As Ibrahim heaved himself out of the dhow, he paused briefly whilst regaining a sense of balance as the apparent stillness of the ground beneath him, took a moment's getting used to. He placed his hand on the small of his back, leaning heavily against it, the last hour of the journey had been a rough one. The velvety, deep cerulean sky caught his eye and he broke out into a smile, silently approving mother nature's wise choice of palette. On reaching dry land, he stood looking onto his new surroundings with intrigue, under the cooling shade of some coconut palms, the fresh sea breeze brought a rustling of palm fronds that whispered to his ears the secrets of yesteryear.
Kenya's deep history, Islamic influence and Swahili culture begun in Mombasa, long before the arrival of the Europeans and Indians. It was initially inhabited mainly by the Mijikenda people who were a Bantu speaking tribe, and the Masai who lived Inland and had the vast majority of control over the land. The Arab and Persian traders came as early as the 11th century. The original name was 'Manbasa' an Arabic word, yet the Swahilis called it ‘Kisiwa Cha Mvita’, meaning, 'Island of war',indicating the many changes in the ownership of this city. By the time of Ibrahim's arrival, Kenya was called, British East African Protectorate by the British colonialists. Mombasa remained the capital city until 1907.
The Arab control was tied up very much with the ivory and slave trades. It was due to the early explorers like Stanley, Livingston and others, that the slave trade was exposed to Britain and other countries, as they strongly opposed it and were absolutely disgusted by the Arabs and Persians. Although by 1875, a special mission, headed by the Governor of Bombay, Sir Bartle Frere, coerced the Sultan into signing a treaty that prohibited the export of slaves from the Sultan's dominions to mainland Africa.
The Chinese visited in 1417 and settled along the coastline for a short period, as did people from Malaya and Baluchistan. By the 15th century it adapted the Swahili culture and Islamic faith, and became the first trade centre out of Africa. Swahili was a word given by the Arabs, meaning'coast' The Arabs and Persians initially brought in cloth, salt, beads, spices, wire and brass items to trade. It was known the ‘Centre of the Spice Trade.’
Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer was the first known European to reach Mombasa in 1498. It is believed that he named the nearby coastal town of Malindi after his wife, ‘Melind’. The Arabs turned it into a Sultanate in 1502, only to be attacked by the Portuguese in 1505 and for the next 200 years, the Arabs and Portuguese battled over winning control. By 1593, the Portuguese took over with a brutal colonial rule and Mombasa became the centre of Portuguese power.
They built a huge fortress on the edge of a coral ridge, overlooking the entrance to the Old Port of Mombasa, to protect their trade route to India and their interests in East Africa. Using masons from the Indian colony of Goa, and some of the local inhabitants from Malindi. Built with lookout towers at every limb, and small arched openings all the way around, on which rested massive cannons. Cannons were surrounding the fort on both the outside and inside of the grounds. Gaining entrance through two heavy wooden doors, enforced with steel bars, opened out to a courtyard. To one extreme side, divided by a vast derelict wall, stood a well-secured iron gate leading down to a long flight of steep stone steps. A place that no soul would choose to venture, not even a passerby. It was there, in the depth of the morbid dungeons, that prisoners and slaves were confined, under the most harsh and unimaginable conditions. Far away from everyday life, cramped together in a dark space that reeked of faeces and putrefied corpses. Exposed to continuously wet and damp conditions, due to the deep waters of the ocean that surrounded the walls. They were beaten and tortured in the most horrendous ways, sometimes so brutally that they died. Having no idea how long their imprisonment would last, they sat there in hope,waiting and praying. Their fate was in the hands of their captivators, but needless to say, many never surfaced to see the outside world again.
An Italian architect called, Giovanni Battista Cairati, designed Fort Jesus. He died just before its completion. The fortress was dedicated and named "Fortaleza de Jesus de Mombaça" by Mateus de Mendes de Vasconcelos (a captain of the Malindi coast). Mombasa became Portugal’s main trading centre along the East Coast of Africa.
