Background
The coastal area opposite Zanzibar was first settled by fishermen and cultivators. Towards the end of the 18th century, 12 or so Muslim diwans arrived to settle, build dwellings and establish their families and retinues of slaves. These diwans were all related to Shomvi la Magimba from Oman. They prospered through levying taxes whenever a cow was slaughtered, or a shark or other large fish caught, as well as on all salt produced at Nunge, about 3 km north of Bagamoyo.
Bagamoyo’s location as a mainland port close to Zanzibar led to its development as a centre for caravans and an expansion of commerce in slaves and ivory soon followed. Although the slave trade officially ended in 1873, slaves continued to be sold and traded in Bagamoyo until the end of the 19th century. During this time, it was not uncommon to see hundreds of slaves walking through the streets of Bagamoyo chained together by the neck. There was also growing trade in sun-dried fish, gum copal and the salt from Nunge. Copra (from coconuts) was also important, and was used to make soap. A boat-building centre was established, which supplied craft to other coastal settlements.
In 1880 the population of the town was around 5000 but this was augmented by a substantial transient population in residence after completing a caravan or undertaking preparations prior to departure. The numbers of those temporarily in town could be considerable. In 1889, after the slave trade had been suppressed, significantly reducing the numbers passing, it was still recorded that 1305 caravans, involving 41,144 people, left for the interior.
The social composition of the town was varied. There were the initial Muslim Shomvi and the local Zaramo and Doe. Among the earliest arrivals were Hindus from India, involving themselves in administration, coconut plantations and boat-building. Muslim Baluchis, a people based in Mombasa and Zanzibar, and for the most part mercenary soldiers, also settled and were involved in trade, financing caravans and land-owning. Other Muslim sects were represented, among them the Ismailis who settled in 1840 and by 1870 numbered 137. A handful of Sunni Muslims from Zanzibar established shops in Bagamoyo, some Parsees set up as merchants, and a small group of Catholic Goans was engaged in tailoring and retailing.
In 1888 the German East Africa Company signed a treaty with the Sultan of Zanzibar, Seyyid Khalifa, which allowed the company to collect customs duties along the coast. The Germans rapidly made their presence felt by ordering the Sultan’s representative (the Liwali) to lower the Sultan’s flag and, on being refused, they axed down the flag-pole. Later in the year a dispute between a member of the company and a townsman culminated in the latter being shot. The Usagara trading house of the company was besieged by irate townspeople, 200 troops landed from the SS Moewe, and over 100 local people were killed.
Further resentment was incurred when the Germans set about registering land and property, demanding proof of ownership. As this was impossible for most residents there was widespread fear that property would be confiscated.
One of the diwans, Bomboma, organized local support. They enlisted the help of Bushiri bin Salim al-Harthi who had earlier led Arabs against the Germans in Tabora. Bushiri had initial success. Sections of Bagamoyo were burned and Bushiri formed up in Nzole about 6 km southwest of the town ready for an assault. The German government now felt compelled to help the company and Hermann von Wissmann was appointed to lead an infantry force comprising Sudanese and Zulu troops. Admiral Denhardt, commanding the German naval forces, played for time by initiating negotiations with Bushiri whose demands included being made governor of the region from Dar es Salaam up to Pangani, payment of 4000 rupees a month (about US$10,000 in present-day values), and the right to keep troops.
By May 1889 Wissmann had consolidated his forces and built a series of fortified block houses. He attacked Nzole and Bushiri fled. The alliance of the diwans and Bushiri weakened, and in June the Germans retook Saadani and in July, Pangani. Bushiri was captured and executed at Pangani in December. Bomboma, and another of the diwans leading the resistance, Marera, were also both executed, and other diwans were deposed and replaced by collaborators who had assisted the Germans.
It was now clear that the German government intended to extend their presence and, in October 1890, rights to the coast were formally purchased from the Sultan of Zanzibar for 4 million German marks.
In early 1891 German East Africa became a formal colony, but in April it was decided to establish Dar es Salaam as the capital. Commercial activity in Bagamoyo revived, and in the last decade of the century rebuilding began with the construction of new stone buildings including a customs house and the boma, which served as an administrative centre.
The caravan trade resumed and there was a further influx of Indians together with the arrival of Greeks who established a European hotel. William O’Swald, the Hamburg trading company, arrived and the company Hansing established vanilla plantations at Kitopeni and Hurgira. An important Koran school was established in the town. Yet, despite these developments Bagamoyo was destined for steady decline: its harbour was unsuitable for deep draught steamships and no branch of the railway was built to serve the port. The ending of the German rule further reduced commercial presence in the town, and the last century saw Bagamoyo decline steadily, lacking even a sealed road to link it to Dar es Salaam. These days, thanks to the new tar road from Dar es Salaam trade has improved considerably and it’s now easily reachable by tourists.
Bagamoyo videos
