Bagamoyo (Part 2 of 3)

Reliving History

Bagamoyo is an important historic site in both African and world history. It is one of the sites in Tanzania that held inhumanely captured Africans who would eventually be shipped off to other parts of the world as slaves.

While in Bagamoyo we visited the Kaole ruins, dating back to to 13th century, they are mostly from a Muslim village and there were mostly mosques and graves to see. Bagamoyo was also an important trade port for ivory and other Tanzanian resources, it was a very big center for Catholic missionaries, but is best known for the heartbreaking events of slave trade.

I guess I should have paid more attention during the tours, because that is all of the specific information I have to share with you.

What I do remember is that the name “Bagamoyo” means “Lay down your heart.” Essentially this name refers to the loss of life that these captured Africans were experiencing in this prison before being shipped off to unknown places and unimaginable conditions. If they didn’t die from the cruel treatment, they certainly experienced the death of their spirits and their hope. It is an incredibly awful thing to contemplate.

I remember learning about this in history classes throughout elementary school and high school. Of course as awful as it sounded then, it didn’t really sink into my adolescent brain that these were actual people, other people’s sons and daughters.  Plus, in history class we focused on the abolition of slavery - it was awful, but its over now.

Now, my heart aches to think about the conditions endured by the ancestors of these Tanzanians I now call my own brother and sisters.

The rest of the group at Kaole Ruins.

Pastor Mmanga and I at the ruins.  This is a well that is said to have very special water.  If you wash here you will have great success.  The President of Tanzania is from Bagamoyo and some point to this well as the key!  

The stone building that housed slaves in the late 1800's and into the 1900's.

The doors to the holding cells.

The exterior of the building.

The "hanging tree,"  the name alone is enough to tell you this was an awful place, and the description below confirms it.

A break during our site seeing for a taste of the most delicious mangos in the world.