The fort was completed in 1593, becoming the first and only government prison in the East Africa Protectorate in 1895. A plaque presented by the Oman embassy now stands there, displaying some historical dates.
For close to four decades and thereafter, Portuguese dominance was unchallenged until 16 August 1631. Relations between the Portuguese and the Sultan of Mombasa began to deteriorate after the departure of the first captain Mateus de Mendes de Vasconcelos.
The Sultan who succeeded him, (originally called, Muhammad Yusi and educated in Goa, was baptized as Dom Jeronimo Chingulia), entered the fort and took the Portuguese by surprise, killing the Portuguese captain, Pedro Leitão de Gamboa, and massacring the whole Portuguese population of Mombasa (45 men, 35 women and 70 children). A Portuguese expedition was sent from Goa to recapture the fort, but after two months of siege (10 January 1632-19 March 1632) they abandoned the enterprise. The Portuguese did recapture it back in 1728. In April 1729, the inhabitants of Mombasa revolted against the Portuguese and put under siege the garrison that was forced to surrender on 26 November 1729.
Not until the start of British anti-slave trade activities in East Africa, was European influence reasserted in the region. In 1822 the Sultan of Oman, Sayyid Said, claimed control of the Swahili dynasties along the coast but was resisted by the Swahili clans, who requested that Britain intervene. They did so claiming part of the coast,the British were generally content with their informal control over the area. However in the 1880s they were to find that their influence under the area would be severely challenged by the Germans. Pressure was put on the Sultan of Zanzibar to hand over control of his remaining East African lands to the British Company under Sir William Mackinnon. Sir William Mackinnon was an ageing Scotsman who began his career as a grocer's assistant, and later became the founder of a large steamship line. Some speculate that in general, he actually favoured the idea of buying out slaves from the Arabs, rather than forcing them to give up slavery. Lord Kitchener apparently had advised Salisbury to "get rid" of Mackinnon as early as 1888. By 1895 it was clear that the British East Africa Company could not continue and so sold its lands and buildings to the British Government.
In 1877 the Sultan offered a concession of administration to the British. Later in, 1886, the European colonial powers divided Africa between Germany and Britain as the main players. By 1895 Britain's protectorate was formed, officially naming it ‘British East African *Protectorate.’ And later in 1921, the protectorate became Kenya and was renamed,British Crown *Colony.
*Protectorates were territories where the local rulers could continue ruling domestically but they had ceded the foreign and defence aspects of their government to the British. In return, the British respected and were prepared to defend the ruler from foreign or internal threats.
*Colonies were those areas directly ruled by a governor on behalf of the British government and representing the Crown. The governor was responsible to the Colonial Office in London, although he usually had wide powers of discretion. These were the most common form of imperial control.
~Old Port Mombasa just before WW1~
~A main street in Mombasa before WW1~
By the time Ibrahim arrived, Mombasa had a population of about 24,719 people; 6,000 of them being of Asian origin, the rest were made up of Protectorate officials and their families, railway employees, missionaries, English businessmen and a couple of Germans and Greeks. Right up to 1907, anyone could come in through the port without immigration formalities or even a passport. There was no piped water, sewers or collection of rubbish; the roads were not properly made and most of the port was forest and mangroves. The forest often made the City vulnerable to wild animals and snakes. The town was undeveloped and gave rise to rats because of the poor sanitation,which in turn resulted in a few epidemics. There were a a small number Arabian dwellings, mud houses, typically with thatched roofs, and a handful of buildings. A few thatched pavilions doted the island that were utilized by the missionaries as a substitute for schools or churches. The British Administrator had his own house on the shore. A crude main road cut its way through the middle of the Old Port, called Ndia Kuu. Other than that, there were small foot paths around the trading area. Coconuts were cultivated as well as a small variety of fruit trees. The British Officers received their food rations when ever a ship sailed into Mombasa.
