Pate Island: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Kenyan island in the Indian Ocean}} |
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{{Use Kenyan English|date=January 2023}} |
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{{Infobox islands |
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| name = Pate Island |
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| native_name = <!-- or |local_name= --> |
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| image = Pate town narrow streets.jpg |
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| image_caption = The narrow streets of Pate town are similar to those in other towns on the island |
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| image_map = Lamu Pate Map.jpg |
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| image_map_caption = Map of Pate island |
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| pushpin_map = Kenya |
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| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Kenya |
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| coordinates = {{coord|2|06|S|41|03|E|region:KE_type:isle|display=title, inline}} |
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| etymology = |
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| location = Indian Ocean |
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| grid_reference = <!-- UK only --> |
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| archipelago = Lamu Archipelago |
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| country = Kenya |
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{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}} |
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} |
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'''Pate (Paté) Island''' ({{IPA-sw|ˈpate|Swahili pronunciation}}) is located in the Indian Ocean close to the northern coast of [[Kenya]], to which it belongs. It is the largest island in the [[Lamu Archipelago]], which lie between the towns of [[Lamu, Kenya|Lamu]] and [[Kiunga, Kenya|Kiunga]] in the former [[Coast Province]]. The island is almost completely surrounded by [[mangrove]]s. |
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[[File:Lamu Pate Map.jpg|300px|thumb|Map of Pate island]] |
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'''Pate''' (Paté) Island ({{IPA-sw|ˈpate|Swahili pron.}}) is located in the Indian Ocean close to the northern coast of [[Kenya]], to which it belongs. It is the largest island in the [[Lamu Archipelago]], which lie between the towns of [[Lamu, Kenya|Lamu]] and [[Kiunga, Kenya|Kiunga]] in the former [[Coast Province]]. The island is almost completely surrounded by [[mangrove]]s. |
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Like much of the Swahili Coast, Pate's history was marked by a steady transition from agricultural communities in the early first millennium into a specialized, urban trading society around the 10th century, likely earlier. Islam spread down the coast from African Muslims in the [[Horn of Africa]], helping to develop what would be known as the Swahili culture. Despite myths to the contrary, Pate was neither an Arab nor Persian colony, but an African town frequented by trading Arabs, Persians, Indians, and others. It was the centre of the Pate sultanate from the 13th–19th centuries. The [[Swahili people|Swahili]] port of Pate long vied with [[Lamu]] and [[Takwa]] (on [[Manda Island]]) for economic dominance of the area, and came into prominence around the 14th century. It was subjugated by Lamu, however, in the late 19th century. {{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} |
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Public transportation is provided by a few mini buses (known as [[matatu]]s). The main administrative centre on the island, with the police station, is Faza. |
Public transportation is provided by a few mini buses (known as [[matatu]]s). The main administrative centre on the island, with the police station, is in [[Faza]]. |
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==Faza== |
==Faza== |
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{{Main|Faza}} |
{{Main|Faza}} |
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[[Faza]] town, on the North coast, known by the name of Ampaza by the Portuguese<ref name="Soucek">Svat Soucek, " The Portuguese and the Turks in the Persian gulf " in ''Studies in |
[[Faza]] town, on the North coast, known by the name of Ampaza by the Portuguese,<ref name="Soucek">Svat Soucek, " The Portuguese and the Turks in the Persian gulf " in ''Studies in Ottoman Naval History and Maritime Geography.'', Analecta isisiana, n°102, The Isis press, Istanbul, 2008. {{ISBN|978-975-428-365-5}}, p. 101-106.</ref> dates back at least to the 14th century. In 1587, the [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] destroyed Faza, because the local Sheikh had supported [[Mir Ali Bey]], a notorious privateer who had earlier played a key role in ousting the Portuguese from [[Muscat, Oman|Muscat]]. The Portuguese arrived from [[Goa]] with some 650 men on their [[punitive expedition]], and unleashed their fury on Faza. Everybody they could find was killed, including the local Sheikh. The Portuguese preserved his head in a barrel of salt for display in [[India]]. After four days of looting they invited Faza's arch-rivals{{who|date=June 2024}} from Pate town to take away anything that they liked from Faza.<ref>Martin, 1973, p.6</ref> |
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Faza was later resettled. The Portuguese in Faza constructed a chapel there, however, nothing remains of it. In the 18th century Faza again fell into decline due to the rise of Pate. The English Consul Holmwood visited the place in 1873 and found it "dirty and infected with diseases".<ref>Martin, 1973, p.22</ref> |
Faza was later resettled. The Portuguese in Faza constructed a chapel there, however, nothing remains of it. In the 18th century Faza again fell into decline due to the rise of Pate. The English Consul Holmwood visited the place in 1873 and found it "dirty and infected with diseases".<ref>Martin, 1973, p.22</ref> |
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==Pate Town== |
==Pate Town== |
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{{see also|Rulers of Pate}} |
{{see also|Rulers of Pate}} |
