Caves in Kwale
Shimoni Slave Caves: Heritage, Tourism, Slavery
“There’s a hole in the side of Africa, where the walls will speak if you only listen. Walls that tell a tale so sad, that the tears on the cheeks of Africa glisten. Stand and hear a million slaves, tell you how they walked so, so far. That many died in misery, while the rest were sold in Zanzibar, Shimoni, oh Shimoni, You have to find the answer and the answer has been written down in Shimoni…” Kenyan-born Roger Whittaker’s doleful song released in 1983 conjures up images of its eldritch past, where slaves in transit were held. The moniker “Shimoni” derives from the Swahili word “shimo,” meaning “hole,” aptly describing these natural coral caves.
Post the 7th Century, these caves served as holding pens for enslaved Africans captured from the Kenyan interior and coastal regions. They were detained here for two to three weeks before being transported to slave markets in Zanzibar and beyond. It’s estimated that over a million individuals passed through these caves during this devastating era. Today, the Shimoni Slave Caves are open to visitors interested in understanding this aspect of history. Guided tours provide detailed accounts of the conditions enslaved people endured and the broader context of the slave trade in East Africa. Their earliest occupation is also rather controversial.
Located in Shimoni Peninsula, peering out to the channel cutting off from Wasini Island in the south, the earliest occupation of Shimoni Caves has always been the subject of endless debate. These were once a Kaya shrine, a shelter for Maasai herders and a slave post, at different periods in time, not well defined. The British parliament banned the slave trade in 1857. Later, in 1873, Sir John Kirk, Britain’s Vice-Consul and later Consul to Zanzibar, presented Sayyid Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid, Sultan of Zanzibar with an ultimatum that threatened a naval blockade unless the Sultan closed the market where enslaved people were sold; and he did. This effectively cut off the collaborated role of Shimoni Caves in the slave trade.
The immediate assumption predicated on this recent history is a marked clash to oral history of Shimoni Caves. In fact, it is debatable whether slaves were held here! Their use as a slave post is contested by members of the local community, who argue that the rife slave heritage construction is a discursive and selective process; that the landscape, both physical and mental, is the arena in which this process takes place. Although some locals contest the past function of the cave, the Shimoni communities accepted it, for tourism sake, as a slave cave while at the same time advocating for other elements of this cultural landscape, like its colonial legacy and nearby prison structure built to halt slave trade, be included.
Despite their different trajectories, Shimoni Slave Caves and Witu, 366 north in Lamu County, are interesting to compare as they provide a contrasting outlooks on the history of slavery on the Swahili coast, and on how they are understood by the contemporary coastal society, the Government, and its institutions. Yet, the latter have not initiated much heritage initiatives about the history of slavery on the coast. Even the case of Witu and of Lamu, the heritage-making of the Swahili “civilization” and its history largely ignores slavery. The history of slavery does not yet have its place in heritage development, which is linked to the tourism industry.
The staging of Shimoni Caves as a facet of slave legacy is done in spite of the fact that Kenya’s government has never recognized any slave narrative in the country. Running all the way to the ocean, for 7 km underground, through eerie interlinked tunnels, they are noted to have been used in the late 18th to early 19th Century by Arab Traders. In 1887, Shimoni became the primary meeting place between the British East African Association (BEAA) and the local chiefs where they appened the first known treaties. Shimoni Slave Caves are found 51 km from Ukunda town, and 13 km from the A14 Ramisi Road to the southern end of the Shimoni Peninsula.
While Kenya may not be as well-known for its caves as some other destinations, there are still some fascinating caving sites worth exploring. Before embarking on a caving expedition, it’s essential to ensure safety by going with a knowledgeable local guide, wearing appropriate gear, and being aware of potential hazards.
