARJ.Y MOD]!RN VISITORS FROM THE NEAR !lAST
The first emigration from Oman to Zanzibar-Other early
emigrations from Asia-The conversion of the coast to
Is1a.in-Records of the Arabian geographers 73
II
12 CONTENTS
CHAPTER VIII
VISITORS 'ROM THE FAR EAST rAG.

The Malays on the coast-The relations of the Chinese with

the east coast of Africa • • • . . 86
CHAPTER IX
THE RISK AND 'ALL 0' THE PORTUGUESE
The rise of the Portuguese-The Zimba invasion of East
Africa-The brief Turkish domination of the coast-The
first English visitors-The decline of the Portuguese-
Establishment of Omani domination on the co~t . 96
B. LATER HISTORY OF THE NATIVE
TRIBES
CHAPTER X
The origin of the native tribes in Zanzibar and Pemba 12::1

CHAPTER XI
Period of the Zinj Empire-History of Zanzibar-History of
Pemba-History of Tumbatu . . . . 131

CHAPTER XII
NATIVE DYNASTIES 0' ZANZIBAR
Th~ Mwenyi Mkuu of Zanzibar Island-The Diwanis of
Pemba-The Sheha of Tumbatu 147

C. HISTORY OF MODERN ZANZIBAR

CHAPTER XIII
THE ZANZIBARI-OMANI EMPIRE
The reign of Seyyid Said-The reign of Seyyid Majid-The
reign of Seyyid Barghash-Tippu Tib . . . 161

CHAPTER XIV
THI REIGN or SIYYID KRALI'A BIN SAID TO THE PRESENT DAY
Seyyid Khalifa bin Said-Seyyid Ali bin Said-Seyyid
Hamed bin Thwain-Seyyid Khaled bin Barghash-
Seyyid Hamoud bin Mohammed-Seyyid Ali bin Hamoud
-Seyyid Khalifa bin Harub . . . . . 17::1

PART II-ETHNOLOGICAL
A. FOREIGN INFLUENCES
CHAPTER XV
Introduction .
CHAPTER XVI
The Khawarij-The Ibathis and their Imamate
 CONTENT$ 13
CHAPTER XVII
The Arabs of Zanzibar-Birth and infancy-Courtship and
marriage-Death and burial . 194
CHAPTER XVIII
Social Organization-Occupation and relaxation-Politeness
and hospitality-Religious duties in everyday life-
Superstitions-Arab architecture and Zanzibar doors . 204
CHAPTER XIX
Some notes on the life of Swahilis and freed slaves