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[[File:Pate town narrow streets.jpg|thumb|rt|250px|The narrow streets of Pate town are similar to those in other towns on the island]] |
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{{anchor|Pate sultanate}}The ''Pate Sultanate'' was a [[sultanate]] from at least the beginning of the 13th century until 1895. From 1858 on it was the domain known as [[Wituland]]. Archeological evidence suggests Pate was a prominent location in local trade networks by the 10th century.<ref>Tolmacheva, Marina; ''Introduction''; "The Pate Chronicle"; East Lansing: Michigan State University Press; 1993; p. 5</ref> |
{{anchor|Pate sultanate}}The ''Pate Sultanate'' was a [[sultanate]] from at least the beginning of the 13th century until 1895. From 1858 on it was the domain known as [[Wituland]]. Archeological evidence suggests Pate was a prominent location in local trade networks by the 10th century.<ref>Tolmacheva, Marina; ''Introduction''; "The Pate Chronicle"; East Lansing: Michigan State University Press; 1993; p. 5</ref> |
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Pate Town is situated on the |
Pate Town is situated on the south-west coast of the island. According to the [[Pate Chronicle]], the town of Pate was founded by refugees from [[Oman]] in the 8th century. It was re-founded in 1203 by members of the [[Nabhani dynasty|Nabhani family]], also from Oman. The ''Pate Chronicle'' also claims that in the 14th century, Pate was so powerful that it had conquered most of the towns on the [[Swahili coast]].<ref>KNAPPERT, J. (1992). A SHORT HISTORY OF ZANZIBAR. ''Annales Aequatoria,'' ''13'', 15-37. Retrieved April 21, 2021, Via JSTOR</ref> However, recent archaeological findings (by [[Neville Chittick]] and later, [[Mark Horton (archaeologist)|Mark Horton]]) suggest that the references in the Chronicle to Pate's early history are wrong, and that the town is younger. |
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The 18th century was known as the "Golden Age of Pate", when the town was at its height of powers and also prospered in fine arts. Builders constructed some of the finest houses on the Swahili |
The 18th century was known as the "Golden Age of Pate", when the town was at its height of powers and also prospered in fine arts. Builders constructed some of the finest houses on the Swahili coast, with extensive elaborate plaster works. Goldsmiths made intricate jewellery, fine cloths (including silks) were made by Pate's weavers, and carpenters produced fine wooden furniture. The use and production of the musical instrument known as ''Siwa'' were most famous. Two examples of Siwas are held in the museum in Lamu. |
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Both men and women wrote poetry in the Kiamu dialect of [[Swahili language|Swahili]]. The [[Utendi wa Tambuka]], one of the earliest known documents in Swahili, was written in the royal Yunga palace in Pate Town. The downfall of Pate town came as a consequence of continuous quarrelling/warring with its neighbours from the end of the 18th century.<ref name=Martin25/> |
Both men and women wrote poetry in the Kiamu dialect of [[Swahili language|Swahili]]. The [[Utendi wa Tambuka]], one of the earliest known documents in Swahili, was written in the royal Yunga palace in Pate Town. The downfall of Pate town came as a consequence of continuous quarrelling/warring with its neighbours from the end of the 18th century.<ref name=Martin25/> |
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In 1811, two British naval officers, Smee and Hardy, visited Pate, and witnessed the infighting.<ref>Burton, 1872, pp. [https://archive.org/stream/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog#page/n501/mode/1up 475] −480</ref> |
In 1811, two British naval officers, Smee and Hardy, visited Pate, and witnessed the infighting.<ref>Burton, 1872, pp. [https://archive.org/stream/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog#page/n501/mode/1up 475] −480</ref> |
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In 1813 the famous "[[Battle of Shela]]" took place at [[Lamu Island#Shela|Shela]]. This was an attempt by Pate, allied with the [[Mazrui]] clan from [[Mombasa]]/[[Oman]], to subject Lamu. The attempt failed totally, and many were killed. Only a handful of people managed to return to Pate, and their losses were felt for years.<ref name=Martin25>Martin, 1973, |
In 1813, the famous "[[Battle of Shela]]" took place at [[Lamu Island#Shela|Shela]]. This was an attempt by Pate, allied with the [[Mazrui]] clan from [[Mombasa]]/[[Oman]], to subject Lamu. The attempt failed totally, and many were killed. Only a handful of people managed to return to Pate, and their losses were felt for years.<ref name=Martin25>Martin, 1973, pp.25-26</ref> |
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Thomas Boteler, who visited Pate in 1823, described |
Thomas Boteler, who visited Pate in 1823, described seeing the remains of a Portuguese fort, but said that the place looked otherwise poor.<ref>Boteler, 1835, p. [https://archive.org/stream/narrativeavoyag02botegoog#page/n405/mode/1up 373] ff</ref> The poet [[Mwana Kupona]] (d. 1860) also lived at Pate Town. |
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By 1892 the number of inhabitants had fallen to |
By 1892, the number of inhabitants had fallen to 300, down from 7,000. Today, the town has recovered some. Agriculture is the main economic activity.<ref name=Martin25/> |
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==Siyu== |
==Siyu== |
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{{Main|Siyu}} |
{{Main|Siyu}} |
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[[File:Siyu Fort, Pate Island.jpg|thumb|Siyu Fort on Pate island]] |
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Siyu town is situated on the North coast of Pate island. As no major excavations have been done in Siyu, its age is not known, but it might date from the 13th century. Gaspar de Santo Bernadino visited the town in 1606, and stated that it was the largest town on the island.<ref>Martin, 1973, p.23</ref> |
Siyu town is situated on the North coast of Pate island. As no major excavations have been done in Siyu, its age is not known, but it might date from the 13th century. Gaspar de Santo Bernadino visited the town in 1606, and stated that it was the largest town on the island.<ref>Martin, 1973, p.23</ref> |
