Thousand years to the Mozambique Island between the two shores of the Indian Ocean [Archives:2005/839/Culture]

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May 5 2005
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By Irena Knehtl
For the Yemen Times

It is an emerald set in a sapphire sea. A small coral island at the mouth of Mossurill Bay in the Mozambique channel in the Indian Ocean.Its natural harbor was used by Arab merchants as a maritime trading station.

It served as an important link in the East African trade routes that stretched along the coast. Much of the gold found its way to the island on the sea route from Europe to the East Indies. This island harbor, four km off the coast of Africa, just opposite of Madagascar, for hundreds of years was a major center of intercontinental maritime trade. First mentioned in Arab writings in 10th century,today it is a World heritage site.

The Arab sources recorded waves that here break rhythmically along its broad, pearl sand beaches. The first Arab settlers probably came from the Hadhramaut region in Yemen.

Since the beginning of civilization man has used the Arabian Sea as a trading route to the world's wealth. The first sea- trading route known to man passed through this sea.

Shortly after 3000 BC ships raced along the coast from and to southern Arabia and India, exchanging copper from Oman, teakwood from India, incense from Yemen for wheat and barley. The Yemeni pre- Islamic kingdom probably traded by sea, but definitely in the Sabean kingdom.

While civilization spread around the world, the Arabian Sea remained a center of commerce. Empires reached its shores and crumbled through centuries. A regular half-yearly alternation of weather conditions and winds plays a more important role on the Arabian Sea than in any other sea on earth.

From October to May the favorable trade/wind blows across the sea and brings a strong south westerly current. When the strong southwest monsoon blows from June to September, they would sail home again to Arabia.

The Arabs had known since ancient times that they could rely on prevailing winds for long voyages beyond sight of land and were hazarding their lives on the deep water beyond their shores. Their dhow, an oceangoing vessel, was usually constructed of coconut wood or teak, the hardest and most durable timber.

It was entirely seaworthy amid the comparatively mild waves of the Indian Ocean. Its triangular lateen sail was adapted to catch the slightest breeze and lend the ships maneuverability in treacherous coastal waters. Even perishable goods could be transported safely.

Their remarkable meteorology of the Indian Ocean and the way in which the Arab navigators had been exploiting it for centuries made them true scientists of the sea, experienced in navigation, meteorology, geography.

Adept at taking advantage of good sailing conditions on a regular seasonal schedule. As early at the 8th century Arab traders entered the region along the Zambezi river in the East African interior. They brought ceramics, cloth, glass, beads, salt and metal in exchange for gold, palm, oil, rhinoceros horn, amber, valuable skins, and ivory.

The dhows from Mozambique island station carried incense, gold, pearls, glass and ornaments of every variety. They returned with their holds full of rich and spicy perfumes, silk, cotton, diamonds and teakwood. The city of Sofala, the present day, Beira, on land to the Mozambique island, developed into a trade center.

It used to be a city of warehouses and trading goods for East Africa and India. From Sofala, much before the 15th century, Arabs, Indians and Swahilis traded up the Zambezi, Save and Limpopo river valleys with the old Zimbabwean empire and the stone-building peoples of Southern Africa and Botswana, a powerful indigenous African gold-trading empire in the interior of Southern Africa.

The gold of southern Africa has always been fabulous. It fuelled trade in the western Indian Ocean for at least 500 years before European explorers arrived there.

Buried in the sands of the coast, there should be another older Sofala, of coral stone palaces and fine mosques. Sofala emerged as a Muslim city built by an Arab Muslim ruler Musa bin as-Sembiq, though his name was erroneously corrupted to Mozambique and of which both the present day Republic of Mozambiue and the Mozambique island derive their name



Sand, sea, sky

A full moon rose out of the sea as the sun set behind the sea. Coral reef listening to the wash of waves far down the beach where the spring tide had taken the sea. Black silhouettes of uncovered reef and dark patches of water. Past Islands of the Moon, the Comoros islands to Mozambique island, these were the last marts of Azania on the right hand from the land of Bernike.

For after those places the unexplored ocean curves round to the west, and extending southwards in the opposite direction. Cape of Currents was the traditional southern limit of navigation in the Indian Ocean prescribed by Arab navigators. Their dhows were designed for the greater tropical seas and predictable season of the monsoon. Beyond that point the weather deteriorated.

The regular wind systems became unreliable. The land rose gradually above the level. A great low-tide plain of yellow sand before them. Watching the moon and listening to singing of the coral sands in the silver sea as they approach Ilha de Mozambique, today part of Republic of Mozambique. .



Water of memory

The Mozambique island, has been brought to world attention by its classification as a World heritage site, aiming to preserve and stimulate the conservation of the wonderful old buildings, some of which are made out of coral. The entire island has been proclaimed a World heritage site.

A maze of narrow streets hemmed by tall buildings with a bustling harbor and markets. At the ocean side the fresh monsoon breeze blew every day. A long roll of history bearing the heavy burden of a strategic position, on an old crossroad on the Indian Ocean. Not so much a different place, but a different time.

From the dhow, the island looks like a floating city, an African version of a tragic Venice. A meeting point of cultures, flat roofs, designed to collect rainwater and compensate for the islands lack of freshwater spring. Smaller houses roofed with palm leaves.

The Portuguese made it to the focal point of their trade and industry during 15th century. Tons of limestone were shipped in from Portugal to build what was one of the most formidable forts in Africa.It was never conquered.

Today the fort is empty and haunted. The Mozambique island is a low lying coral island almost equidistant between Sofala and Zanzibar, convenient, safe and secure port on the route from Kilwa, the city which ruled the southern African trade, and Sofala, the base for contact with the gold of Zimbabwe.

The deep tankers and graceful dhows which sail into the harbor retain some flavors of old kingdoms, of Sindbad, the sailor, and Arab merchants from antiquity, and of Arabia Felix, sailing in search for wealth, knowledge and discovery.

They seem to bring twentieth century prosperity to the people who carry on the tradition of an ancient sea.

About Mozambique

The Republic of Mozambique is located on the southeastern coast of Africa and covers a total of 799.380 sq kilometers. Incredibly diverse and scenic landscape.

The country has natural attractions, offering 2500 km of unspoilt coastline and a string of sub-tropical Indian Ocean islands forming. The Bazaruto Archipelago, located about 10 km off the coast is said to be one of the most beautiful places on the African continent. The whole area is now protected as a world class conservation area

The country also boasts many stunning game parks, lakes, mountains and historical towns.

Natural resources include titanium, natural gas and hydropower

Capital: Maputo

People: 99 percent African. Mozambiquans are renowned for being the friendliest people in Africa

Official language: Portuguese.
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