Lamu
| Lamu | |
|---|---|
 Kenja | |
 | |
| Amministrazzjoni | |
| County of Kenya | Kontea ta' Lamu |
| Isem uffiċjali | Lamu |
| Ismijiet oriġinali | Lamu |
| Kodiċi postali |
80500 |
| Ġeografija | |
| Koordinati | 2°16′07″S 40°54′01″E / 2.2686°S 40.9003°EKoordinati: 2°16′07″S 40°54′01″E / 2.2686°S 40.9003°E |
  Lamu Lamu (Kenya) | |
| Superfiċjenti | 0.37 kilometru kwadru, 15.6 hectare, 1,200 hectare |
| Għoli | 15 m |
| Demografija | |
| Popolazzjoni | 18,382 abitanti |
| Informazzjoni oħra | |
| bliet ġemellati | Zonguldak |
Lamu hija belt żgħira fil-Gżira ta' Lamu, li min-naħa tagħha hija parti mill-Arċipelagu ta' Lamu fil-Kenja. Tinsab 341 kilometru (212-il mil) bit-triq fil-Grigal ta' Mombasa li tintemm fil-Moll ta' Mokowe, u minn hemm wieħed irid jaqsam il-fliegu tal-baħar biex jasal fuq il-Gżira ta' Lamu. Hija s-sede tal-Kontea ta' Lamu u Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO.[1]
Fil-belt hemm il-Forti ta' Lamu f'xatt il-baħar, li nbena taħt Fumo Madi ibn Abi Bakr, is-sultan ta' Pate, u li tlesta wara mewtu fil-bidu tas-snin 20 tas-seklu 19. F'Lamu hemm 23 moskea, inkluż il-Moskea ta' Riyadha, li nbniet fl-1900. Barra minn hekk, fil-belt hemm ukoll santwarju tal-ħmir.[2]
Storja
Storja bikrija
L-isem oriġinali tar-raħal huwa Amu,[3] li l-Għarab kien isejħu Al-Amu (bl-Għarbi: آامو) u l-Portugiżi "Lamon". Il-Portugiżi applikaw l-isem għall-gżira kollha peress li l-insedjament ewlieni kien jismu Amu.
Il-Belt ta' Lamu fil-Gżira ta' Lamu hija l-eqdem belt abitata kontinwament fil-Kenja, u kienet wieħed mill-insedjamenti Swahili oriġinali tul il-kosta tal-Lvant tal-Afrika. Huwa maħsub li ġiet stabbilita fl-1370.[4]
Illum il-ġurnata, il-maġġoranza tal-popolazzjoni ta' Lamu hija Musulmana.[5]
Isem il-belt issemma għall-ewwel darba bil-miktub mill-vjaġġatur Għarbi Abu-al-Mahasini, li ltaqa' ma' mħallef minn Lamu li kien qed iżur il-Mekka fl-1441.
Fl-1506, il-flotta Portugiża taħt Tristão da Cunha bagħtet bastiment biex timblokka l-belt ta' Lamu, u ftit jiem wara l-bqija tal-flotta waslet u ġiegħlet lir-re tal-belt jikkonċedi telfa malajr u jħallashom miżata ta' 600 Metical minnufih.[6] L-azzjoni tal-Portugiżi ġiet imqanqla mill-missjoni ta' suċċess tan-nazzjon biex ikollhom il-kontroll tal-kummerċ tul il-kosta tal-Oċean Indjan. Għal żmien konsiderevoli, il-Portugall kellu monopolju fuq it-trasport marittimu tul il-kosta tal-Lvant tal-Afrika u kien jimponi t-taxxi fuq l-esportazzjoni b'rabta mal-kanali lokali ta' kummerċ li diġà kienu jeżistu qabel. Fis-snin 80 tas-seklu 16, wara għadd ta' attakki mit-Torok, Lamu għamlet ribelljoni kontra l-Portugiżi. Fl-1652, l-Oman għen lil Lamu biex tirreżisti l-kontroll Portugiż.
