Afrym
Heritage & History

Lamu Old Town: Where the Swahili Past Lives On

No cars, narrow lanes, coral-stone houses and donkeys everywhere. Lamu, on an island off Kenya's coast, is East Africa's oldest continuously inhabited Swahili town.

By Amos Hope Jnr · · 4 min read

Arrive in Lamu by boat, and the first thing you notice is the silence, or rather, the absence of engines. There are almost no cars on the island. Instead, the waterfront is busy with dhows, the wooden sailing boats of the Indian Ocean, and the narrow streets of the old town are filled with people on foot and with donkeys carrying goods. Behind the waterfront rise whitewashed houses of coral stone, with heavy carved wooden doors, and the minarets of mosques. Lamu feels like a town where centuries have folded into one another. It is one of the best-preserved Swahili towns in East Africa.

Where is Lamu?

Lamu is a town on Lamu Island, part of the Lamu Archipelago off the northern coast of Kenya, close to the border with Somalia. The old town, Lamu Old Town, was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2001, recognised as "the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa" that has retained its traditional functions.

A town of trade

Lamu has been settled for many centuries. Archaeological evidence from the region suggests settlements on the islands from the first millennium, and the old town as we see it today took shape from around the 14th century onwards, with many of its surviving stone buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Like other Swahili towns, such as Kilwa, Mombasa and Zanzibar, Lamu grew rich through Indian Ocean trade. Dhows sailed with the monsoon winds between East Africa, Arabia, Persia and India, carrying ivory, mangrove poles, grain, cloth, beads, spices and, sadly, enslaved people. The town's culture reflects these connections: it is African at its core, with strong Arab, Persian and Indian influences.

Lamu's history was turbulent. It competed with neighbouring towns such as Pate and Mombasa, came under Portuguese influence in the 16th and 17th centuries, and later fell under the authority of the Sultanate of Oman and Zanzibar. In the 19th century, it enjoyed a golden age of prosperity and learning. Under British colonial rule, its trade declined, which, paradoxically, helped preserve its old buildings.

Architecture

Lamu's architecture is one of its greatest treasures:

  • Coral-stone houses. Built from blocks of coral rag and lime mortar, often with several storeys, inner courtyards and flat roofs. The narrow streets between them keep the town cool by channelling sea breezes.
  • Carved doors. Massive wooden doors carved with intricate designs of flowers, chains and geometric patterns, symbols of wealth and status. We explored them in our story on Swahili coast doors.
  • Wall niches. Inside the grand houses, walls are lined with decorative plaster niches (zidaka), used to display fine porcelain.
  • Mosques. Lamu has many mosques, including the Riyadha Mosque, centre of the town's famous Maulidi festival.
  • The Lamu Fort, built in the early 19th century, now a museum and cultural centre.

A centre of Swahili culture

Lamu has long been a centre of Swahili language and literature, Islamic learning and craftsmanship. Its craftsmen are known for wood carving, furniture, dhow building and silver work. The Lamu Museum, in a building on the waterfront, displays Swahili history, including ceremonial siwa horns, beautifully carved instruments of brass and ivory.

The town is also known for its festivals, especially Maulidi, the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, described in our story on Maulidi in Lamu, and the Lamu Cultural Festival, which features dhow races, donkey races and traditional dances.

Life without cars

Because of its narrow streets and island setting, Lamu has almost no motor vehicles in the old town. Donkeys remain the main beasts of burden, and there is even a donkey sanctuary, which provides free veterinary care. People travel between the islands by dhow or motorboat. This car-free life is part of what makes Lamu feel so distinctive.

Challenges

Lamu faces serious challenges:

  • Development pressures. The construction of a large port at nearby Manda Bay, part of the LAPSSET (Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport) project, has raised concerns about the environment, fisheries and the town's heritage. UNESCO and conservation groups have expressed concern about its possible impact.
  • Tourism. Tourism brings income, but also pressure on traditional ways of life. Security problems in the region have also affected tourism in some years.
  • Conservation. Old buildings need constant care, and modern materials and building methods can damage the traditional character of the town.

Why it matters

Lamu is a living town, not a museum. People still pray in its mosques, sail its dhows, carve its doors and walk its narrow lanes. It shows how African, Arab, Persian and Indian influences came together on the Swahili coast to create a unique culture. And in an age of rapid change, it reminds us how much can be lost, and how much can be kept, when a community cares for its heritage.

Further reading

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