On July 11, 1405, a fleet of 300 gargantuan vessels left Nanjin under Commander Zheng He to explore the world and seek trade connections. The vessels were built during the Ming Dynasty (‘ming’ means brightness) and the reign of Emperor Zhu-Di
About 60 of the vessels measured 122 metres in length and 52 metres across the beam with nine masts. The ships were so huge that the whole fleet of Christopher Colombus and Vasco da Gama could have been stored on one deck of a single ship!
The fleet was like a floating city with a crew of 30,000, including physicians, astrologers, sail makers, herbalists, blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors, cooks, accountants, merchants and interpreters. Also on board were items of trade, including tonnes of Chinese silk and copper coins to be exchanged for tropical spices, precious gems, textiles and minerals.
a floating city
The fleet almost certainly anchored in Malindi in 1406 for water and provision. That was 90 years before Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama visited Malindi, which at that time was a wealthy town.
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The seafront. Reminders of the Coast’s brilliant past are found everywhere, especially in the Lamu archipelago. [PHOTO: courtesy] |
It is also said that they transported a giraffe, which was held in high esteem at the Imperial Court in Peking. The Chinese thought the giraffe was the famous Ki-Lin — a supernatural creature that appeared only in a kingdom ruled by a virtuous and just emperor.
One of the Chinese vessels is believed to have capsized and wrecked near the Pazzalia rocks off Pate near modern day Shanga. Some of the Ming sailors were rescued or managed to swim ashore. They stayed at Shanga and intermarried with the local women.
In the 14th Century Malindi, Pate, Faza and Siyu were among the richest of all the Swahili settlements ruled by a petty sultan. Reminders of that brilliant past are found everywhere, especially in the Lamu archipelago. Another relic of the past and the Chinese influence is a place with a sign written "Old Shanga", which resembles Shanghai.
Lamu was Zhen He’s fleet most western destination. In the last few years, there has been great interest by the Chinese Government to find out more of their glorious past and television teams have been visiting Malindi and the different Lamu Islands to explore this past.
They have been concentrating on Pate and Siyu with its extensive coconut plantations, date palms, mango and tamarind trees. This place is also known for the production of leather sandals. Interesting enough, it is believed that Siyu was an important trading centre up to the 19th Century with a population of around 15,000 people.
Following visits from Chinese film crews and archaeology teams, Caesar Bita, the curator of the Malindi Museum at the House of the Columns, was invited to travel to China in 2007.
In the three-month visit, he was trained in underwater archaeology to help the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) thoroughly investigate this "Lamu wreck" near Siyu and also to find ways to excavate this treasure. This is significant for historians as it is said to be the oldest wreck in Kenyan coastal waters.
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Siyu village is one of the most inaccessible villages on the Island. A narrow creek divides Pate Island, separating Siyu village from Pate town. Bita’s course involved training in scuba diving, underwater excavation, survey, photography, mapping, sketching and ethnography. He is now the only person in the NMK trained in maritime archaeology and he is raring to go and lift the Lamu Chinese wreck for our heritage, conservation and preservation. The Chinese are expected to help financially but it will also open up Siyu to tourists interested in cultural tourism.
It is hoped the Lamu Chinese wreck will have the same impact as a 500-year-old Portuguese shipwreck found recently off Namibia’s Coast. Francisco Alves, a Lisbon-based maritime archaeologist, claims it is the best preserved vessel of its time outside of Portugal. They have found bronze canons, tonnes of copper, elephant tusks, weapons and thousands of silver and gold coins worth over 100 million dollars.
Under international maritime laws, a wreck and its treasures belong to the country where they are found. It will be a fantastic opportunity for Kenya to exhibit the treasures at the Lamu or Malindi Museum.
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