Post by L Roebuck on Feb 24, 2007 9:33:36 GMT -5
Kenya: Shimoni Caves Stark Reminder of Trade in Humans At the Coast
Mazera Ndurya
Nairobi
The shackles that dot the famous Shimoni caves on the Mombasa South Coast are a stark reminder of the human trafficking that thrived up to the mid-19th century.
Tied firmly, the metallic studs now being swallowed up by stalactites and stalagmites conjure up memories of the horror that slaves from the interior of East Africa went through. Although spurned and castigated for the atrocities that the victims went through at the hands of the raiders, traders and finally the masters, Shimoni, an important tourist haven and a bubbling fishing village, is a direct beneficiary of the business.
According to the National Museums of Kenya which has conducted extensive research and archaeological work on the subject, Shimoni developed to what it is today from the influx of interior residents running away from the slave hunters.
Shimoni derives its name from the presence of caves by the seashore formed by natural forces millions of years back. The head of the coastal archaeology, Mr Herman Kiriama, in his report after the excavation and research in the area, says the caves were used as places of confinement before shipment to the biggest slave market in Zanzibar.
"In order to hinder their movements, the slaves had to be shackled and then fastened on the hooks attached to the cave walls. Excavation in the cave compartment recovered several iron fragments - implements that had a bent front and another long part with holes," he says.
Full Article
Mazera Ndurya
Nairobi
The shackles that dot the famous Shimoni caves on the Mombasa South Coast are a stark reminder of the human trafficking that thrived up to the mid-19th century.
Tied firmly, the metallic studs now being swallowed up by stalactites and stalagmites conjure up memories of the horror that slaves from the interior of East Africa went through. Although spurned and castigated for the atrocities that the victims went through at the hands of the raiders, traders and finally the masters, Shimoni, an important tourist haven and a bubbling fishing village, is a direct beneficiary of the business.
According to the National Museums of Kenya which has conducted extensive research and archaeological work on the subject, Shimoni developed to what it is today from the influx of interior residents running away from the slave hunters.
Shimoni derives its name from the presence of caves by the seashore formed by natural forces millions of years back. The head of the coastal archaeology, Mr Herman Kiriama, in his report after the excavation and research in the area, says the caves were used as places of confinement before shipment to the biggest slave market in Zanzibar.
"In order to hinder their movements, the slaves had to be shackled and then fastened on the hooks attached to the cave walls. Excavation in the cave compartment recovered several iron fragments - implements that had a bent front and another long part with holes," he says.
Full Article