B. NATIVE TRIBES OF ZANZIBAR

CHAPTER XX
I.IFJi; OF THll INDIVIDUAl.
The man-The woman
CHAPTER XXI
Family organization
CHAPTER XXII
Village life-The man's day-The woman's day-Games 249
CHAPTER XXIII
Tribal organization-Taxation-Politeness and ho~pitality 262
CHAPTER XXIV
Law ~7
CHAPTER XXV
The soil-Land tenure-Products-(I) Cereals-(:z) Vegetables
-(3) Fruits-(4) Tobacco - 274
CHAPTER XXVI
Agricultural and nautical year-Agricultural customs . 280
CHAPTER XXVII
Fire-Salt-Food-Drink 28S
CHAPTER XXVIII
I.ivestock-Game-Traps-Hunting
CHAPTER XXIX
Fishing-Sailing
CHAPTER XXX
Clothing-Ornaments-Habitations
CHAPTER XXXI
CRAFTS
Pottery-Basket and matting work-Carpentry and carving
-Metal-work-Machinery-Miscellaneous crafts and in-
dustries-The uses of the palm tree . 317
14 CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXXII
Commerce
CHAPTER XXXIII
Languages-Dialectical vocabularies-Writing. 332
CHAPTER XXXIV
Proverbs-Riddles • 344
CHAPTER XXXV
Tales . 350
CHAPTER XXXVI
Poetry-Art
CHAPTER XXXVII
MUSIC, SONGS AND DANC1tS
Musical Instruments-1;>ances • 399
CHAPTER XXXVIII
MUSIC, SONGS AND DANC1tS (continued)
Vinyago-Songs-Maulidi-Pemb9: bull-fights • 41:1
CHAPTER XXXIX
NATU~
The elements-Botany-Zoology . • 42 3
CHAPTER XL
RIU.IGION
Religious beliefs-Islam-Animism-Superstitions • 433
CHAPTER XLI
MKDICINB
Surgery - Physics - The practitioners - Materia Medica-
Nosology . . . ., 441
CHAPTER XLII
MAGIC
Possessions and exorcisms-White magic-Black magic 4S3
CHAPTER XLIII
Numbers-Divination
CHAPTER XLIV
The people of Makunduchi
CHAPTER XLV
Swahili psychology
CHAPTER XLVI
Dreams and ghosts
CHAPTER XLVII
Physical characteristics of the Zanzibaris S09
BIBLIOGRAPHY SIS
INDICX • 521
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PLATES
MOSQUR WITH MINARET, ZANZIBAR • Frontispiece
Facillg
pag_
MIRHAB OF OLD MOSQUJl, CHAMBANI 138
INTJlRIOR OF OLD MOSQUE, KICHOBOCHWJl • 138
AN MPJlMBA GIRL 138
MIRHAB OF MOSQUE, MKUMBUU 138
ZANZIBAR DOOR DJlSIGNS :u8
THJl WAPJlMBA MAKING THEIR CURIOUS CRY 256
AN ANIMAL CALUD KURURU • 256
GOGODUA OR THE STILT WALKER 256
A PJlMBA BULL-FIGHT • 256
NATIVE RAT-TRAP AND OTHER DOMJlSTIC ARTICLI\S 2g6
DEMA FISHING-TRAPS • 300
A SEWN BOAT. 300
OLD FISHJlRMAN WITH MGONO TRAP • 300
CAT-FISH FISHI!RMAN WITH TRAPS 300
COOKING UTIlNSILS 318
NATIVJl KNIVES AND OTHJlR TOOLS 318
BLACKSMITHS AT WORK 318
POTTERY MAKER, PJlMBA 318
HADlMU SPOONS DJlCORATED WITH POKER WORK 398
ORCHESTRA FOR THJl DANCJl KUMBA • 400
ORCHI!STRA FOR VINGAGO 400
NATIVE DRUMS 400
NATIVE MUSICAL INSTRUMRNTS AND COSTUMES 416
QUERN OF THE MANGUNA DANCE, KIMBA 454
THE PANGA MWAKJUGA, BJlMBA 454
PRRFORMERS OF THE UGIGE DANCE • 454
THE DRVIL HUNT, MAKUNDUCHI 454
OLD BOOKS OF MAGIC, NATIVE CHARMS, ETC. 474
NYANGJl DANCJl, MAKUNDUCHI 484
WAHADlMU 484

MAPS
MAP OF ZANZIBAR AND PI!MBA SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF
POPULATION 31
MAP OF THJl AZANIAN OCEAN • 6:
IS
INTRODUCTORY
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

IN the first introductory and historical chapters of

this book I have endeavoured to give a perspective to
the main part of the book, namely, the ethnology of
Zanzibar. In the ordinary way, when writing of the
life and customs of a primitive people, the historical
introduction can be dismissed in a few pages, but in
Zanzibar oircumstances are different, and owing to a
variety of reasons which will be found outlined, its
history is long and complicated, and the customs of
the people are coloured, to a large extent, by external
influences, as throughout the centuries the Zanzibaris
have absorbed the manners of the various civilizations
that have been imposed upon them.
The book is concerned in the main with the native
inhabitants of the Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.
In the historical portion it has been impossible to
avoid dealing, to a large extent-at any rate in the
earlier part-with the adjacent African coast. The
islands and the coast have been intimately connected
-historically, politically and ethnologically-for a
very long period.