The Afternoon sun was gleaming on the blue sea, and behind Ibrahim, a few dhows were entering the port steering carefully through the only gap in the coral reef barrier. He observed the rich influence of the Islamic culture around him. Prayer areas had been set up with woven grass mats under canopies of cloth. An area had been cordoned off for men to wash themselves before the prayers, with water drawn from a well, and stored in small containers. A few Arabs merchants were clasping rosaries made of seeds, reciting verses of the Koran silently. Many of the Swahili men had covered their heads with round flat topped hats,wearing 'Kanzus',(a long simple robe). And the few women had draped simple 'kangas'(rectangles of cloth, that now days are very colorful), over their heads.
He noticed a few Indian men who seemed to have established themselves well, each with their own small trading posts. He curiously watched and wondered what brought them to Africa. Some European travellers had gathered by the traders, bargaining for their lunch of mangoes, dates and nuts. He approached the traders to exchange words with them, and was happy to see he was welcomed warmly. He learned that most of them had left India, some three to four years prior to him, coming mainly from Bombay, Kutch and Gujarat. One of the gentlemen, a Khoja who was of jovial nature, offered Ibrahim a ‘madavu’, (the green fruit of an unripe coconut, containing a refreshing and quenching liquid, tasting unique and different to that from a coconut. The white flesh inside is succulent and sweet), Ibrahim brought the madavu to his mouth where a hole had been carved out especially, he savoured it to the last drop as it soothed his throat, and nourished his burning thirst. The amiable Khoja man, much to Ibrahim’s surprise, offered him shelter and a small loan, despite Ibrahim’s reluctance. Ibrahim vowed to pay him back as soon as possible. He found the people as a very hospitable and friendly crowd, and took a liking to his new friends instantly.
He immediately experimented his hand at cooking an Indian condiment; unfortunately, his first attempt was a failure. Having no one to turn to, he asked the same man for another loan. This time Ibrahim was a total success, and he set about on foot, selling his product with in the trading centre. This was the beginning of his small business in Mombasa. Saving every penny possible, he opened a small make shift 'duka' (shop), selling fruit and other small items, becoming very skilled as time went by. In those days trading was done freely on a credit basis, and although it was to his advantage initially, it accumulated in debts later, and Ibrahim soon found himself short of money. Knowing he could not be profitable anytime soon, he concluded that a decision had to be made urgently. If at any time during this point, had Ibrahim been at all disillusioned, he would not have hesitated to discontinue his business as soon as the returning monsoons would turn around his journey,taking him back to his motherland.Talking to a group of people, he learnt that they were planning to travel to Nairobi, a place 441 km away. After thinking about it, he immediately asked if he could join their party.
Nairobi was founded in 1899 as a railroad camp, on the site of a waterhole used by the pastoral Masai people, when plans for the Mombasa-Uganda railway line were under way. In 1905 it replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate, when the British administration moved from Mombasa to Nairobi. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Masai phrase ‘Enkare Nyirobi’, meaning "the place of cool waters". With the discovery of 2.6 million years old Kenyanthropus Platyops at Lomekwi, near lake Turkana by a team lead by the Leakey family in 1972, Kenya cemented its claim as the original "Cradle of Mankind".
Nairobi lies south of the equator, having a high altitude of 1,680 m. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry.
As the railway line had not been constructed, they travelled by foot, donkey and cart. (The Uganda railway line was due to begin construction in the early months of 1896). Their journey took at least three to four weeks, travelling by day in the intense African sun, and camping under the cart at night. Wild animals could be seen and heard at night, their only protection was the campfire and their faith.
