The Slave Trade in Zanzibar

Today, Stone Town in Zanzibar is home to around 200,000 people and is a popular tourist destination for both day trippers and others wanting to spend a bit longer exploring this fascinating town. Its very easy to lose your bearings and get lost in the maze of winding streets and alleyways. The numerous markets are alive with traders and buyers negotiating prices for fish, meat, spices, fruit and much more. However, part of Stone Town's history was much more sinister.

After 200 years of Portuguese control, Zanzibar came under the control of the Sultanate of Oman in 1698. It also controlled a large part of the East African coast and it was during this period that the trade between Zanzibar and the ruling Arab elite was developed. Ivory was brought from Africa and plantations were also developed to grow spices for which Zanzibar has become famous for.

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Slavery had been established during the time the Portuguese ruled the island with both French and Portuguese bringing captives from places like Tanganyika, Malawi and Congo. When the Sultan of Oman took over Zanzibar, he realised the slave trade was very lucrative and Zanzibar was developed as a centre of the slave trade. The slaves worked in the ivory trade, on the spice plantations as well as being sold Slaves were either captured or bought from local rulers deep in Africa. From there, they would be chained together and forced to carry ivory to the coast at the town of Bagamoyo. The slaves who survived were crammed onto dhows that headed for Stone Town.

By 1804, Zanzibar was a principle centre of the slave trade on Africa's East coast and it was at the markets the slaves were paraded like cattle to be sold to the highest bidder. The slaves were subject to abuse on a daily basis including whipping, dragging, rape and being held in chains. By the mid 1800s, the European influence to the region was returning and it was renowned British explorer, Dr David Livingstone who made a stand.

Livingstone used Zanzibar as a basis for his mainland expeditions into Africa and visited the slave markets on a number of occasions. He abhorred slavery and used his influence with Sir Lloyd Mathews who was the first Minister of the Zanzibar Government to put a stop to slavery. In 1873, Mathews forced the Sultan of Oman to sign a declaration abolishing slavery. However, Livingstone never saw the abolition as he died in Zambia on an expedition.

British Navy vessels started to patrol waters around Zanzibar in an attempt to stop the illegal trade continuing although as a lot of the transportation was done at night, the British Navy patrols had little effect. In 1874, Mathews was succeeded by Sir John Kirk who continued the work Mathews started. A new institution called Universities Mission for Central Africa was established and it built hospitals, schools and churches in Zanzibar for freed slaves. Some of these establishments still stand in Stone Town today including the Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ which was built on the sight of the slave market.

The Slave Trade in Zanzibar

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