stories of the land 2015: "Take the Burden off your Heart"

Friends, welcome to Bagamoyo! This sea-side town earned its name for the relaxation and breezy ease it afforded traders who walked long distances with heavy wares, including ivory, to trade on the coast. While always a vibrant market, the Arabs developed Bagamoyo into a coastal capital in the 13th century. The Sultan, who resided in Zanzibar, could never quite establish full control over Bagamoyo. Thus the port remained, for centuries, the locus of freedom, trade, and cultural exchange from Mombasa to Dar-es-Salaam--sending goods from throughout east and central Africa to the Middle East, East Asia, and the subcontinent. The Germans were less patient with the system of local rule. In 1886, the Germans took control of what would become Tanganyika (German East Africa); they fared no better than the Sultan when they tried to assert themselves over the traders in Bagamoyo. So, they moved the capital to Dar-es-Salaam! Today, we passed quickly through Dar and spent our day in the intended capital. Walking amongst ruins from the 13th century, we met a family extracting meat from "mud dwellers" (baby conch) to boil and sell. We also heard stories from out 74 year old local guide who asked us to sign his "book of friends" (how appropriate for our group)! I believe our group began signing as # 17,676 forward. He has 46 books of friends. We have had a lovely day, full of laughter and rich conversation. Our guide was surprised to learn the ages of the students because of their cerebral approach to one another and the sites we visited. Tonight, Gabby will lead class on the beach!

I will close with a caravan song we read today:
Oh, what joy to see the dances
where the lovely girls sway
in the evenings in Bagamoyo.
Be still, my heart, all worries are gone;
the call to rest thunders out, and with jubilation,
we reach Bagamoyo!