38

NOTES

THE HISTORY OF  PATE,  KENYA

In April,  1964,  I was  invited  by  the  East  African  Swahili  Committee  to  under-

take  the  translation  and edition  of  a newly  found manuscript  of  the  History of  Pate,
on  the  Kenya  coast.  The manuscript  is in  Swahili.  Of  this  history  three  other.
Swahili  versions  have  already  been  published,  by  A  Werner  and M.  Heepe,  an
English version by  C.  H.  Stigand,  whilst  there  are  three  unpublished versions  in
the  Lamu  Political  Records,  all  in  English  translation.

The new  document  appears  to  be  an earlier  version  than  any  hitherto  found and

probably  preserves  the  form of  the  original  document.  This was a  paragraph
setting  out  the genealogy  of  each  ruler,  followed  by  a second paragraph  summarizing
briefly  the events of  his  reign.  Other  versions  can be demonstrated  to be expansions
of  this  pattern,a I though  some of  them contain  the detailed  genealogies  for  some of
the  rulers. 

In  its  first  form  this  history  was probably  written  down  c.  1888.

The history  of  Pate,  however,  begins with  the  foundation  of  the  kingdom

c.  1204,  when a member of  the  Nabhan  royal  house of  Oman married  the  daughter
and heiress of  the  previous dynasty  of  Pate,  the  al-Batawoya.  Pate  is  today  a
small  fishing  village  but  extensive  ruins of  the  former  town  still  exist,  and  include
several  mosques,  a palace  and  large  surrounding  defensive  walls.  According  to
traditional  sources  the first  settlement  was made during  the  7th Century,  by  Syrian
Arab  traders  who settled down  and  intermarried  with  the  local  people.  Clearly
Pate  is one of  the  most  important  sites of  East Africa. 

,

In  September  I was able  to discuss this  site  with  Mr.  J.  S.  Kirkman,  F.S.A.,

Warden  of  the  Coastal  Historical  Sites of  Kenya  and of  the  Fort Jesus  National
Park,  Mombasa.  A  site  plan  of  Pate  has been  published  in  Mr.  Kirkman's  recent
Men and Monuments  of  the  East African  Coast.  Whilst  most  useful,  this  plan does
not  answer  ail  the  problems of  a topographical  nature  raised by  the various versions
of  the  History  of  Pate,  and  indeed  it  is clear  that  this  History  cannot  be  fully
understood  without  further  detailed  research on  tho  site.  So far, although  certain
buildings  have  been  cleared,  no  full  archaeological  investigation  of  the  site has
been  carried out.  This  is because  it  is extremely  hard of  access and because  a  proper
archaeological  expedition  there  would  be extremely  difficult  to  arrange.  Not  only
is  it  in  the  part  of  Kenya  in  which  security  is made difficult  by shifto  from  Somalia,
it  is almost  waterless,  and  indeed  the  inhabitants  are  dependent  upon  supplies
brought  from  the  mainland  unless they  use the  local  supply  which  has become
saline  and brackish.  This,  of  course,  is amongst  the  reasons for  the  present  decline

«*

NOTES

39

of  the  town.  There  would  also  be  a  labour  problem,  because  all  available
local  manpower  is engaged  in  growing  and  attending  to  tobacco.

Nevertheless  it  was  considered  that  serious  progress  in  assessing  the  value

of  the  History  of  Pate  was unlikely  to  be  achieved  without  a  parallel  excavation
of  at  least  parts of  the  site.  This  would  cost,  for  a  season of  three  to  four
months,  not  less (than  £6,000. 
It  has therefore  been  necessary  to  set  the
matter  on one  side  for  the  time  being,  although  it  was agreed  that  it  would
be  worthwhile  at  a  later  stage  to  consider  the  possibility  of  an  expedition
in  or  after  1967.

G.  S.  P.  Freeman-Grenvilie

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