GHistory of Slavery in Zanzibar

Over 200 years ago, Slave Trade overshadowed Zanzibar but today, the history of this dark past is long forgotten. Today, Zanzibar is one of the leading tourist destinations in East Africa with beautiful white sandy beaches, comfortable boutiques, villas, hotels, resorts and lodge establishments.

Zanzibar which currently stands as a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, once served as the center point of Slave Trade in East Africa. At the time, Slavery became the most profitable of the numerous economic activities in Zanzibar Island.

The historic Indian Ocean Slave Trade was mainly controlled by the Arab Slave Traders. The Arab Slave Trade evolved first before the Islam and lasted for a millennium. In order to meet the high demand for slaves, the slavers had to trade, bribe chiefs and even kidnap people. The Slave Traders moved from Bagamoyo up-to Congo and the newly got slaves could be forced to carry ivory and other goods back to Bagamoyo.

Bagamoyo is derived from a Kiswahili word – “Baga Moyo” meaning “Lay down your heart”. The slaves were transferred to Zanzibar using wooden boats also popular as dhows. Several of the slaves couldn’t survive on their way to Zanzibar and while those who managed to get to final destination were stripped naked and their bodies covered with coconut oil. They were also forced to put gold and silver bracelets with Slave Trader’s name. It was during such a time when slaves were forced to march in the line along Stone Town streets while guarded by loyal slaves of the slavers.

The term Arab in Arab Slave Trade context signifies a culture not as others consider it to be a race. Most of the Arab Slave Traders like Tippu Tip and others were hard to be differentiated from the Africans they had enslaved and sold. All the top racial groups in Zanzibar engaged in Slave Trade in one way or the other. Over 40000 to 50000 slaves were taken to Zanzibar each year and 3rd of them were used to work on the clove & coconut plantations in Zanzibar and Pemba.

During Slavery in Zanzibar, the Arabs were mainly the traders while African rulers sold prisoners taken in battle. Though Zanzibar is today popular as an Island Haven, several prominent reminders of the dark Slave Trade history still exist at Stone Town and whole of Zanzibar. The Omani Arabs who controlled Zanzibar applied what they described as a ‘culture of violence’, which mainly implied use of force as solution to problems.

The slaves were confined in dark place, airless, underground chambers before they were sold. The market today still features the chains bolted to the concrete. A moving memorial today exists where the market was previously found which reminds travelers and local residents of the atrocities that were committed from here years back.

The Anglican Church nearby, comprises of a wooden cross carved from the tree where David Livingston’s heart was buried in Zambia. He was a popular explorer and abolitionist. On the Coast of Zanzibar Island, there still exist many ancient limestone holding cells where slaves were hidden from crusading British abolitionists. Upon banning of slavery, the use of the chambers increased and some still hold etchings and final messages most slaves left as they awaited sale and transportation to a foreign land.

The Omani Arabs signed ‘The Moresby Treaty’ in 1822. This made slave trade illegal to Christians and the treaty also included several other restrictions. However, the restrictions were often ignored and the traders continued selling slaves. In 1873, the Sultan Barghash was forced to sign an edict following the threat of bombardment by the British Navy and this is what led the sea-borne slave trade illegal and slave market in Zanzibar then closed.

While slavery/slave trade became illegal on the mainland of Tanzania, it continued till the defeat of the Germans in World War I and Britain’s success making it the colonial power.