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Siyu's main claim to historical fame is that it through several battles withstood the Sultans of [[Zanzibar]]. In 1843 the Sheikh of Siyu, Bwana Machaka wa Shee, and the new [[Rulers of Pate|Sheikh of Pate]], repudiated the sovereignty of [[Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman|Seyyid Said]], Sultan of Oman and Zanzibar. In response, Seyyid Said assembled an army consisting of 2000 people from [[Muscat, Oman|Muscat]], [[Balochistan (region)|Baluchistan]] and [[Lamu]]. Leading them was his cousin, General Seyyid Hemed bin Ahmed Al-Busaidy, known as "Amir Hemed". He had previously been Governor of [[Bandar Abbas]] (in 1824). He landed at Faza in early January 1844. On 6 January they moved towards Siyu, but were ambushed and forced back to Faza. After three weeks without a victory Amir Hemed sailed off. |
Siyu's main claim to historical fame is that it through several battles withstood the Sultans of [[Zanzibar]]. In 1843 the Sheikh of Siyu, Bwana Machaka wa Shee, and the new [[Rulers of Pate|Sheikh of Pate]], repudiated the sovereignty of [[Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman|Seyyid Said]], Sultan of Oman and Zanzibar. In response, Seyyid Said assembled an army consisting of 2000 people from [[Muscat, Oman|Muscat]], [[Balochistan (region)|Baluchistan]] and [[Lamu]]. Leading them was his cousin, General Seyyid Hemed bin Ahmed Al-Busaidy, known as "Amir Hemed". He had previously been Governor of [[Bandar Abbas]] (in 1824). He landed at Faza in early January 1844. On 6 January they moved towards Siyu, but were ambushed and forced back to Faza. After three weeks without a victory Amir Hemed sailed off.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} |
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In 1845 Siyu gave Seyyid Said one of his greatest military defeats,in this battle the famous Amir |
In 1845 Siyu gave Seyyid Said one of his greatest military defeats, in this battle the famous Amir Hemed was killed and was buried in Rasini where his grave exists to date. Seyyid Said used to pay tribute to his grave at Rasini every year. It is believed Amir Hemed was very swift with his sword to the extent of stopping all arrows and spears shot at him in battlefield. The soldiers of Siu knew about this and during this battle two archers from the Siu army shot two arrows at him in one second targeting his armpit. When Amir Hemed swiftly lifted his sword to stop the first arrow the second shot his chest from the arm pit. It was a [[poisoned arrow]] and it killed him instantly. Seyyid Said planned a revenge to avenge the death of his cousin. After a while he cheated almost all the rulers, advisors and generals of Siu into a diplomatic mission with him in Zanzibar, but he turned this into a massacre mission for the rulers of Siu. They were advised by the sultan to leave behind all their weapons since it was a diplomatic one. Upon arrival in Zanzibar, Seyyid Said individually asked every individual in the Siu mission the whereabouts of Amir Hemed and everybody who answered that he is dead was killed instantly by the Sultan. Some of the diplomats who answered that Amir Hemed is still alive were spared but they were imprisoned for life at fort Jesus in Mombasa which was also under the Sultan then. After the Sultan of Zanzibar massacred almost all the rulers of Siu, he forcefully arrested the ones remained in Siu town and deported them to Mombasa for imprisonment at fort Jesus along with the others who survived the Zanzibar Massacre.{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}} |
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When Siyu finally succumbed to Zanzibar's dominance, under [[Majid bin Said of Zanzibar|Sultan Majid]] in 1863, it was one of the last towns on the whole of the Swahili Coast to do so.<ref>Martin, 1973, p.23-24</ref> |
When Siyu finally succumbed to Zanzibar's dominance, under [[Majid bin Said of Zanzibar|Sultan Majid]] in 1863, it was one of the last towns on the whole of the Swahili Coast to do so.<ref>Martin, 1973, p.23-24</ref> |
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[[File:Siyu Fort, Pate Island.jpg|thumb|Siyu Fort on Pate island]] |
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==Kizingitini== |
==Kizingitini== |
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Kizingitini is situated on the North coast (east of Faza) and is the largest fishing port on the island. Lying slightly north of Rasini, the fishing port straddles 2° 4'11.90"S and 41° 8'29.92"E, and is the southern reach of the Kizingitini-Kiunga Spiny lobster fishery. |
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==Shanga==<!-- This section is linked from [[Shango]] --> |
==Shanga==<!-- This section is linked from [[Shango]] --> |
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==Evidence of Chinese exploration== |
==Evidence of Chinese exploration== |
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In 1999, [[Nicholas D. Kristof|Nicholas Kristof]] of the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported a surprising encounter on the island of Pate. He found a village of stone huts. He talked to an elderly man living in the village who said that he was a descendant of Chinese explorers who were shipwrecked there centuries before. The Chinese had supposedly traded with the locals, and had even loaded giraffes onto their ship to take back to China. However, the Chinese ran aground on a nearby reef. Kristof found evidence that confirmed the man's story. Such evidence included the Asian features of the people in the village, plus Asian-looking [[porcelain]] artefacts.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/06/magazine/1492-the-prequel.html?scp=1&sq=pate%20island%20china&st=cse 1492: The Prequel], Nicholas D. Kristof, 6 June 1999, ''New York Times''</ref><ref>[ |
In 1999, [[Nicholas D. Kristof|Nicholas Kristof]] of the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported a surprising encounter on the island of Pate. He found a village of stone huts. He talked to an elderly man living in the village who said that he was a descendant of Chinese explorers who were shipwrecked there centuries before. The Chinese had supposedly traded with the locals, and had even loaded giraffes onto their ship to take back to China. However, the Chinese ran aground on a nearby reef. Kristof found evidence that confirmed the man's story. Such evidence included the Asian features of the people in the village, plus Asian-looking [[porcelain]] artefacts.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/06/magazine/1492-the-prequel.html?scp=1&sq=pate%20island%20china&st=cse 1492: The Prequel], Nicholas D. Kristof, 6 June 1999, ''New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sultan/explorers.html ''Ancient Chinese Explorers''], by Evan Hadingham</ref> |