Epoka tad-Deheb
L-epoka tad-deheb ta' Lamu kienet matul l-aħħar tas-seklu 17 u l-bidu tas-seklu 19 bħala protettorat tal-Oman. Lamu kienet immexxija bħala repubblika taħt kunsill ta' mlaħħqin anzjani, magħrufa bħala l-Yumbe, li mexxew minn palazz fil-belt; ma tantx fadal wisq mill-palazz illum il-ġurnata għajr roqgħa art irvinata. Matul dan il-perjodu, Lamu saret ċentru tal-poeżija, tal-politika, tal-arti u tal-artiġjanat, kif ukoll tal-kummerċ. Bosta mill-binjiet tal-belt inbnew matul dan il-perjodu bi stil klassiku distint. Apparti l-kummerċ tal-arti u tal-artiġjanat li kien qed jiffjorixxi, Lamu saret ċentru letterarju u skolastiku. Kittieba nisa bħall-poeta Mwana Kupona – famuża għall-Parir dwar id-Dmirijiet tan-Nisa – kellhom status ogħla f'Lamu milli fil-bqija tal-Kenja ta' dak iż-żmien.[7]
Fl-1812, koalizzjoni tal-armata ta' Pate-Mazrui invadiet l-arċipelagu matul il-Battalja ta' Shela. Il-koalizzjoni żbarkat f'Shela bl-intenzjoni li taħtaf lil Lamu u tlest l-forti li kien beda jinbena, iżda ġew mgħakksa bi vjolenza min-nies lokali fid-dgħajjes tagħhom fil-bajja malli ppruvaw jaħarbu. Minħabba l-biża' ta' attaki futuri, Lamu appellat lill-Oman għal gwarniġjon ta' Busaidi biex jopera fil-forti l-ġdid u jgħin fil-protezzjoni taż-żona mir-ribelli Mazrui tul il-kosta tal-Kenja.[7]
Perjodu kolonjali
F'nofs is-seklu 19, Lamu sfat taħt l-influwenza politika tas-sultan ta' Zanzibar. Il-Ġermaniżi ħatfu lil Wituland f'Ġunju 1885.[8] Il-Ġermaniżi kienu tal-fehma li Lamu kellha importanza strateġika u kienet post ideali għal bażi.[9] Mit-22 ta' Novembru 1888 sat-3 ta' Marzu 1891, kien hemm uffiċċju postali Ġermaniż f'Lamu biex tiġi ffaċilitata l-komunikazzjoni fi ħdan il-protettorat Ġermaniż fis-sultanat. Kien l-ewwel uffiċċju postali li ġie stabbilit fil-kosta tal-Lvant tal-Afrika; illum il-ġurnata hemm mużew f'Lamu iddedikat għalih: il-Mużew tal-Uffiċċju Postali Ġermaniż.[10] Fl-1890, Lamu sfat taħt it-tmexxija kolonjali Brittanika kif stipulat fit-termini tat-Trattat bejn Heligoland u Zanzibar. Il-Kenja kisbet l-indipendenza politika fl-1963, għalkemm l-influwenza tal-gvern ċentrali tal-Kenja baqgħet baxxa, u Lamu għadha tgawdi ftit awtonomija lokali.
Lamu moderna
F'rapport tal-2010 bit-titlu Insalvaw il-Wirt Tagħna li Qed Jisparixxi, il-Fond għall-Wirt Globali identifika lil Lamu bħala wieħed minn 12-il sit dinji "f'xifer l-irdum" li jġarrab telf u ħsara irriparabbli, u kkwota l-ġestjoni u l-pressjoni tal-iżvilupp bħala kawżi primarji.[11]
Filwaqt li l-grupp terroristiku Al Shabaab bil-ħtif li kien iwettaq wassal biex Lamu ma tkunx aċċessibbli għall-ħabta ta' Settembru 2011, sal-bidu tal-2012 il-gżira bdiet titqies bħala sikura. Fl-4 ta' April 2012, id-Dipartiment tal-Istat tal-Istati Uniti neħħa r-restrizzjoni fuq l-ivvjaġġar lejn Lamu.[12] Madankollu, żewġ attakki qrib Lamu f'Lulju 2014, rivendikati minn Al Shabaab, wasslu għall-mewt ta' 29 ruħ.