GEOGRAPHICAL DELIMITATIONS
The Zanzibar Protectorate, as defined by the
Zanzibar Order-in-Council 1924, comprises the
Islands of Zanzibar and 'Pemba and islands within
the territorial waters thereof. This definition is some-
what smaller than that in the proces-verbal of the
9th of June, 1886, defining the territories of the
Sultan of Zanzibar, which includes all islets within
a 12-miles radius of Zanzibar and Pemba. The
19
20 ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar Sultanate includes not only Zanzibar and
Pemba and islands geographically dependent on
them and Latham Island, but also the lo-mile wide
coast strip of Kenya Protectorate.
The lsland of Zanzibar is situated in 6° S.
latitude, and is separated from the mainland by a
channel 221 miles across at its narrowest part. It is
the largest coralline island on the African coast,
being 54 miles long by 24 broad (maximum measure-
ment), and having an area of 640 square miles. To
the north-west of Zanzibar, separated by a channel
about a mile wide, is the Island of Tumbatu, which is
of ethnological importance, as it is the headquarters
of one of the three tribes of the protectorate. It is
administratively included with Zanzibar Island. It is
6 miles long and one wide, and is 3,619 acres in
extent.
Some 25 miles to the north-east of Zanzibar,
athwart the 5th degree of South Latitude, lies the
Island of Pemba. It is smaller than Zanzibar, being
42 miles long by 14 broad (maximum measurement),
and having an area of 380 square miles.
The annual rain-fall amounts approximately in
Zanzibar to 56 inches, and in Pemba to 75 inches.
The rainy seasons are well defined; the heavy rains
occur in April and May, previous to the setting in of
the south-west monsoon, the light rains in November
and December, before the recurrence of the north-east
monsoon. The mean maximum temperature in
Zanzibar is 84'9, and the mean minimum 76'6, The
corresponding figures for Pemba are 83'6 and 73'2·
respectively.
Thirty-five miles to the south of Zanzibar lies
Latham Island. It is a small island inhabited only
by vast numbers of sea-birds utterly fearless of man.
Known to the natives as Shan Jove or Fungu
Kizimkazi, it was probably originally discovered by
the Portuguese, but named after the East Indiaman
Latham, which rediscovered it in 1758. It was
annexed to Zanzibar in the nineties,
 GEOLOGICAL HISTORY 21

GEOLOGICAL HISTORY

Recent research by Mr. G. M. Stockley has

entirely altered the ideas previously held as to the
geological history of Zanzibar and Pemba.
It was not until the Miocene that Pemba-the
older of the two islands-emerged from the sea.
Contrary to what was previously believed, Pemba
emerged not joined to the mainland, but as an island
separated from the mainland and from Zanzibar by
a rift fault. During this period Zanzibar was still
beneath the sea.
The beginning of the Pliocene found Zanzibar
still submerged, and the present topography of Pemba
being gradually determined. At the end of the
Pliocene and the beginning of the Pleistocene,
Zanzibar was connected with the mainland as an arm
which formed a promontory. Later the advance of
the sea destroyed the connection with the mainland,
and a small archipelago of three islands developed.
The retreat of the sea in late Pleistocene times
gave it its present outline, and decided the terraces
of Zanzibar and Pemba.
At the beginning of the Holocene, the present
geological age, Zanzibar and Pemba were densely
forested islands, but they are now practically denuded
of forest. During this age Pemba has been subsiding
a little, and the valleys of both the islands, and of
the coast, have been drowned by the present advance
of the ocean, which forms them into creeks.

VEGETATION

The native vegetation of Zanzibar can be divided

into five zones, the first of which are the mangrove
swamps.
The mangrove seed is peculiarly adapted for
travelling by sea, and for taking root in the sea; that
species which germinates on the tree and drops with
 22 ZANZIBAR
a pointed weighted end into the mud, and is thus
planted by the parent tree, being to my mind one of
the most remarkable provisions of nature.
The second zone is that of the beaches and rocks,
which support the Euphorbia, the wild date palm
(Phamix reclinata), some other species, and also
certain Asiatic species like the Casuarina, indigenous
to the South Sea Islands and the India Archipelago,
and brought thence by the great current that sweeps
across the South Indian Ocean from Asia to Africa.
The Screw pine is also another of these Asiatic
immigrants. I think the Borassus palm should also
be included in this zone; of this there are two species
-that of Asia without a bulge, and that of Africa
with one. These are generally confined to the coast
region, the former to the east facing the Indian Ocean,
and the latter to the w'est facing the mainland of
Africa.
The third zone consists of the scrub bush, and is
mainly of one species, Psiadia dodanei/olia, which
emits a peculiar odour well known to those who have
travelled across this zone on hot days.
The fourth is the Bush savannah, which incluaes
that peculiar monstrosity, the baobab tree. This tree,
I believe, is generally considered indigenous to Africa
as well as Asia, though no doubt some of those on
the east coast of the island made the long journey
across the Indian Ocean in the seed stage.
The fifth and most interesting zone is a part of
the great tropical forest of Africa, and includes several
species peculiar to Zanzibar.
The chief species are Landolpkia kirkii, the
rubber vine, and peculiar to the Islana of Pemba;
Typka lati/olia, the tree bamboo; ElO!is guineinsis,
the oil palm; Raphia rujfia, the raffia palm, and also
several good timber trees, including a cassia, called
by the natives "Mvule." The chief remaining
example of this forest is the N gezi forest in the north
of Pemba.
 FAUNA 23
FAUNA

