Pangani

Pangani is a small town on the Tanzanian coast between Dar es Salaam and Tanga, which is located on the estuary of the Panganiflusses. It has about 8000 inhabitants and is the seat of the administration of the district of the same name.

The small town has a long history as a once major coastal and port city in the Swahili culture. Some great Suahelihäuser, including the former German Boma (administrative building) are visible remains of a rich past.

History

The beginnings Panganis are in the dark. There is speculation that the place is the place of the ancient Rhapta that is mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. Archaeologists have identified the remains of settlements dating from the 15th century near the city.

Under the rule of Zanzibar Pangani experienced a boom in the 19th century, as the world market increasingly ivory was in demand and Zanzibar increasingly imported slaves for building his plantation economy. In the surroundings of sugar cane plantations were established that produced for export. Pangani was also the starting point for the caravan trade to the inland

The uprising of 1888

On August 16, 1888, the city was in the pass as part of the Zanzibar mainland area of the administration of the Sultan of the German East Africa Company ( DOAG ), which had leased the coastline of present-day Tanzania. The DOAG representative Emil von Zalewski caused by his provocative appearance - among other things he pressed with his dog the Liwali of Pangani in a mosque and disobeyed the flag of the Sultanate - a spontaneous revolt of the urban population, but the first quickly suppressed by German marines been. This was the trigger for the uprising of the East African coastal populations against the DOAG, which stretched from Pangani out over the entire coast. As a major leader of the plantation owners and merchants Buschiri bin Salim went out.

On July 9, 1889 Pangani was occupied by German colonial troops that invaded their territory as a colony of the German Empire after the collapse of the rule of DOAG.

Decline

Under colonial rule Pangani experienced a decline in its economic significance. The estuary was suitable because of the vorlegagerten Barre as a port for dhows, but not for modern steamers. The Germans and later, the British built the modern port of Tanga from just north of Pangani. Pangani remained under German domination seat of a district office, had a customs office, Second Class, Post and Telegraph Station and was the site of the police force.

Economy

The system of sisal plantations brought the place a certain revival. In the 1990s, the natural beaches of Pangani were rediscovered as tourism destinations. The number of visitors stay because of poor infrastructure but within limits. Until now (2006 ) there is no paved road in the entire district Pangani.