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''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]'' then published an article by Frank Viviano in July 2005. He had visited Pate island during the time he stayed on Lamu. Ceramic fragments had been found around Lamu, which the administrative officer of the local Swahili history museum claimed were of Chinese origin; specifically, from [[Zheng He]]'s voyage to the Swahili Coast. The eyes of the Pate people resembled Chinese. Famao and Wei were some of the names among them which were speculated to be of Chinese origin. Their ancestors were said to be from indigenous women who intermarried with Chinese [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] sailors when they were shipwrecked. Two places on Pate were called "Old Shanga", and "New Shanga", which the Chinese sailors had named. A local guide who claimed descent from the Chinese showed Frank a graveyard made out of coral on the island, indicating that they were the graves of the Chinese sailors, which the author described as "virtually identical" to Chinese Ming dynasty tombs, complete with "half-moon domes" and "terraced entries".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/features/world/asia/china/zheng-he-text/6|title=China's Great Armada, Admiral Zheng He|author=Frank Viviano|newspaper=NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC|date=July 2005|page=6| |
''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]'' then published an article by Frank Viviano in July 2005. He had visited Pate island during the time he stayed on Lamu. Ceramic fragments had been found around Lamu, which the administrative officer of the local Swahili history museum claimed were of Chinese origin; specifically, from [[Zheng He]]'s voyage to the Swahili Coast. The eyes of the Pate people resembled Chinese. Famao and Wei were some of the names among them which were speculated to be of Chinese origin. Their ancestors were said to be from indigenous women who intermarried with Chinese [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] sailors when they were shipwrecked. Two places on Pate were called "Old Shanga", and "New Shanga", which the Chinese sailors had named. A local guide who claimed descent from the Chinese showed Frank a graveyard made out of coral on the island, indicating that they were the graves of the Chinese sailors, which the author described as "virtually identical" to Chinese Ming dynasty tombs, complete with "half-moon domes" and "terraced entries".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/features/world/asia/china/zheng-he-text/6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117100419/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/features/world/asia/china/zheng-he-text/6|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2012|title=China's Great Armada, Admiral Zheng He|author=Frank Viviano|newspaper=NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC|date=July 2005|page=6|access-date=29 September 2011}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist |
{{reflist}} |
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==Bibliography== |
==Bibliography== |
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*{{cite book |
*{{cite book |
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|last=Boteler|first=Thomas|title=Narrative of a Voyage of Discovery to Africa and Arabia: performed in His Majesty |
|last=Boteler|first=Thomas|title=Narrative of a Voyage of Discovery to Africa and Arabia: performed in His Majesty's ship Leven and Barracouta from 1821 to 1826. |
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|url=https://archive.org/details/narrativeavoyag02botegoog | |
|url=https://archive.org/details/narrativeavoyag02botegoog |access-date=10 December 2013|year=1835|publisher= R. Bentley|volume=1}} |
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*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog |
*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog |
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|title=Zanzibar: city, island, and coast |
|title=Zanzibar: city, island, and coast |
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|last=Burton|first=Richard Francis |
|last=Burton|first=Richard Francis |
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| |
|author-link= Richard Francis Burton |
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|year=1872 |
|year=1872 |
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|volume=2 |
|volume=2 |
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|publisher=Tinsley brothers}} |
|publisher=Tinsley brothers}} |
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*Martin, Chryssee MacCasler Perry and Esmond Bradley Martin: ''Quest for the Past. An historical guide to the Lamu Archipelago.'' 1973. |
*Martin, Chryssee MacCasler Perry and Esmond Bradley Martin: ''Quest for the Past. An historical guide to the Lamu Archipelago.'' 1973. |
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*[[Mark Horton (archaeologist)|Mark Horton]]; with contributions by Helen W. Brown and Nina Mudida: ''Shanga: the archaeology of a Muslim trading community on the coast of East Africa.'' Memoirs of the British Institute in Eastern Africa; No. 14 London: British Institute in Eastern Africa, 1996. ISBN |
*[[Mark Horton (archaeologist)|Mark Horton]]; with contributions by Helen W. Brown and Nina Mudida: ''Shanga: the archaeology of a Muslim trading community on the coast of East Africa.'' Memoirs of the British Institute in Eastern Africa; No. 14 London: British Institute in Eastern Africa, 1996. {{ISBN|1-872566-09-X}} |
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==See also== |
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*[[List of Swahili settlements of the East African coast|Historic Swahili Settlements]] |
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*[[Swahili architecture]] |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
