Bagamoyo Town

This weekend CIEE took us to Bagamoyo Town. It is a historic small village on the cost. It is where development started in Tanzania. It is home to the first port where everything from spices to slaves where exported. Bagamoyo is also the place that all the slaves where "dropped off" when they were liberated so it is home to families with ancestors who where slaves. It is also home to the 13th century oldest Mosque and 15th century oldest Church in East Africa. Today the port is still used for transporting goods from and to Zanzibar & travel, but because of safety the government does not allow tourist to use it. Bogamoyo is a small fishing village with a school that teaches boys how to build boats so they can have a business. It is also a majority Muslim because the Persians where the first to immigrate and settle there. It was not for 2 more centuries did Missionaries start coming with the Catholic faith. Since fishing is the major industry of the town the port is the life line. Every morning there is a fish auction where locals buy for themselves and small business they have before the fish is sent to Zanzibar.

Enjoy the Pictures there are quite a few!

 Sign Talking about the First Historical Site in Tanzania where the first Settlers Landed

 Baobab tree- The one Rafiki lives in in the Lion King - this one is over 500 years old!

 Graves from the 15th century

 African Sausage Tree - some sort of fruit!

 Back L: Teddy, Elliot, & Kim

Middle Row: Austen, Jen, Kim, Guide, Nelly, Alison 

Front L: Grant & Kelly

 Lovers Grave - Is said to provided lovers with lasting love & the opportunity to leave earth together

 Holly Water well. Next to 13th century Mosque -said to proved luck and prosperity if drank

 Nelly Me and Kim

 Originally Persian  Fort then used for Slave quarters by the British

 What Tanzanians call the Christmas Tree

 View from the top of the slave quarters

View out of a window in the fort

 View to the Indian Ocean

 Monument to represent a grave for all those hung for wrong doing during British Rule

 Port for all the fisherman of Bagamoyo

 Fishing boat - put as many people on them as possible

Fish Auction

 Door to oldest post office in East Africa - the carving is on all traditional doors and every carve has a different meaning

 Slave shackles that went around their necks

typical slave chain used on small boys

15th Century Church

I sat in one of these pews for Mass on Sunday - It was in Swahili 

 last one says "You cannot have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time."

 "God Bless East Africa"

Sun rise before church

Tide at sunrise

Kelly, Alison, Kim, Jen, & Me