Part I: Bagamoyo

Bagamoyo is a small, unassuming town a little ways up the coast from bustling metropolis of Dar Es Salaam.  Judging by the multitude of dhows tethered to shore, fishing and boatbuilding are prominent industries.  With the exception of some beachfront resort hotels (including the Stella Maris, recently constructed by the Holy Ghost (Spiritan) Fathers) the town is generally undeveloped.  Do not, however, be fooled by its humble façade.  Bagamoyo has an incredibly rich and important history.  It was here in 1868 that the first European missionaries landed to begin the evangelization of East Africa.  The French Spiritans came first, paving the way for German and British missionaries who followed quickly behind.  They came with the express intention to do everything in their power to end the slave trade and assist freed slaves.

Historically, the port of Bagamoyo was one of the gathering places for the Africans abducted from their villages throughout Tanzania, Uganda, the Congo, and elsewhere, before they were transported to Zanzibar, home of the largest slave market in the world.  They were mercilessly ripped from their homes and driven like livestock across the harsh African terrain.  Many died on the journey.  Once they arrived in Bagamoyo, they were crammed into dhows (sailboats) and ferried to Zanzibar; still more died before they made it to the market.  The iron pillars where the slaves stood shackled still stand next to the market in view of the Indian Ocean, an ever-present reminder of the horrific trade.

When the missionaries arrived in 1868, abolitionist action had already gained world-wide momentum.  They immediately set to work freeing as many slaves as they could, creating a community called “Freedom Town”.  Many of the freed slaves they helped were ransomed or purchased by the missionaries themselves.  When the slave trade was officially abolished in 1873, the missionaries continued to minister to the freed slaves, educating them and helping them find employment.  Few of them returned to their former homes. 

The original church built by the Spiritans still stands.  The house of the fathers has been converted into a museum showcasing their work to end slavery.  As I walked around the grounds on a bright sunny day in 2012, it was difficult to imagine the place being filled with so much pain and suffering.  The small cemetery behind the museum is filled with graves of Holy Ghost Fathers who passed away during their missionary work, many of them no older than 25 years old.  I was moved by their sacrifice.  They must have known the dangers of traveling to and living in Africa at that time.  The diseases from which I have been protected by simple immunization shots (Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Malaria) almost guaranteed agony for the Europeans. But they came because they knew that someone had to do something to help these oppressed people.  I can’t help but wonder would I have suffered so willingly if I thought I could help end slavery?  Would any of us?