For many years, Lamu Island was under the control of Portuguese who had a complete monopoly of trade, shipping and taxes on trade activities. The Oman Empire controlled most of the middle East, East African and South East African regions. In early years, Lamu's economy was based on slave trade until when the trade was abolished in 1907. Other trade exports included mangrove, turtle shells, ivory, and rhinoceros horns. These exports were shipped to the Middle East and India through the Indian Ocean.
On numerous occasions, Lamu Island would try to rebel against the Portuguese but it wasn’t successful until 1652 when the Oman Arabs assisted Lamu to resist the Portuguese control. This marked the beginning of the Lamu Island town as it is known today, an island with diverse culture and preserved poetry, politics, cultural practices, festivals, arts and crafts as well as trade. Lamu Island is a place whose history is as mysterious and fascinating as the winding streets of it’s medieval stone town. The island itself is a serene place of rolling sand dunes and endless sandy beaches, where tiny coral made villages nestle among coconut and mango plantations and lateen sailed dhows ply the blue waters. The island can be accessed through daily flights from Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi or dhows and yachts ferries arriving to Lamu town or Shela. Another fascinating thing, is the fact that there are no vehicles in Lamu town, the streets of Lamu are best explored on foot or by the dhows that regularly carry passengers back and forth from Lamu town to Shela.
To access the surrounding islands of Manda, Pate or Siyu, you can either take an organized dhow Safari or for the adventurous travel, you can just hitch a ride on a passing dhow and explore. It is also possible to hire donkeys to ride around the island. You will be surprised that donkeys here are an added asset and there is even a special sanctuary clinic for them.
One of the biggest festivals in Lamu Island is the Lamu Cultural Festival that is held every year to celebrate the distinctive Swahili heritage and culture of the Lamu archipelago, honoring both the past and the future values and customs of the Swahili community. The festival has been held faithfully for years but it become more popular when the UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ) declared Lamu Old Town a World Heritage Site in 2001.
The Festival is a collection of cultural activities that takes place for a whole week, day and night to showcase traditional Swahili poetry, traditional dances, musical performances, Swahili bridal ceremony, handicrafts, Henna painting, dhow sailing, door carving and the biggest highlight of the festival is the famous donkey race. The festival is held during the last week of November and it draws sponsorship from various international embassies and private sponsors.
The main performance takes place at the main town square where all the islands of the archipelago converge to present traditional dances (ngoma) in a single venue that warms the streets of medieval old town. Other presentations that are a must to watch include the display of various types of dhows. You will be amazed of how the Swahili people are capable of building big dhows called Jahazi in Swahili and even small portable ones called Mashua. The Sultan elegant Mozambique dhow is certainly one of the biggest attractions in dhow display.
The whole festival is a thriller where different activities take place to entertain everyone including tourists touring Lamu. And throughout the festival there is a lot to sample in terms of Swahili culinary, and rich Swahili poetry presented using old Swahili poetry skills.
Other festivals that are held in Lamu includes Maulidi Festival, which is held every year during the last week of the month of Prophet Muhammand birth, Lamu Annual Painters Festival, Lamu Artistic Hat Competition and the New Year’s Eve in Shela.
On numerous occasions, Lamu Island would try to rebel against the Portuguese but it wasn’t successful until 1652 when the Oman Arabs assisted Lamu to resist the Portuguese control. This marked the beginning of the Lamu Island town as it is known today, an island with diverse culture and preserved poetry, politics, cultural practices, festivals, arts and crafts as well as trade. Lamu Island is a place whose history is as mysterious and fascinating as the winding streets of it’s medieval stone town. The island itself is a serene place of rolling sand dunes and endless sandy beaches, where tiny coral made villages nestle among coconut and mango plantations and lateen sailed dhows ply the blue waters. The island can be accessed through daily flights from Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi or dhows and yachts ferries arriving to Lamu town or Shela. Another fascinating thing, is the fact that there are no vehicles in Lamu town, the streets of Lamu are best explored on foot or by the dhows that regularly carry passengers back and forth from Lamu town to Shela.
To access the surrounding islands of Manda, Pate or Siyu, you can either take an organized dhow Safari or for the adventurous travel, you can just hitch a ride on a passing dhow and explore. It is also possible to hire donkeys to ride around the island. You will be surprised that donkeys here are an added asset and there is even a special sanctuary clinic for them.
One of the biggest festivals in Lamu Island is the Lamu Cultural Festival that is held every year to celebrate the distinctive Swahili heritage and culture of the Lamu archipelago, honoring both the past and the future values and customs of the Swahili community. The festival has been held faithfully for years but it become more popular when the UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ) declared Lamu Old Town a World Heritage Site in 2001.
The Festival is a collection of cultural activities that takes place for a whole week, day and night to showcase traditional Swahili poetry, traditional dances, musical performances, Swahili bridal ceremony, handicrafts, Henna painting, dhow sailing, door carving and the biggest highlight of the festival is the famous donkey race. The festival is held during the last week of November and it draws sponsorship from various international embassies and private sponsors.
The main performance takes place at the main town square where all the islands of the archipelago converge to present traditional dances (ngoma) in a single venue that warms the streets of medieval old town. Other presentations that are a must to watch include the display of various types of dhows. You will be amazed of how the Swahili people are capable of building big dhows called Jahazi in Swahili and even small portable ones called Mashua. The Sultan elegant Mozambique dhow is certainly one of the biggest attractions in dhow display.
The whole festival is a thriller where different activities take place to entertain everyone including tourists touring Lamu. And throughout the festival there is a lot to sample in terms of Swahili culinary, and rich Swahili poetry presented using old Swahili poetry skills.
Other festivals that are held in Lamu includes Maulidi Festival, which is held every year during the last week of the month of Prophet Muhammand birth, Lamu Annual Painters Festival, Lamu Artistic Hat Competition and the New Year’s Eve in Shela.