Crossing the thickly scrubbed grasslands, it was difficult to navigate themselves easily. Equipped with long sticks, crude machetes and limited tools, they struggled to clear their way through the over growth of thorn bushes and shrubs. The vicious thorns tore at their arms and legs savagely, leaving their bloodied marks distinctly all over their bodies. The sun's intense heat had slowed down their efforts with in a couple of days, and they were sunburned and exhausted from the high temperatures. Certain areas, along Samburu and Taru were like an oven, making it impossible for them to continue walking. All they could do was to break their journey, and crouch under the cart for some form of shade.
The land was a combination of hilly and flat terrain. Each day brought with it a new challenge, and being isolated from any form of help, made their mission even more dangerous. The land was crawling with wild animals. Clean drinking water was very scarce to find after their departure from Mombasa. Their medical supplies were minimal,and in case of an emergency, there were no clinics or hospitals anywhere along the route. The pastoral Masai fiercely guarded their territory, and did not welcome any outsiders, the consequences could likely end in a loss of life. Their chances of getting infected with malaria were high, although they had a small supply of quinine and chewed on 'neem' sticks continuously. Neem is a tree that grows widely in India and is known for its abundant medicinal qualities, one of which is a prophylactic for malaria. Many poisonous snakes were lurking every where, and the chances of getting bitten were also high. Even minute insects, such as jiggers could do severe damage to somebody's foot, as infections and gangrene were very likely after extraction. These were just a few of the risks out of a great many that they were exposed to, but it was a choice that each man made willingly and consciously.
Guided by the sun, they headed towards their destination the best way they could. Many times, having to turn around and find alternate routes, as something obstructed them.
They journeyed through forests, savannahs and thorn bushes, and were amazed to see the vast diversity and the untamed spectacle of the landscape. Equally they were intoxicated by the beauty of the wild animals roaming freely everywhere. From the shy zebra, whose young habitually stood together in pairs, back to head, watching out for each other, to the towering giraffe, whose stride generated the rhythmic and elegant swaying of their necks. Elephant herds were a serious threat, especially nursing cows who charged viciously at anything that caught their eye. The perfectly disguised lions lurking in the tall yellowy grass, waiting patiently to pounce on their prey, had been known to have had a few travellers for their dinner.
Living off dried fruit, nuts, dried fish, rice, and occasionally a guinea fowl when luck was on their side, their diets lacked in nutrients. They collected dried twigs and fallen pieces of wood to light their camp fires at night, as they went along their journey. Water was carried in the carts for both the animals and themselves, breaking at any stream or river to refill, which was a rarity.
One night they woke up with a fright as one of the men suddenly began to yell frantically. Thinking it was a lion, they hurriedly armed themselves with machetes and took cover under the cart. Attempting to calm and silence the man who by this time, had started to perform what looked like a very odd dance routine. Thumping his feet and slapping his body and head, he began to strip his clothing in the middle of the bush. The men glared at the performance that had turned into a road show, and realized that there was something other than a lion troubling their companion. On further investigation, they discovered huge ants with generous pincers that had dug deep into the man's flesh. 'Siafu' or safari ants had attacked him whilst he was sleeping, and were clinging fast on to him, refusing to let go. They had to pull the ants off one by one as another tried to slap them with a cloth, it was not an easy task. He suffered the consequences, as he was left with the sores all over his body and the only way to disinfect them, was with salted water which must have stung him even more. That night, they had to move their camp to a different location.
They walked through Mackinnon, Voi, Tsavo, Mtito Ende, all the way to the Kapiti Plains and Fort Hall, (Machakos). Finally they followed Athi river where the game was abundantly seen wondering over the plains.
On reaching Nairobi,they were unrecognizable due to the dust from the red soil that had heavily caked them from head to toe. Their thorn tattered clothes hung in shreds off their frail bodies. Towards the end of their journey,everything had caught up with them, and they were absolutely exhausted, weak, sick and malnourished. One of the men had dysentery and was desperately ailing.
When their long journey did come to an end, they were overcome with relief and joy, it was an experience they would never forget for as long as they lived, and they would be certain to pass it onto the generations that followed.
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