Old Slave Market Zanzibar: A Dark Chapter of History

October 20, 2024

Share Now

Zanzibar, an idyllic island known for its pristine beaches and vibrant culture, holds a grim chapter in its history. At the heart of the History of Stone Town lies the Old Slave Market, a place that stands as a haunting reminder of the East African slave trade and the history of Stone Town. Today, it is also home to the Anglican Cathedral, a symbol of hope and abolition. Walking through this site is both an emotional and educational journey, as the past and present converge in a single, powerful space.

The Horrors of the Underground Slave Chambers

Beneath the Anglican Cathedral are the underground slave chambers of the Old Slave Market, which once housed enslaved Africans. These cramped rooms tell the chilling story of the brutal conditions endured by those captured and sold in the slave trade. Approximately 70 women and children were forced into these small spaces, with barely enough room to move. The tiny windows, meant to prevent escape, provided little ventilation and allowed only slivers of light into the chambers. The conditions were so horrific that many died before they could even be sold.

Slave Chamber

In the middle of the floor, a small hole served as a toilet, but in the absence of clean water, the enslaved people were often forced to drink from the same contaminated source. The water, mixed with human waste and the blood of the dying, became the only means of survival for those imprisoned. Disease, starvation, and despair claimed many lives in these chambers. These rooms serve as a powerful reminder of the inhumanity of the slave trade.

Small size chamber

The Old Slave Market: A Hub for Human Suffering

In the 19th century, Zanzibar was a thriving center for the East African slave trade. The island’s strategic location made it a hub for merchants trading enslaved people from the mainland. Captured Africans were brought to Zanzibar, where they were held in brutal conditions before being sold. Men, women, and children were auctioned off to the highest bidder, destined for a life of forced labor across the Middle East and beyond.

Human Suffering

The Old slave market was a bustling, ruthless place. Slaves were often whipped at a post to demonstrate their strength and endurance to potential buyers. The stronger the enslaved person appeared, the higher the price they would fetch. Zanzibar’s role in this trade was significant, with thousands of Africans passing through this market each year, bound for a future of unimaginable hardship.

Wiping Tree where slaves were wiped during auction

The Anglican Cathedral: A Beacon of Hope and Abolition

In 1873, with the help of European intervention and abolitionists, the slave market was finally closed. To commemorate the end of this brutal trade, the Anglican Cathedral was built on the very site where the auctions had taken place. Today, this cathedral stands as a symbol of hope and serves to remind visitors of the triumph over the cruelty of slavery.

Anglican Church, Stone Town Zanzibar

Inside the church, the altar marks the exact spot where the infamous whipping post once stood. The post was used to test the strength of the enslaved, and now, this sacred space is a place for reflection on the resilience of those who suffered here and the eventual abolition of the slave trade.

Alter marks the spot of the wiping tree.

David Livingstone: The Role of a Missionary in Abolition

One of the key figures in the abolition of the East African slave trade was David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer. Livingstone was horrified by the brutal treatment of enslaved Africans and worked tirelessly to expose the realities of the trade to the wider world. His letters and journals describing the atrocities of the slave trade played a critical role in rallying international support for abolition.

David Livingstone

Livingstone’s efforts helped bring about the eventual closure of Zanzibar’s slave market and the end of the island’s involvement in the trade. His legacy is honored today through the Livingstone Memorial, which stands as a tribute to his work in the fight against slavery.

Wood from the tree David Livingstone’s heart was buried under

The East African Slave Trade: A Dark Legacy

The East African slave trade was part of a broader network that spanned from the African mainland to the Middle East, India, and beyond. Unlike the transatlantic slave trade, where slaves were taken to the Americas, the East African trade saw enslaved people shipped across the Indian Ocean, often to work in plantations, mines, or as domestic servants. Zanzibar’s location made it a major hub for this trade, which continued well into the 19th century despite efforts to abolish it.

Enslaved people endured long, grueling journeys from the interior of Africa to coastal regions like Zanzibar. Many perished along the way due to hunger, disease, and the harsh conditions imposed by their captors. For those who survived the journey, the slave market in Zanzibar was where their futures were decided. Life as a slave was harsh, with little hope of freedom, especially in regions where slavery persisted even after it was outlawed.

The Legacy of the Old Slave Market Today

Today, the Old Slave Market/Anglican Cathedral site in Stone Town serves as both a memorial and a place of education. Visitors from around the world come to learn about the history of slavery in East Africa and to pay their respects to the millions of Africans who suffered during this dark period. The underground chambers remain largely as they were, a haunting reminder of the human cost of greed and exploitation.

Beacon of Hope

The Anglican Cathedral, meanwhile, stands as a symbol of the victory of abolitionists like David Livingstone, who fought tirelessly to end the slave trade in East Africa. Walking through these historic spaces, one can’t help but feel the weight of history, and the importance of remembering the past so that such atrocities are never repeated.

Russell M. Henderson is a practicing RIBA Chartered Architect based in Tanzania, East Africa.

Russell (Architect Russell) also makes videos on YouTube , TikTok Instagram & Skillshare sharing thoughtful, honest and pragmatic knowledge while working and living abroad.