Sit ta' Wirt Dinji
Iċ-Ċentru Storiku ta' Lamu ġie ddeżinjat bħala Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO fl-2001.[1]
Il-valur universali straordinarju tas-sit ġie rrikonoxxut abbażi ta' tliet kriterji tal-għażla tal-UNESCO: il-kriterju (ii) "Wirja ta' skambju importanti ta' valuri umani, tul perjodu ta' żmien jew fi ħdan żona kulturali fid-dinja, dwar l-iżviluppi fl-arkitettura jew it-teknoloġija, l-arti monumentali, l-ippjanar tal-bliet jew id-disinn tal-pajsaġġ" minħabba li l-arkitettura u l-istruttura urbana ta' Lamu grafikament joħorġu fid-dieher l-influwenzi kulturali ta' diversi mijiet ta' snin mill-Ewropa, mill-Arabja u mill-Indja, bl-użu ta' tekniki Swahili tradizzjonali li ħolqu kultura distinta; il-kriterju (iv) "Eżempju straordinarju ta' tip ta' bini, ta' grupp ta' siti jew ta' pajsaġġ arkitettoniku jew teknoloġiku li joħroġ fid-dieher stadju/i sinifikanti fl-istorja tal-bniedem" minħabba li t-tkabbir u d-deklin tal-portijiet marittimi tul il-kosta tal-Lvant tal-Afrika u l-interazzjoni bejn il-poplu Bantu, l-Għarab, il-Persjani, l-Indjani u l-Ewropej, jirrappreżentaw fażi kulturali u ekonomika sinifikanti fl-istorja tar-reġjun; u l-kriterju (vi) "Assoċjazzjoni diretta jew tanġibbli ma' avvenimenti jew ma' tradizzjonijiet ħajjin, ma' ideat jew ma' twemmin, jew ma' xogħlijiet artistiċi jew letterarji ta' valur universali straordinarju" minħabba r-rwol kummerċjali ewlieni li kellha l-belt u l-attraenza tagħha għall-istudjużi u għall-għalliema, li taw funzjoni reliġjuża importanti lill-belt u lir-reġjun, li għadha l-istess sal-lum il-ġurnata.[1]
Klima
Lamu għandha klima niexfa tas-savanna tropikali (As skont il-klassifikazzjoni klimatika ta' Köppen).
| Data klimatika għal Lamu | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xahar | Jan | Fra | Mar | Apr | Mej | Ġun | Lul | Aww | Set | Ott | Nov | Diċ | Sena |
| Temp. għolja medja f'°C (°F) | 30.9
(87.6) |
31.3
(88.3) |
32.1
(89.8) |
31.1
(88.0) |
29.0
(84.2) |
28.0
(82.4) |
27.4
(81.3) |
27.5
(81.5) |
28.3
(82.9) |
29.5
(85.1) |
30.8
(87.4) |
31.2
(88.2) |
29.8
(85.6) |
| Temp. baxxa medja f'°C (°F) | 24.5
(76.1) |
24.7
(76.5) |
25.5
(77.9) |
25.6
(78.1) |
24.5
(76.1) |
23.7
(74.7) |
23.2
(73.8) |
23.1
(73.6) |
23.5
(74.3) |
24.3
(75.7) |
24.6
(76.3) |
24.6
(76.3) |
24.3
(75.7) |
| Preċipitazzjoni medja f'mm (pulzieri) | 6
(0.2) |
4
(0.2) |
25
(1.0) |
130
(5.1) |
329
(13.0) |
164
(6.5) |
75
(3.0) |
40
(1.6) |
39
(1.5) |
40
(1.6) |
39
(1.5) |
28
(1.1) |
919
(36.3) |
| Medja ta' jiem bix-xita | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 85 |
| Sors: l-Organizzazzjoni Meteoroloġika Dinjija.[13] | |||||||||||||
Ekonomija
L-ekonomija ta' Lamu kienet ibbażat fuq il-kummerċ tal-iskjavi sal-abolizzjoni tal-iskjavitù fl-1907. Esportazzjonijiet tradizzjonali oħra kienu jinkludu l-avorju, il-mangrovji, il-qxur tal-fkieren tal-baħar u l-qarn tar-rinoċeronti, li kienu jiġu ttrasportati mill-Oċean Indjan għal-Lvant Nofsani u għall-Indja. Minbarra l-abolizzjoni tal-iskjavitù, il-kostruzzjoni tal-Linja Ferrovjarja tal-Uganda fl-1901 (li bdiet mill-port kompetitur ta' Mombasa) xekkel b'mod sinifikanti l-ekonomija ta' Lamu.
