Lamu Dhow Revival Project

Ever since what is now known as India broke away from Africa and barged into Asia, creating the Himalayas, the seasonal winds of the Indian Ocean have blown back and forth - like a giant breathing organism - between the two continents. Local sailors know these monsoon winds by their two Swahili names - the Kazkazi and the Kuzi. These trade winds, these “highways" for sailors between Africa and Asia, were unknown to Europe for nearly five thousand years. At the heart of the development of the Swahili culture, which was borne from and enriched by the cultural exchange made possible by these winds, was the dhow, the traditional coastal sailing vessel of East Africa. A single large dhow could take on enough elephant tusks to furnish every room in a Maharajah`s palace with ivory chairs, and enough rhino horns to keep a dozen sultans in aphrodisiacs for a year. Slaves and concubines were shipped from the East African coast to Asia and the Middle East. In return the dhows brought in carpets and silk cloth from Persia, bracelets, necklaces and gold ornamentation from India, and fine porcelain from China.

In part to preserve and cultivate this ancient heritage of dhow construction and seamanship, and in part to have Lamu youth develop traditional skills that support viable businesses, by connecting the dhow with sustainable tourism practices, Basecamp Explorer Kenya initiated the Lamu Dhow Revival Project.

The Project centres around the Dhow Building School on Lamu, where local youth are taught traditional dhow craftsmanship and are educated in the cultural heritage of this practice. It also encourages and takes advantage of cultural exchanges and the sharing of knowledge and expertise, for example by inviting Scandinavian master boat builders to visit the school and share techniques and traditions.

The Dhow Building School provides training and local jobs in the Lamu archipelago, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site. It strengthens the capacity of the local communities to preserve a rich cultural heritage, while at the same time making a living. Through this project, the communities are experiencing first hand the benefits of sustainable tourism, and of the preservation of traditional skills and traditions. The partners Basecamp has brought together all have long-term perspectives. Our common goal is to have the school build a fleet of large dhows, manned with local crews, and to make dhow sailing programs a unique and sustainable tourism product for the international market.

The first dhow to be constructed through the Lamu Dhow Revival Project will be the 54 ft long Swalihina (due completed in November 2007). The second dhow, Alintiswhar (42ft), is as of July 2007 well on its way, with hull completed and the students working on the interior. Bjørn Frode Henriksen, a master carpenter and boat builder from Norway, recently spent 3 months on site at the school, building a bridge of knowledge between traditional Swahili boat building and traditional wooden boat building traditions of Scandinavia. Introducing the finer elements of added comfort and safety measures on sailing boats - a real necessity with boats to be used in Northern waters - and training the local craftsmen in specialist carpentry techniques, with roots way back to the Viking days, Bjørn Frode led a very successful cultural- and expertise-exchange program during his visit.

Swalihina’s and Aliniswhar’s planned starting dates for business operation (paying guests) are set for November 20th, 2007 and 1st quarter 2008, respectively.

Sails, navigational instruments, and other sailing equipment and materials are being acquired through generous support and donations from private companies, such as Elvstrom and Simrad.


Partners:
Basecamp Explorer Kenya
Stromme Foundtaion
The National Museums of Kenya
Project manager - Swaleh Gazzah, NMK

Funding:
Basecamp Explorer Foundation,
Stromme Foundation, Norway
Elvstrom
Simrad
Private donors