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*Allen, James de Vere: ''Lamu, with an appendix on Archaeological finds from the region of Lamu by [[H. Neville Chittick]].'' Nairobi: Kenya National Museums. |
*Allen, James de Vere: ''Lamu, with an appendix on Archaeological finds from the region of Lamu by [[H. Neville Chittick]].'' Nairobi: Kenya National Museums. |
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*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/adescriptioncoa00barbgoog |
*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/adescriptioncoa00barbgoog |
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|title=A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar: In the Beginning of Sixteenth century |
|title=A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar: In the Beginning of Sixteenth century by Duarte Barbosa |
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|last= |
|last=Stanley|first=Henry Edward John |
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| |
|author-link= Duarte Barbosa |
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|year=1866 |
|year=1866 |
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|publisher=Printed for the Hakluyt Society }} (from about 1517: p. [https://archive.org/stream/adescriptioncoa00barbgoog#page/n42/mode/1up 15]) |
|publisher=Printed for the Hakluyt Society }} (from about 1517: p. [https://archive.org/stream/adescriptioncoa00barbgoog#page/n42/mode/1up 15]) |
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*Brown, H. (1988) ''Siyu: town of the craftsmen.'' Azania 26, pp 1–4. |
*Brown, H. (1988) ''Siyu: town of the craftsmen.'' Azania 26, pp 1–4. |
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*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog |
*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog |
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|title=Zanzibar: city, island, and coast |
|title=Zanzibar: city, island, and coast |
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|last=Burton|first=Richard Francis |
|last=Burton|first=Richard Francis |
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|author-link= Richard Francis Burton |
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|year=1872 |
|year=1872 |
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|volume=2 |
|volume=2 |
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|location=London |
|location=London |
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|publisher=Tinsley brothers}} |
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|publisher=Tinsley brothers}} (start: p.[https://archive.org/stream/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog#page/n484/mode/1up 458] Patta, resume: pp. [https://archive.org/stream/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog#page/n531/mode/1up/search/Patta 505], Notes: p. [https://archive.org/stream/zanzibarcityisl02burtgoog#page/n543/mode/1up 517]) |
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*Freeman-Grenville (1962) ''The East-African coast: select documents from the first to the earlier nineteenth century.'' London: [[Oxford University Press]]. |
*Freeman-Grenville (1962) ''The East-African coast: select documents from the first to the earlier nineteenth century.'' London: [[Oxford University Press]]. |
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*Kirkman, James: ''Men and Monuments on the East African Coast .'' |
*Kirkman, James: ''Men and Monuments on the East African Coast .'' |
||
*King'ei Kitula: ''Mwana Kupona: Poetess from Lamu,'' ISBN |
*King'ei Kitula: ''Mwana Kupona: Poetess from Lamu,'' {{ISBN|9966-951-05-9}}, Sasa Sema Publications, 2000. |
||
*Strandes, Justus: ''The Portuguese Period in East Africa.'' |
*Strandes, Justus: ''The Portuguese Period in East Africa.'' |
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*Tolmacheva, Marina; Weiler, Dagmar (translator): ''The Pate Chronicle: Edited and Translated from Mss 177, 321, 344, and 358 of the Library of the University of Dar Es Salaam'' (African Historical Sources) ISBN |
*Tolmacheva, Marina; Weiler, Dagmar (translator): ''The Pate Chronicle: Edited and Translated from Mss 177, 321, 344, and 358 of the Library of the University of Dar Es Salaam'' (African Historical Sources) {{ISBN|0-87013-336-5}} |
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*Werner, A; Hichens, W: ''The Advice of Mwana Kupona upon The Wifely Duty'', Azania Press, 1934. |
*Werner, A; Hichens, W: ''The Advice of Mwana Kupona upon The Wifely Duty'', Azania Press, 1934. |
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{{coord|2|06|S|41|03|E|region:KE_type:isle|display=title}} |
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{{Lamu Archipelago}} |
{{Lamu Archipelago}} |
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{{Archaeological sites in Kenya}} |
{{Archaeological sites in Kenya}} |
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[[Category:Swahili people]] |
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[[Category:Swahili city-states]] |
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[[Category:Swahili culture]] |
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[[Category:Lamu Archipelago]] |
[[Category:Lamu Archipelago]] |
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[[Category:Lamu County]] |
[[Category:Lamu County]] |
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[[Category:Populated places in Coast Province]] |
[[Category:Populated places in Coast Province]] |
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[[Category:Archaeological sites in Kenya]] |
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Kenya]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:07, 18 June 2024
 The narrow streets of Pate town are similar to those in other towns on the island | |
 Map of Pate island | |
  Pate Island Location in Kenya | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 2°06′S 41°03′E / 2.100°S 41.050°E |
| Archipelago | Lamu Archipelago |
| Administration | |
Kenya | |
Pate (Paté) Island (Swahili pronunciation: [ˈpate]) is located in the Indian Ocean close to the northern coast of Kenya, to which it belongs. It is the largest island in the Lamu Archipelago, which lie between the towns of Lamu and Kiunga in the former Coast Province. The island is almost completely surrounded by mangroves.