Index of Caves in Kenya
Baringo County - Lomechan Cave, Bomet County - Kipsegon Caves, Bungoma County - Elephant Calving Cave, Namunyu Cave, Busia County - Kakapel Rock Shelter, Elgeyo Marakwet County - Mela Cave, Kiplagoch Caves, Embu County - God's Bridge Cave, Kajiado County - Oloolua Caves, Suswa Caves, Enkapune Ya Muto, Kakamega County - Lirhanda Cave, The Mukai Stone Cave, Kericho County - Van Wicker's Caves, Bagao Caves, Relesic Cave, Chebulu Caves, Kiambu County - The Paradise Lost Cave, Kwale County - Fikirini Caves, Shimoni Caves, Machakos County - Hyena Caves, Makueni County - Kisula Caves, Meru County - Mucheene Cave, Liga Ria Ngutu, Migori County - Mugabo Caves, Nakuru County - Njoro Caves, Hell's Gate Caves, Nandi County - Ngabunat Cave, Taita Taveta County - Dawida Cave, Mwangeka Cave, Taita Skull Cave, Kenyatta Caves, Leviathan, Tharaka Nithi County - Inanduru Bat Cave, Trans Nzoia County - Kitum Cave, Macking’eny Cave, Ngwarishah Cave, Chepnyalil Cave, Kamariny Cave, Vihiga County - Mungoma Caves, Givavei Rock Cave, Wajir County - Shaletey
Located along the Kenyan coast, and a hub renowned for its pristine beaches, rich cultural heritage, and breathtaking landscapes, Kwale County uniquely combines two of Kenya’s unsurpassed offerings – beach and safari. Kwale County is also a melting pot of coastal traditions, modern development, farming and trade to boot.
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A Guide to Kwale County
A Summa Digest of Kwale
About Kwale Way Back When
85 Destinations in Kwale County, arranged as one would visit these - north, south, east then south - with aid of in-depth narratives, images, maps and distance chart:
Shelly Beach, Time Out Art Camp, Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, Kutazama Lodge, Mandhari Lodge, Kimerimeta Safari Lodge, Baraza Park, Kwale Town, Shimba Hills National Reserve, Shimba Hills Lodge, Elephant Lookout, Sheldrick Falls, Shimba Hills Organic Farm, Nyalani Dam, WWF Nursery, Tiwi Beach, Diani-Chale Marine National Reserve, Kongo Mosque, Twiga Mosque, Diani Mosque, Diani Beach Art Gallery, Diani Bikes, Center Point Mall, Diani Beach, Almasi Art Agency, Diamond Leisure Beach & Golf Resort, Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant, Kenya Kite Masters, Kite Festival, Funguo Wreck, Swahili Beach Resort, Raydon Water Sports, Colobus Conservation Trust, Sails Beach Bar & Restaurant, H2O Extreme, Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant, Baobab Beach Resort, Lantana Galu Beach, Galu Ruins, Bora Bora Wildlife Park, Skydive Diani, Kalista Bar & Restaurant, Kaya Kinondo (Forest), Kinondo Kwetu (Resort), Chale Island, Tulia Eco Garden, Gazi Beach, Gazi Mangrove Boardwalk, Gazi Ruins, Msambweni Beach, Munje Beach, Munje Beach Villas, Munje Ruins, Munje Octopus Closure, Funzi Island, Shirazi Ruins, Fikirini Caves, Hormuz, Pongwe, Shimoni Caves, Betty's Camp, Shimoni Ruins, KWS Shimoni Cottages, Wasini Island, Wasini Ruins, Wasini Boardwalk, Charlie Claw’s, Chambocha Cemetery, Wasini Dolphin Tours, Pilli Pipa Dhow, Blue Monkey Cottages, GVI Mkwiro, Mwaozi Tumbe's Gravestone, Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park, Sii Island, Mrima Hill, Maji Moto Springs, Vumba Kuu, Vanga, Vanga Ruins, Nyika Plateau
Know More About Kwale County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including strip maps, Airports, Climate & National Monuments
Kwale has monsoon type of climate marked by hot and dry weather from January to May and cooler temperatures from June to August. Average annual temperatures ranges between 24oC and 30oC.
Kwale is widely known for its 35 km long coast, where Diani Beach sits. Inland, the coastal uplands, commonly referred to as Shimba Hills, is a sharp elevation in altitude. The land then steeply falls again into the Nyika Plateau and Tsavo.