The chief animals of Pemba are: Mammals-

the Mozambique or grey monkey (C ercopithecus
ru/oviridis), a small gazelle (Cephalophus pembaJ),
galago (Galago crassicaudatus), the black pig (Sus
scro/a), genett (Viverra megaspila), and a tree coney
(Dendrohyrax adersi). Reptiles include sternnotheres
(SternothaJrus sinuatus and S niger), the black-necked
cobra (Naia nigricollis), the Egyptian cobra (Naia
haje), and the boomslang. Pemba also boasts a
species of cat-fish (Clarias), found in the fresh-water
ponds.
Zanzibar animals include most of the above, except
the grey monkey, the black pig, the sternnotheres
and the poisonous snakes.
But in addition Zanzibar has the leopard, the civet
cat (V. orientalis), the slender mongoose (Mungos
gracilis), the blue or Syke's monkey (c. albigularis),
and the red bush pig (PotamochCErus a/ricanus).
It has also four mammals peculiar to itself, the
Zanzibar Guereza (Colobus kirkii), the Zanzibar
Duiker (C ephalophus adersi), the Giant Elephant
Shrew (Rhyncocyon adersi), and a squirrel (Paraxerus
palliatus lastii).
Among reptiles it has the python, the Nile monitor
(Varanus niloticus), and a large burrowing vegetable-
eating skink.
It should be remarked that the black pig of Pemba
is a relic only of Portuguese times, and that the tree
coney is mainly confined to Tumbatu Island, which
it shares chiefly with N esotragus moschatus.
Zanzibar no doubt owes its mammalian fauna to
the fact that it was, until well on in Pleistocene times,
connected with the mainland. Those species which
are now peculiar to the island must have developed
since that date. How Pemba, which, according to
recent ideas, was never joined to the mainland, suc-
ceeded in obtaining its terrestrial fauna is a problem
that must at present remain unsolved. It is to be
24 ZANZIBAR
noted, however, that its mammalian fauna is far more
scanty than that of Zanzibar.

DERIVATION OF THE NAME OF ZANZIBAR

The ancient name for Zanzibar and its people is
the Zinj, and it is of interest and importance here to
explain its origin, history and use.
Major Pearce says: "It is generally acceptea
that the name' Zanzibar' is derived from the Persian
word ' Zangh,' meaning a negro, and 'bar,' a. coast.
Thus the name, in its widest sense, signifies 'The
Negro Coast.' "
The Periplus does not mention the word, but
speaks of the " Continent of Azania," which Burton
says "is probably an adaptation like Azan and even
Ajan of the Arabic Barr el Khazain, or the land of
the tanks, the coast below Ras Hafun and Ras el
Khayl."
Pliny also speaks of the Azanian sea. Ptolemy
states that immediately after Opone· is another bay
where Azania begins. "At this beginning are pro-
montories, Zingis (Zingina promontorium), and the
tree-topped Mount Phalangis." Azania appears to
contain the element Zenj, as does possibly Unguja,
the native name, first recorded by Vakut (Lenguja)
in the thirteenth century.
The Adulis inscription of the fourth century gives
Zingabena, and Cosmas Indicopleustes speaks of the
Sea of Zenj and Zingium.
Abu Zayd Hasan, Masudi, Albiruni and loris all
mention it, as do Ibn Batuta, el Nowayn and
Abulfeda.
The word Zanj, says Burton, is a corruption
of Zinj (whence the plural Zunuj, evidently the
Persian Zang or Zangi = the black) by the Arabs, who
ignore the hard" gaf." "In modern Persian' Zangi '
still means the negro, and D'herbelot says of the
Zenghis that they are properly those called Zingari,
 DERIVATION OF THE NAME 25
and by some Egyptians and Bohemians." Dr. R. S.
Charnock derives from Zangi the racial gipsy
names Czingany. It., Zingari, Var. Cingani, Zingara,
Cingari, Port., Ciganos, German, Zigeuner.
The Arabs, Burton states again, like to derive the
word Zanzibar from Zayn Za'l Barr =" Fair is this
land." The original derivation of the word" Zang "
is a matter for some speculation; the earliest use of
the word appears to be that of Ptolemy. The ancient
Egyptians called the people" Nehesi," and the Arabs
the" Sudan."
It seems possible that the Persian worn is a
derivation from the natives' name for themselves;
it may be connected with Zimba, cf. Vaziznba,
Zimbabwe, Agysimba, etc. "Barr" is the modern
Persian word for "the coast," the old Persian being
" Para," and the Arabic " Sahil."
The word Barra in Swahili, as used in Zanzibar,
means the mainland; the Arabic "Barr" is also used
for" country," i.e., Bar arab =Arabia, and Bar ajam
= Persia. They also use the word Bilad (in Hindu-
stani Bilati, whence, of course, the word coined in
the late war, " Blighty ").
Cosmas Indicopleustes has the following remarks:
"Beyond Barbaria there stretches an ocean which
has there the name of Zingion. Bordering on the
same sea is the land called Sasos, which possesses
abundant gold mines. Barbaria is also called
Troglodytyca."
Zinj was one of the three old Persian and Arabian
sections of the world, namely, Hind, Sind, and Zinj
referre'd to by the medireval European geographers
as India Major, Minor and Tertia. It must be
remembered that from ancient times to well on in the
Christian era, Asia and Africa were confused, and
East Africa considered as one of the East Indies.
Another form of Zinj is the Japanese Tsengu, ann
of Zanzibar the Chinese Tseng"pat.
In early maps and voyages the wor'd Zanzihar
appears under a variety of 'different forms, of which
26 ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar, Zanjibar, Chancibar and Xengibar are
examples.
In Vasco da Gama's voyage the island is called
Jamgiber, and down to quite recently, after the modern
name Zanzibar was adopted, the mainland opposite
was called Zanguebar. The length over which
Zanguebar extended has been variously shown by
different geographers, Arabian and otherwise. It
should extend from about the Juba River down to at
least Mozambique Island, though in early days it
was usually protracted as far as So£ala.
References

