Tanzania consists of
various tourist attractions. These include: National Parks, Game reserves,
Mountains, Historic Sites and Antiquities, Tribal Cultures etc.
Taking Tabora region as
our case study, it can initially be introduced that, Tabora Region is located
in Mid-Western part of Tanzania on the central plateau between latitude 40 - 70
South and longitude 310 - 340 East. The region shares a border with
Shinyanga region in the North, Singida region in the East, Mbeya and Rukwa
regions in the South while the Western border is shared with Kigoma region.
Tabora preserves the important historic site that
contributed to the world history. During slave trade, the slave traders and their slaves were crossing via Tabora. The route was known as central slave trade route.
Tanzania's central slave trade route
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| Front view of the warehouse: Field Data, 2016 |
In 1871, the building (“Tembe”) accommodated both Dr. David Livingstone-a missionary and explorer, and Mr. Henry Morton Stanley -a journalist and explorer.
 |
| The main entrance to the building: Field Data, 2016 |
The “Tembe” has a strong tie with the slave
history of Tanzania and the world at large. It is therefore an important source
of historical information for pupils, researchers and tourists’ both local and
international.
 |
| Some of the old tools preserved in the building: Field Data,2016 |
Dr
David Livingstone at Kwihara
When in Tabora, Dr
Livingstone, the renowned anti-slave trade campaigner, was offered the Tembe,
the slave warehouse to live in. Some people believe that the offer was a
desperate bid of Said Salum Mohamed to blindfold the Missionary so that he does
not target him in the abolition campaigns. This move was futile as Livingstone
was firm in his abolition movements. The disappointed slaver, who was not ready
to stop his lucrative trade, decided to move from Kwihara to Ufipa where he
continued with his business. After the departure of Said, Dr Livingstone did
not stay long time at Kwihara. He returned to Ujiji to continue with his
mission i.e looking for the source of Nile. From Ujiji he proceeded to
Chilambo, Zambia, where he died on 1st May 1973. Said Salum came
back to Kwihara after the death of Livingstone.
 |
| The back view of the building: Field Data, 2016 |
Henry
Morton Stanley at Kwihara
Henry Morton Stanley
was a journalist, working with the New York Herald. He was sent by his
employer, James Gordon Bennett Jr, to find Dr. Living who was feared dead after
a long silence. Being an American, Bennett’s goal was to win the race against
the British by being the first to publish the
firsthand information about the
British missionary and explorer, Dr David Livingstone. Stanley started his
journey at Bagamoyo on 21st March, 1871. In addition to a team of
African crew members, he was accompanied by two White men, William Farquhar-a
Scottish sailor and navigator and John William Shaw-a British Sailor.
 |
| Part of New York Herald: Field Data, 2016 |
Farquhar, who soon
became ill and unable to walk, was left at Mpwapwa where he died a few days
later and his body was dumped into the bush since the local people did not know
what to do with it. The same fate fell upon John Shaw after the caravan got to
Tabora. Fortunately, Shaw was buried and
his grave has been cared for until today. Oral accounts have it
that Shaw, after he fell sick, did not recover as fast as he wanted. As a
result, he shot and killed himself. His grave is located about 150 m west of
the Tembe.
Upon Arrival at Tabora
on 20th September, 1871,
Stanley was given a very generous welcome by the Arabs, including offering him
the Tembe to live in with his distinguishes companions. But the Arabs’
generosity was with a reason; they wanted him to assist them a war against
Chief Mirambo who had blocked the direct route to Ujiji for Arabs who refused
to pay ‘hongo’, passage fee. Desperate for getting to Ujiji as soon as possible
himself, Stanley easily consented, a decision which he would soon regret for.
The Arabs were badly defeated and ran away leaving him alone. Luckily, Mirambo
spared him, since he was not his target. However, Stanley, still scary, left
for Ujiji via a southerly route let Mirambo changes his mind. He arrived at
Ujiji on November 10 1871. Highly excited, yet mot certain of the white man in
front of him, Stanley’s greeting was “Dr Livingstone, I presume?” And the
answer was “Yes”
Stanley and Livingstone
stayed together at Ujiji for about two months and went to Tabora where some
supplies from the coast were waiting for them.
Management
The building (‘Tembe’) is a gazette site, which
means it is protected under the Antiquities Law of 1964 (Amended in 1979 as a
historical site. It is managed by the Department of Antiquities, Ministry of
Natural Resources and Tourism.
References
The Project on
Promoting Tanzania’s Cultural Heritage: Department of History. Dar es Salaam:
University of Dar es Salaam.
http://www.tabora.go.tz/?q=history
Other Sources
Field data by Marco Henry, December 2016
OTHER PHOTOS
No comments:
Post a Comment