Tourism has gradually refuelled the local economy in recent times, and it is a popular destination for backpackers. Many of the locals are involved in giving trips on dhows to tourists. Harambee Avenue is noted for its cuisine, and has a range of stores including the halwa shop selling sweet treats and miniature mutton kebabs and cakes are sold at night. Coconut, mango and grapefruit and seafood such as crab and lobster are common ingredients. The town contains a central market, the Gallery Baraka and Shumi's Designs shop, and the Mwalimu Books store.
The oldest hotel in the town, Petley's Inn, is situated on the waterfront. Other hotels include recently renovated Amu House, the 20-room Bahari Hotel, Doda Villas, the Swedish-owned Jannat House, the 3-storey 23-room Lamu Palace Hotel, the 13-room Stone House Hotel, which was converted from an 18th-century house, and the 18-room Sunsail Hotel, a former trader's house on the waterfront with high ceilings.
Mangroves are harvested for building poles, and Lamu has a sizeable artisan community, including carpenters who are involving in boat building and making ornate doors and furniture.
The town is served by Lamu District Hospital to the south of the main centre, operated by the Ministry of Health. It was established in the 1980s, and is one of the best-equipped hospitals on the Kenyan coast.
China has begun feasibility studies to transform Lamu into the largest port in East Africa, as part of their String of Pearls strategy.
Attrazzjonijiet ewlenin
The town was founded in the 14th century and it contains many fine examples of Swahili architecture. The old city is inscribed on the World Heritage List as "the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa".
Once a centre for the slave trade, the population of Lamu is ethnically diverse. Lamu was on the main Arabian trading routes, and as a result, the population is largely Muslim. To respect the Muslim inhabitants, tourists in town are expected to wear more than shorts or bikinis.[14]
There are several museums, including the Lamu Museum, home to the island's ceremonial horn (called siwa); other museums are dedicated to Swahili culture and to the local postal service. Notable buildings in Lamu town include:
Forti ta' Lamu
Lamu Fort is a fort in the town. Fumo Madi ibn Abi Bakr, the sultan of Pate, started to build the fort on the seafront, to protect members of his unpopular government. He died in 1809, before the first storey of the fort was completed. The fort was completed by the early 1820s.
Moskea ta' Riyadha
Habib Salih, a Sharif from Comoros Island with family connections to the Hadramaut, Yemen, settled on Lamu in the 1880s, and became a highly respected religious teacher. Habib Salih had great success gathering students around him, and in 1900 the Riyadha Mosque was built. He introduced Habshi Maulidi, where his students sang verse passages accompanied by tambourines. After his death in 1935 his sons continued the madrassa, which became one of the most prestigious centres for Islamic studies in East Africa. The Mosque is the centre for the Maulidi Festival, which are held every year during the last week of the month of the Prophet's birth. During this festival, pilgrims from Sudan, Congo, Uganda, Zanzibar and Tanzania join the locals to sing the praise of Mohammad. Mnarani Mosque is also of note.
Santwarju tal-ħmir
Since the island has no motorised vehicles, transportation and other heavy work is done with the help of donkeys. There are some 3000 donkeys on the island. Dr. Elisabeth Svendsen of The Donkey Sanctuary in England first visited Lamu in 1985. Worried by the conditions for the donkeys, the Sanctuary was opened in 1987. The Sanctuary provides treatment to all donkeys free of charge.[15]
Kultura
Lamu is home to the Maulidi Festival, held in January or February, which celebrates Mohammed's birth. It features a range of activities from "donkey races to dhow-sailing events and swimming competitions".[16] The Lamu Cultural Festival, a colourful carnival, is usually held in the last week of August, which since 2000 has featured traditional dancing, crafts including kofia embroidery, and dhow races.[17] The Donkey Awards, with prizes given to the finest donkeys, are given in March/April.[18] Women's music in the town is also of note and they perform the chakacha, a wedding dance. Men perform the hanzua (a sword dance) and wear kanzus.[19]
Trasport
In 2011, proposals were being advanced to build a deep-water port which would have much greater capacity in terms of depth of water, number of berths, and ability for vessels to arrive and depart at the same time than the country's main port at Mombasa.