CONTENTS

INDICX • S09 SIS 521 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES

MOSQUR WITH MINARET, ZANZIBAR •

MIRHAB OF OLD MOSQUJl, CHAMBANI

INTJlRIOR OF OLD MOSQUE, KICHOBOCHWJl •

AN MPJlMBA GIRL

MIRHAB OF MOSQUE, MKUMBUU

ZANZIBAR DOOR DJlSIGNS

THJl WAPJlMBA MAKING THEIR CURIOUS CRY

AN ANIMAL CALUD KURURU •

GOGODUA OR THE STILT WALKER

A PJlMBA BULL-FIGHT •

NATIVE RAT-TRAP AND OTHER DOMJlSTIC ARTICLI\S

DEMA FISHING-TRAPS •

A SEWN BOAT.

OLD FISHJlRMAN WITH MGONO TRAP •

CAT-FISH FISHI!RMAN WITH TRAPS

COOKING UTIlNSILS

NATIVJl KNIVES AND OTHJlR TOOLS

BLACKSMITHS AT WORK

POTTERY MAKER, PJlMBA

HADlMU SPOONS DJlCORATED WITH POKER WORK

ORCHESTRA FOR THJl DANCJl KUMBA •

ORCHI!STRA FOR VINGAGO

NATIVE DRUMS

NATIVE MUSICAL INSTRUMRNTS AND COSTUMES

QUERN OF THE MANGUNA DANCE, KIMBA

THE PANGA MWAKJUGA, BJlMBA

PRRFORMERS OF THE UGIGE DANCE •

THE DRVIL HUNT, MAKUNDUCHI

OLD BOOKS OF MAGIC, NATIVE CHARMS, ETC.

NYANGJl DANCJl, MAKUNDUCHI

WAHADlMU MAPS Frontispiece Facillg pag_ 13 8 138 13

8 138 :u8 256 25 6 25 6 25 6 2g6 300 300 3 00 3
00 3 18 3 18 3 18 3 18 398 4 00 4 00 4 00 4 16
454 454 454 454 474 4 8 4 484

MAP OF ZANZIBAR AND PI!MBA SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF

POPULATION 3 1 6: MAP OF THJl AZANIAN OCEAN • IS
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Zanzibar. Tumbatu MS. History of Shirazi advent and
genealogical trees of the Ba Alawi. No date.
Kizimkazi MS. Genealogical tree of the Sherifs of Kizimkazi.
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of Arab descent. Gives the story of Malik blD Fahm and
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names of any of Malik bin Fahm's sons as Shiraz. No date.
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(A.D. 1503).
Ndagoni III. MS. History of the Shirazis in Pemba from their
coming to the time of Seyyid Said. Written on Borassus
'palm leaf. Dated 27th Shahan, 1267 H. (A.D. 1750).
Ndagoni IV. MS. Genealogy and arrival of the Shirazis who
settled at Mkumbuu, Ndagoni. No date.
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and Tumbatu. Together with genealogies. Includes copy
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Mkuu, etc. (see section IV). There is in Pemba a book of
518 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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