Chwaka Ruins

Remains of an early settlement

Located a little way south east of Tumbe are the ruins of a large 15th century town, now largely overgrown and offering very little in the way of an attraction other than the pleasant walk through fields to reach it.  The settlement is thought to have been ruled by Harun bin Ali, the son of the notorious Mkana Ndune of Pujini.  By all accounts he was as cruel as his father, earning himself the nickname of Mvanja Pau, the breaker of the pole.  The large town spanning across 20 hectares is said to have once boasted a fort, reception halls, two mosques and an iron works as well as a harbour in the nearby creek.

Today all that remains of this sprawling settlement are the lower walls of a large mosque which was constructed around a series of arched doorways.  Excavations have revealed bowls dating back to the 15th century, now preserved at the Zanzibar Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  Legend has it that Hurun's wife ordered the building of a second, smaller mosque, known as Msikiti Chooko, or the mosque of the green grain, after she demanded grain to be added to the mortar mix to strengthen the structure.  A number of tombs were discovered behind the mosque, among them a single pillared structure decorated with glazed tiles which is believed to have been the tomb of Haroub himself.

Closer to the road are the ruins of an 18th century fort, thought to have been the headquarters of the Mazuri governor of Pemba, who ruled the island before being overthrown by Omani ruler, Said bin Sultan.  The town included a mosque and a fort, and six of the Mazuri family tombs were discovered.  On one of the graves was an Arabic inscription with the name Sheik Mabrouk bin Katib bin Athman al Mazuri - with the date of his death as 1807.

Pemba Lodges with Style

Our team at Specialist Tanzania regularly visit Pemba's growing choice of accommodation to check on hotel quality, service levels and new developments. Here's our choice of Pemba lodges which offer a nice mix of style, location, ambience and service. To include your choice in any of the holidays we offer, just contact us for a quote!

> Fundu Lagoon
> Manta Resort