Manda Airport is located on Manda Island in the Lamu Archipelago of Lamu County on the western shore of the Indian Ocean, on the Kenya coast serves the Lamu and the county.
Its location is approximately 450 kilometres (280 mi) by air, southeast of Nairobi International Airport, the country's largest civilian airport. Several airlines serves the area including, Air Kenya, Safari Link and Fly 540 — there are daily flights to Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi.
Residenti notevoli
- Ustadh Mau (twieled fl-1952), studjuż, poeta u imam Musulman.
Kultura popolari
Il-kanzunetta "Lamu"[20] tal-kantant Kristjan Michael W. Smith ġiet ispirata mill-Gżira ta' Lamu. Fil-kanzunetta, Smith jirreferi għal Lamu bħala "moħba fi gżira... post li dalwaqt kien se jwassal twelid mill-ġdid mit-telqa... meta d-dinja tkun kwieta". Il-kanzunetta tirreferi għal meta wieħed jaħrab mill-problemi tal-ħajja.
Il-ġrajja qasira ta' Anthony Doerr "Il-Kollezzjonista tal-Qxur tal-Baħar" mill-kollezzjoni ta' stejjer tiegħu bl-istess isem hija ambjentata f'Lamu.
Parti mill-avvenimenti fir-rumanz Our Wild Sex in Malindi (il-Kapitli 14 u 15) ta' Andrei Gusev huma ambjentati f'Lamu u fil-gżira ta' Manda fil-qrib.[21][22]
Lamu tissemma wkoll fir-rumanz Monsoon ta' Wilbur Smith.
F'Lamu jiġi introdott il-protagonist tat-tliet kapitli tar-rumanz Raden Blu ta' Carrie Classon.
Referenzi
- ^ a b ċ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Lamu Old Town". UNESCO World Heritage Centre (bl-Ingliż). Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ https://www.the-star.co.ke/authors/praxidescheti. "Lamu youth dodging mosque time; where exactly are they?". The Star (bl-Ingliż). Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ Romero, Patricia (1997). Lamu. History, Society, and Family in an East African Port City. Marcus Wiener Publishers, p. 10.
- ^ This is Kenya. Struik. 2005. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-84537-151-7.
- ^ Oded, Arye (2000). Islam and Politics in Kenya. Lynne Rienner Publishers, p. 11.
- ^ Strandes, Justus (1971). "The Portuguese in East Africa". East African Literature Bureau. p. 66.
- ^ a b Trillo, Richard (2002). Kenya. Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-85828-859-8. p. 555.
- ^ McIntyre, Chris; McIntyre, Susan (1 April 2013). Zanzibar. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-84162-458-7. p. 22.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Mary (2009). East Africa. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74104-769-1. p. 330.
- ^ "National Museums of Kenya - Lamu-German Post Office Historical Background". web.archive.org. 2016-06-24. Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ "Global Heritage Fund | GHF". web.archive.org. 2012-08-20. Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ "Security message and Travel Warning (April 4, 2012) | Embassy of the United States". web.archive.org. 2013-12-13. Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ WMO. "World Weather Information Service". World Weather Information Service (bl-Ingliż). Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Mary (2009). East Africa. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74104-769-1. p. 343.
- ^ Trillo, Richard (2002). Kenya. Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-85828-859-8. p. 566.
- ^ Bain, Keith; Bruyn, Pippa de; Williams, Lizzie (2010). Frommer's Kenya and Tanzania. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-64546-8. p. 284.
- ^ Ham, Anthony; Butler, Stuart; Starnes, Dean (2012). Lonely Planet Kenya. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74321-306-3. p. 215.
- ^ Parkinson, Tom; Phillips, Matt; Gourlay, Will (2006). Kenya. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74059-743-2. p. 219.
- ^ Senoga-Zake, George W. (1986). Folk Music of Kenya. Uzima Publishing House. ISBN 978-9966-855-02-2. p. 68.
- ^ "Michael W. Smith" (bl-Ingliż). Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ "About "OUR WILD SEX IN MALINDI"". mliterature.narod.ru. Miġbur 2024-03-01.
- ^ "Наш жёсткий секс в Малинди (Гусев Андрей) / Проза.ру". proza.ru. Miġbur 2024-03-01.