Fading glory of Kilwa Kisiwani

KILWA

I will not assume. So, permit me to ask: ever heard of a one Nasir Jones alias Nas? Okay. Please keep your fingers away from your head. You do not need to scratch it for an answer. A quick google search will reveal that Nas is an American Rapper who is ranked as one of the greatest MCs of all time.

I bet you, dear reader, are trying to figure out the relationship between Nas and “Kilwa Kiswani”. Hang on, please. Nothing Lasts Forever is one of the rapper’s memorable songs. In part of the song, Nas raps, “Eventually everything comes to an end…nothing lasts forever.” These lyrics may not make sense till you come across their living testament. Kilwa is one such.

It is an island located 200 miles south of the Tanzanian capital, Dare-es-Salaam and 13 minutes, by boat, from the mainland town of Kilwa Massoko. When the great traveller Ibn Battouta stopped at the island in 1331 he described Kilwa as, one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Kilwa was home to the largest mosque in sub-saharan Africa. It housed the Husuni Kubwa (great palace) which the early writers referred to as the largest pre – European building in East Africa. The Island town was a principle centre for trade in gold, iron and slaves from Africa which were exchanged for cloth, jewels, porcelain and spices, from India and China.

Of its grandeur…
Fast forward, Kilwa’s grandeur is dead and gone. All that is left of the ooh and ah architecture it once flaunted are ruins.

Recently, I took a tour of the Island with a group of Ugandan and Tanzania journalists en route to the gas rich region of Mtwara. The seven-hour journey from Dar –es – Salaam to the mainland town was only enjoyable because of the good company in the vehicle. The regular banter and the ear candy bongo flava (Tanzanian music) blaring from our car’s rickety radio served well to ease the boredom promised by the journey’s duration. The beautiful coconut trees (some seemed to have walked straight out of a postcard) and the long Mkapa Bridge across River Rufiji were some of the fascinating sights along the way.

The 13 minute-ride on the motor boat, from Kilwa Massoko to the island town, was longer than I had anticipated. Salome, my friend and neighbour on the journey, diagnosed this as anxiety.

At Kilwa
Abdallah Ahmed, our guide, received us on the other end. He quickly carried out a monologue, in Swahili, about Kilwa’s history. He thereafter led us around one of the most significant historical sites on the East African coast. The sight of the remains of the great palace, the crumbling great mosque, the Portugese coral-stone-built gereza or fort and the face-lift-thirsty ancient tombs, give no hint to Kilwa’s glory days.

As my friends were posing for social media destined photos, my mind was reflecting on Nas’ lyrics; “Eventually everything comes to an end…nothing lasts forever”. I was only jolted out of the lull by Salome’s request to take a photo of her at the new carved door on the gereza which was recently installed as part of preservation work of Kilwa’s beauty.

By the way, what runs through your mind when you hear the name Salome? Personally, it reminds me of Saida Karoli, a once popular Tanzania artiste who some Ugandans nicknamed Maria Salome (a title of one of her songs). That she is currently in oblivion is another testament that; Nothing Lasts Forever!