Like much of the Swahili Coast, Pate's history was marked by a steady transition from agricultural communities in the early first millennium into a specialized, urban trading society around the 10th century, likely earlier. Islam spread down the coast from African Muslims in the Horn of Africa, helping to develop what would be known as the Swahili culture. Despite myths to the contrary, Pate was neither an Arab nor Persian colony, but an African town frequented by trading Arabs, Persians, Indians, and others. It was the centre of the Pate sultanate from the 13th–19th centuries. The Swahili port of Pate long vied with Lamu and Takwa (on Manda Island) for economic dominance of the area, and came into prominence around the 14th century. It was subjugated by Lamu, however, in the late 19th century. [citation needed]
Public transportation is provided by a few mini buses (known as matatus). The main administrative centre on the island, with the police station, is in Faza.
Faza
[edit]Faza town, on the North coast, known by the name of Ampaza by the Portuguese,[1] dates back at least to the 14th century. In 1587, the Portuguese destroyed Faza, because the local Sheikh had supported Mir Ali Bey, a notorious privateer who had earlier played a key role in ousting the Portuguese from Muscat. The Portuguese arrived from Goa with some 650 men on their punitive expedition, and unleashed their fury on Faza. Everybody they could find was killed, including the local Sheikh. The Portuguese preserved his head in a barrel of salt for display in India. After four days of looting they invited Faza's arch-rivals[who?] from Pate town to take away anything that they liked from Faza.[2]
Faza was later resettled. The Portuguese in Faza constructed a chapel there, however, nothing remains of it. In the 18th century Faza again fell into decline due to the rise of Pate. The English Consul Holmwood visited the place in 1873 and found it "dirty and infected with diseases".[3]
Pate Town
[edit]The Pate Sultanate was a sultanate from at least the beginning of the 13th century until 1895. From 1858 on it was the domain known as Wituland. Archeological evidence suggests Pate was a prominent location in local trade networks by the 10th century.[4]
Pate Town is situated on the south-west coast of the island. According to the Pate Chronicle, the town of Pate was founded by refugees from Oman in the 8th century. It was re-founded in 1203 by members of the Nabhani family, also from Oman. The Pate Chronicle also claims that in the 14th century, Pate was so powerful that it had conquered most of the towns on the Swahili coast.[5] However, recent archaeological findings (by Neville Chittick and later, Mark Horton) suggest that the references in the Chronicle to Pate's early history are wrong, and that the town is younger.
The 18th century was known as the "Golden Age of Pate", when the town was at its height of powers and also prospered in fine arts. Builders constructed some of the finest houses on the Swahili coast, with extensive elaborate plaster works. Goldsmiths made intricate jewellery, fine cloths (including silks) were made by Pate's weavers, and carpenters produced fine wooden furniture. The use and production of the musical instrument known as Siwa were most famous. Two examples of Siwas are held in the museum in Lamu.
