About 13 miles from Mombasa lies the stone rubble of a long-abandoned Swahili town. Known as Jumba la Mtwana – or the large house of the slave in Swahili – this national monument is revered for being a lingering reminder of lives lived long ago. The site is one of the last vestiges of the olden coast of Kenya and gives us precious insight into what early Swahili people valued, how they lived and even how they thought.
A Rare Site
With no written records of the town, much of Jumba’s history remains shrouded in mystery. In fact, the town’s name was likely entirely different while the inhabitants were there! As for the time the town was established, fragments of blue and white Chinese porcelain on the site have led researchers to place this coastal town as one from the 14th century.
The discernible remains of the town include one large mosque called the Great Mosque, three smaller mosques, four houses, and a tomb. The mosques give an indication that the community living in the town were predominantly Muslim. As for the four houses, they boast Arabic architecture and are named: The House of the Kitchen, The House of the Cylinder, the House of the Many Pools and the Great Mosque.
The Town on the Ocean
Apart from the remaining buildings themselves, their location facing the wide-open ocean is as unique as they come. In fact, Jumba is the only coastal ruin on the doorstep of the Indian Ocean. This location tells us several things about how the people in Jumba lived in relation to the waves beside them.
To begin with, this was a fishing community that subsisted off sea life and engaged in maritime trade. Although the ocean could have attracted attacks from boats and pirates, Jumba shows no signs of a harbour, so enemies had no way of docking. With a lack of effective anchoring methods for large ships at the time, the community seems to have escaped a barrage of assaults from intruders. On top of that, the abundance of fresh water, as shown by the numerous wells, water jugs and cisterns in the area, was integral to their survival. Gusts of wind from the Northeast and Southeast guaranteed the town was a cool oasis in the sweltering heat of the coast.
Continued Exploration
In 1972, Dutch archaeologist James Kirkman set out to fill the missing gaps in Jumba’s history by performing the very first clearance and excavation of the site. Kirkman aimed to establish the dates when the buildings were built and how long the inhabitants stayed in the town. He also set out to preserve the buildings that risked complete disintegration after being around for at least 7 centuries.
Despite Kirkman’s efforts, questions lingered about this town of yore. The most prominent one was ‘Why was it abandoned?’ Some theories speculate that factors like a hostile takeover, the obstruction of trade or even an eventual water shortage may have caused the townspeople to flee. Though it is anyone’s guess and further investigation is needed to ascertain the reasons for this desertion. Another question some would ask is ‘Where did they flee to?’
Regardless of the missing information, the town’s historical significance could not be underscored. Because of this, Jumba la Mtwana was gazetted as a national monument in 1982, ten years after Kirkman’s excursion.
Currently, the Jumba ruins face grave risk. Its proximity to the ocean has seen waves erode the remains. Plans by the National Museums of Kenya are underway to deploy the best measure to protect this monument from weathering.
In all, Jumba la Mtwana is a mysterious historical puzzle. When the pieces are put together, they paint a picture of a vibrant, tactical community. And although the picture is unfinished, this site transports us back to a rare time that would have otherwise been consigned to oblivion.
Is Jumba la Mtwana on your bucket list or a site you remember visiting? Do you have a keen interest in coastal history? Let us know!
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