A Zanzibar Slavery Historical tour is a guided excursion that will take you back to the 16th century when Zanzibar was a major hub of the Indian Ocean slave trade, dominated by Arab slave traders. You can visit some of the places and monuments that are related to the history of slavery in Zanzibar, such
- The Mbweni Ruins are the remains of the 19th-century Christian mission that was built by the Universities Mission to Central Africa ( UMCA) for girls who were freed after they were ransomed by the missionaries. The ruins are located in Mbweni a town on the west coast of Zanzibar, about 7 km south of Stone town. There was a small port in Mbweni in colonial times which was mainly used by the Universities Mission to Central Africa ( UMCA) the port was overshadowed by the nearby Port of Zanzibar which was the main hub of trade and commerce for the island of Unguja and the Zanzibar Sultanate. The UMCA also built a church and school for freed slave girls. The port was connected to Stone Town by a railway line that was constructed by the UMCA in 1879. Although the ruins are still there today there`s also a hotel called Jungle Paradise Beach Resort & Spa.
- The Old Slave Market / Anglican Cathedral, where slaves were confined in dark underground chambers before being sold at the market. The cathedral was built on the site of the former market by British missionaries who campaigned for the abolition of slavery.
- The house of Tipppu Tip, a notorious slave trader and explorer who amassed a fortune from selling slaves and ivory. His house is now a museum that displays some of his personal belongings and artifacts.
- The Maruhubi Ruins, where Sultan Barghash ( 1870 – 1888) built a luxurious palace that housed 99 enslaved women who entertained him and his guests. The palace was destroyed by fire in 1899 and only the ruins remain.
- The Mangapwani Chamber and Caves, where slaves were hidden from the British abolitionists who patrolled the coast. The chamber was a coral cave that could hold up to 75 slaves at a time, while the caves were natural formations that were used as holding cells.
The Zanzibar Slavery Historical Tour is a sobering and educational experience that will help you understand the impact of slavery on Zanzibar`s culture and society. But also corrections to human behavior which left many scars of sites to warn us never ever allow such horrific acts to be repeated again in human life.
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