Both men and women wrote poetry in the Kiamu dialect of Swahili. The Utendi wa Tambuka, one of the earliest known documents in Swahili, was written in the royal Yunga palace in Pate Town. The downfall of Pate town came as a consequence of continuous quarrelling/warring with its neighbours from the end of the 18th century.[6]
In 1811, two British naval officers, Smee and Hardy, visited Pate, and witnessed the infighting.[7]
In 1813, the famous "Battle of Shela" took place at Shela. This was an attempt by Pate, allied with the Mazrui clan from Mombasa/Oman, to subject Lamu. The attempt failed totally, and many were killed. Only a handful of people managed to return to Pate, and their losses were felt for years.[6]
Thomas Boteler, who visited Pate in 1823, described seeing the remains of a Portuguese fort, but said that the place looked otherwise poor.[8] The poet Mwana Kupona (d. 1860) also lived at Pate Town. By 1892, the number of inhabitants had fallen to 300, down from 7,000. Today, the town has recovered some. Agriculture is the main economic activity.[6]
Siyu
[edit]
Siyu town is situated on the North coast of Pate island. As no major excavations have been done in Siyu, its age is not known, but it might date from the 13th century. Gaspar de Santo Bernadino visited the town in 1606, and stated that it was the largest town on the island.[9]
Siyu's main claim to historical fame is that it through several battles withstood the Sultans of Zanzibar. In 1843 the Sheikh of Siyu, Bwana Machaka wa Shee, and the new Sheikh of Pate, repudiated the sovereignty of Seyyid Said, Sultan of Oman and Zanzibar. In response, Seyyid Said assembled an army consisting of 2000 people from Muscat, Baluchistan and Lamu. Leading them was his cousin, General Seyyid Hemed bin Ahmed Al-Busaidy, known as "Amir Hemed". He had previously been Governor of Bandar Abbas (in 1824). He landed at Faza in early January 1844. On 6 January they moved towards Siyu, but were ambushed and forced back to Faza. After three weeks without a victory Amir Hemed sailed off.[citation needed]
In 1845 Siyu gave Seyyid Said one of his greatest military defeats, in this battle the famous Amir Hemed was killed and was buried in Rasini where his grave exists to date. Seyyid Said used to pay tribute to his grave at Rasini every year. It is believed Amir Hemed was very swift with his sword to the extent of stopping all arrows and spears shot at him in battlefield. The soldiers of Siu knew about this and during this battle two archers from the Siu army shot two arrows at him in one second targeting his armpit. When Amir Hemed swiftly lifted his sword to stop the first arrow the second shot his chest from the arm pit. It was a poisoned arrow and it killed him instantly. Seyyid Said planned a revenge to avenge the death of his cousin. After a while he cheated almost all the rulers, advisors and generals of Siu into a diplomatic mission with him in Zanzibar, but he turned this into a massacre mission for the rulers of Siu. They were advised by the sultan to leave behind all their weapons since it was a diplomatic one. Upon arrival in Zanzibar, Seyyid Said individually asked every individual in the Siu mission the whereabouts of Amir Hemed and everybody who answered that he is dead was killed instantly by the Sultan. Some of the diplomats who answered that Amir Hemed is still alive were spared but they were imprisoned for life at fort Jesus in Mombasa which was also under the Sultan then. After the Sultan of Zanzibar massacred almost all the rulers of Siu, he forcefully arrested the ones remained in Siu town and deported them to Mombasa for imprisonment at fort Jesus along with the others who survived the Zanzibar Massacre.[citation needed]
When Siyu finally succumbed to Zanzibar's dominance, under Sultan Majid in 1863, it was one of the last towns on the whole of the Swahili Coast to do so.[10]
Kizingitini
[edit]Kizingitini is situated on the North coast (east of Faza) and is the largest fishing port on the island. Lying slightly north of Rasini, the fishing port straddles 2° 4'11.90"S and 41° 8'29.92"E, and is the southern reach of the Kizingitini-Kiunga Spiny lobster fishery.
Shanga
[edit]Shanga is an important archaeological site, situated on the South-East coast of the island. It was excavated during an eight-year period, starting in 1980. The earliest settlement was dated to the 8th century, and the conclusion drawn from archaeological evidence (locally minted coins, burials) indicate that a small number of local inhabitants were Muslim, probably from the late 8th century onwards, and at least from the early ninth.[11] The excavations also revealed a major break in the development of Shanga in the mid or late 11th century, with the destruction and the rebuilding of the Friday Mosque[12] Horton relates this to the writing of the historian João de Barros, about members of an Arab tribe, generally believed to be Qarmatians, who arrived at the Swahili coast. De Barros connects these new arrivals with a republican style of government.[13][14]
Shanga was abandoned between 1400–1425; the event was recorded in both the History of Pate and in oral tradition. The Washanga ("the people of Shanga") consist of a clan who still live in the nearby Swahili town of Siyu.[15] Rezende's description of Siyu in 1634 states that "the kingdom of Sio has no king but is ruled by governors"[16]
Evidence of Chinese exploration
[edit]In 1999, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times reported a surprising encounter on the island of Pate. He found a village of stone huts. He talked to an elderly man living in the village who said that he was a descendant of Chinese explorers who were shipwrecked there centuries before. The Chinese had supposedly traded with the locals, and had even loaded giraffes onto their ship to take back to China. However, the Chinese ran aground on a nearby reef. Kristof found evidence that confirmed the man's story. Such evidence included the Asian features of the people in the village, plus Asian-looking porcelain artefacts.[17][18]
National Geographic then published an article by Frank Viviano in July 2005. He had visited Pate island during the time he stayed on Lamu. Ceramic fragments had been found around Lamu, which the administrative officer of the local Swahili history museum claimed were of Chinese origin; specifically, from Zheng He's voyage to the Swahili Coast. The eyes of the Pate people resembled Chinese. Famao and Wei were some of the names among them which were speculated to be of Chinese origin. Their ancestors were said to be from indigenous women who intermarried with Chinese Ming sailors when they were shipwrecked. Two places on Pate were called "Old Shanga", and "New Shanga", which the Chinese sailors had named. A local guide who claimed descent from the Chinese showed Frank a graveyard made out of coral on the island, indicating that they were the graves of the Chinese sailors, which the author described as "virtually identical" to Chinese Ming dynasty tombs, complete with "half-moon domes" and "terraced entries".[19]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Svat Soucek, " The Portuguese and the Turks in the Persian gulf " in Studies in Ottoman Naval History and Maritime Geography., Analecta isisiana, n°102, The Isis press, Istanbul, 2008. ISBN 978-975-428-365-5, p. 101-106.
