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LAMU TOWN |
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Perhaps surprisingly for so laid-back a corner of Kenya, there's no
shortage of things to do in Lamu. The town itself is unendingly
fascinating to stroll through, with few monuments but hundreds of
ancient houses, arresting street scenes and cool corners to sit and rest.
And the museum outshines all others in Kenya bar the National Museum in
Nairobi.
Initially confusing, Lamu is not the random clutter of houses and alleys
it appears. Very few towns in sub-Saharan Africa have kept their
original town plan so intact (Timbuktu in West Africa is another), and
Lamu's history is sufficiently documented, and its architecture well
enough preserved, to give you a good idea of how the town developed. The
main division is between the waterfront buildings and the town behind,
separated by Usita wa Mui , now Harambee Avenue (actually a narrow alley
for the most part). Until around 1830, this was the waterfront, but the
pile of accumulated rubbish in the harbour had become large enough by
the time the fort was finished to consider reclaiming it; gradually,
those who could afford to, built on it. The fort lost its pre-eminent
position and Lamu, from the sea, took on a different aspect, which
included Indian styles such as arches, verandahs and shuttered windows.
Behind the waterfront, the old town retained a second division between
Mkomani district, to the north of the fort, and Langoni to the south.
These locations are important as they distinguish the town's long-established
quarter (Mkomani) from the still-expanding district (Langoni) where,
traditionally, newcomers have built their houses of mud and thatch
rather than stone or modern materials. This north-south division is
found in most Swahili towns and reflects the importance of Mecca, which
is due north.
Lamu is divided further into over forty mitaa or " wards ",
corresponding to blocks. The names of these suggest a great deal about
how the town once looked and they're all listed in Lamu Town: A Guide by
James Allen (out of print; copies in Lamu Fort Library). Kinooni ward ("whetstone
corner") boasts to this day a heavy block of stone on the corner for
sharpening swords, reputedly imported from Oman. And Utakuni ward ("main
market") still has a row of shops, even though most of this north side
of town is now purely residential.
It is difficult to construct a guided tour of Lamu - serendipity comes
to everyone here, and in any event, you're better off exploring in
snatches, wandering around whenever you have a spare hour or two - but
the following things are worth pursuing whenever you lack the energy for
the beach
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