Zanzibar People

Are generally very warm, open and hospitable

 Zanzibar People.

Zanzibar's local people are an incredible mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of her colourful history. 

The history of Zanzibar is told in the faces of her people. Pure and mixed blood, of proud and distinct origin. Descendants of migrants, conquerors and slaves now combine to produce a uniquely friendly and tolerant society.

The majority of the population is of Bantu (Black African) extraction. Now known as the Waunguja, Wapemba and Watumbatu, according to their home island, these people first arrived in Zanzibar as migrants as early as the first century AD, probably displacing primitive stone-age peoples as they did so, or else were brought from the interior as slaves to colonial overlords during the intervening centuries. (In the 19th century the natives of Unguja were known as the Wahadimu and were ruled by their native chieftain, the Mwinyi Mkuu. Nowadays the term Wahadimu is used as a derogatory term for simple or ignorant people.) The Bantu are characteristically easy going, sharing the same cheerful, disposition that is familiar across mainland Africa.

Swahili is the name given to people of mixed Bantu and Omani Arab origin and it is their culture and language that dominate East African society. The Swahili range in appearance from dark Bantu black, through to almost pure Arab. In fact the Arab influence is ubiquitous, with the religion, architecture and lifestyles drawing heavily from Arab traditions. Older people are characterised by traditional Arab dress and customs and are devout Moslems. Younger Swahilis are less obviously Moslem, with many wearing Western clothing and turning their backs on the strict regimes of Moslem life, but the influence of a thousand years of culture does not wear off so easily and many return to the religion as they gain in years.

Similar to the Swahili are the Shirazi, who are likewise of part Bantu extraction, but mixed with Persian rather than Omani blood. The Shirazi are more prevalent in the South of Unguja Island, around their spiritual home of Kizimkazi and its ancient Persian mosque.

It is difficult for the uninitiated to tell Swahili and Shirazi apart. The Shirazi tend to have a rounder, high cheekboned face, with a thinner mouth and sharper nose, but this is far from a firm distinction. The fact is that if you ask a couple of good friends whether their companion is Swahili or Shirazi, not only might they not know, but often they may no longer understand the distinction.

Before the 1963 revolution, Zanzibar was characterised by a broad mix of peoples. But the large Arab, Indian and European communities were drastically reduced by the exodus that led up to and followed the revolution, as these non-African peoples fled in fear of their security. A second wave of emigration from these communities occurred in 1967, when the Government invoked a policy of removing members of ethnic communities from positions of power. (This policy led to terrible skills shortages that can be blamed for many of the difficulties of the next twenty years.)

Nevertheless, there remains a sizeable Arab community on Zanzibar, still with strong ties with Muscat. Unfortunately these Arabs no longer seem to demonstrate the same flair for building that was responsible for so much of Stone Town, most of them seeming to prefer rather vulgar detached modern villas with huge satellite dishes.

There are a considerable number of Indian peoples in Zanzibar, some of whom are Hindus, but most are members of various Moslem sects such as Ithnaasheri (Khoja), Memmon, Ismaili and Bohara. The original Indian immigrants were wealthy merchants and financiers, who came to the islands during the early 19th century to provide the administrative and financial backing that made the great trading caravans into the interior possible. During the time of British occupation, many Indians were encouraged to emigrate from the Raj Empire to Zanzibar in order to fill clerical and administrative positions in the colonial government. To some extent, this is a position that they still hold and like so many other countries which have a sizeable Indian population, much of the economy is dependent upon their instinctive business flair.

There used also to be a significant community of Goans from Eastern India, although there are probably less than fifty families remaining now. These people are Catholics - a hangover from the early days of Portuguese trade in India.

There is also a sizeable population from the Commores Islands to the South, near Madagascar. These people are partly Polynesian in appearance, being descendants of the great 10th century migration across the Indian Ocean.

The British population is noticeably small considering their position as colonial rulers up to independence in 1963. The departure of the diplomatic corps at this time was quickly followed by most of the rest of the ex-pats a month later, during the revolution. A further exodus of diplomatic staff from all represented countries occurred after the union with Tanganyika, when most of the embassies and consulates were relocated to Dar es Salaam.

After the revolution, as the new Government found new international friends, communities of Chinese and East Germans built up, mainly comprising of aid workers and advisers, although these have recently reduced considerably.

The more open policies being pursued by Government in recent years has led to a new influx of immigrants, a growing number of entrepreneurs now being attracted from around the world, encouraged by what they perceive as a more attractive and stable environment for business. Tourist numbers are also on the increase, coming especially from Europe (predominantly British and Italian), America, Oman, Australia and mainland Africa.

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