- ^ Martin, 1973, p.6
- ^ Martin, 1973, p.22
- ^ Tolmacheva, Marina; Introduction; "The Pate Chronicle"; East Lansing: Michigan State University Press; 1993; p. 5
- ^ KNAPPERT, J. (1992). A SHORT HISTORY OF ZANZIBAR. Annales Aequatoria, 13, 15-37. Retrieved April 21, 2021, Via JSTOR
- ^ a b c Martin, 1973, pp.25-26
- ^ Burton, 1872, pp. 475 −480
- ^ Boteler, 1835, p. 373 ff
- ^ Martin, 1973, p.23
- ^ Martin, 1973, p.23-24
- ^ Horton, 1996, p. 421
- ^ Horton, 1996, p.425
- ^ Horton, 1996, p.426
- ^ de Barros, 1778, pp. 22, 29
- ^ Brown 1985, 67, 71, quoted in Horton, 1996, p.5
- ^ Freeman-Grenville 1962, 181, quoted in Horton, 1996, p.426
- ^ 1492: The Prequel, Nicholas D. Kristof, 6 June 1999, New York Times
- ^ Ancient Chinese Explorers, by Evan Hadingham
- ^ Frank Viviano (July 2005). "China's Great Armada, Admiral Zheng He". NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. p. 6. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
Bibliography
[edit]- Boteler, Thomas (1835). Narrative of a Voyage of Discovery to Africa and Arabia: performed in His Majesty's ship Leven and Barracouta from 1821 to 1826. Vol. 1. R. Bentley. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- Burton, Richard Francis (1872). Zanzibar: city, island, and coast. Vol. 2. London: Tinsley brothers.
- Martin, Chryssee MacCasler Perry and Esmond Bradley Martin: Quest for the Past. An historical guide to the Lamu Archipelago. 1973.
- Mark Horton; with contributions by Helen W. Brown and Nina Mudida: Shanga: the archaeology of a Muslim trading community on the coast of East Africa. Memoirs of the British Institute in Eastern Africa; No. 14 London: British Institute in Eastern Africa, 1996. ISBN 1-872566-09-X
See also
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- Allen, J. de V. (1979) Siyu in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Transafrican journal of History 8 (2), pp. 1–35,
- Allen, James de Vere: Lamu, with an appendix on Archaeological finds from the region of Lamu by H. Neville Chittick. Nairobi: Kenya National Museums.
- Stanley, Henry Edward John (1866). A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar: In the Beginning of Sixteenth century by Duarte Barbosa. Printed for the Hakluyt Society. (from about 1517: p. 15)
- Barros, João de (1778): Da Asia de João de Barros e de Diogo de Couto v.2 pt.1 Chapter 2: p. 15 ff (referenced in Freeman-Grenville 1962, 83–84 181)
- Brown, H. (1985) History of Siyu: the development and decline of a Swahili town on the northern Swahili coast. Unpublished PhD thesis, Indiana University.
- Brown, H. (1988) Siyu: town of the craftsmen. Azania 26, pp 1–4.
- Burton, Richard Francis (1872). Zanzibar: city, island, and coast. Vol. 2. London: Tinsley brothers.
- Freeman-Grenville (1962) The East-African coast: select documents from the first to the earlier nineteenth century. London: Oxford University Press.
- Kirkman, James: Men and Monuments on the East African Coast .
- King'ei Kitula: Mwana Kupona: Poetess from Lamu, ISBN 9966-951-05-9, Sasa Sema Publications, 2000.
- Strandes, Justus: The Portuguese Period in East Africa.
- Tolmacheva, Marina; Weiler, Dagmar (translator): The Pate Chronicle: Edited and Translated from Mss 177, 321, 344, and 358 of the Library of the University of Dar Es Salaam (African Historical Sources) ISBN 0-87013-336-5
- Werner, A; Hichens, W: The Advice of Mwana Kupona upon The Wifely Duty, Azania Press, 1934.
| Lamu Island |  | |
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| Manda Island |
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| Pate Island |
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| Kiwayu Island | ||
 Archaeological sites in Kenya | |
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| Sites | |