 janiebaxter's Pemba Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | Ibo Island | January, 2007 |  8 | | Quilálea Island | January, 2007 | 8 |
|
| Page Views: 341 Last Visit to Pemba: January, 2007 | Ibo Island by janiebaxter - last update: Oct 14, 2007 |
Looking for Crocodiles | Towing villagers in a dugout canoe |
The mangrove swamps around Ibo Island have plenty of wildlife and fish jump out of the water around you as you are kayaking.
We went looking for crocodiles and weren't having any luck but met this group of villagers who were fishing in a dugout canoe. The canoe had seen better days, had sprung a leak and was sinking so we towed them back to their village. |
|  | Arriving at Ibo The flight to Ibo is only 25 minutes from Pemba and flies over the stunning Quirimbas Archipalego.
The only hotel on the island is Ibo Island Lodge and they collect you at the air strip in a motorised cart, which is great to get a view of the town as you drive through. |
Ibo Island Lodge Ibo Island Lodge is created from 3 old mansions overlooking the bay. The lodge has two swimming pools set in tropical gardens.
Ibo Island has been described as one of the most tranquil islands in the world and time spent on this little palm and coral fringed island is really unique. | | |
| Ibo Island Lodge Roof Terrace |
| | The Roof Terrace Overlooking the Bay My favourite part of the hotel was the roof terrace overlooking the bay. The meals were served here and it was lovely to have a sunset cocktail while watching the dhows sail by. Meals feature freshly grown vegetables, herbs and fruits and combine traditional specialities with seafood: giant tiger prawns, game fish and Ibo's speciality: crab with fragrant soft, fluffy coconut rice. |
Antiques and Sea Breezes The hotel only has 9 rooms, which are all beautifully furnished with king size 4 poster beds and have high ceilings, traditional shutters and look out over the bay. Much of the furniture is locally crafted and the owners have a programme of community development on the island | | | Bedroom at Ibo Island Lodge |
|
| | Arab and Portugese History on Ibo Ibo Island is one of the most ancient settlements in Mozambique, after Ilha do Moçambique (usually just known as 'Ilha' in Mozambique) The specific history of Ibo can be dated back to at least the 1600 - Chinese grave stones still bear their readable dates, though Arab influence dates earlier. The Fort of Forma de Cisterna was constructed by the Arabs even before the Portuguese occupation.
Ibo Island and all the Quirimbas islands that had water have always supported human habitation, and at the time of the first Portuguese contact these islands were called the Maluane Islands because the local population generally Muslim traders designed woven cloth - both in silk and cotton and dyed with local indigo. This cloth was called Maluane, and was much sought after on the mainland.
When the Portuguese first arrived in the Quirimbas, the main trading centre in the archipelago was on the large Quirimba Island (next island south of Ibo Island).
By 1590 seven of the nine biggest islands were ruled by a Portuguese lord, and two by the Muslims. Ibo Island traded in amber, jet, ivory, ambergris and turtle shell. The locals had to pay 5% of their produce to the islands lord - as well as a contribution to the church. On Ibo the Portuguese built large rainwater cisterns that enabled them to raise cattle, pigs and goats. Meat, millet, rice, beans and palm products were all exported and even Ilha de Mozambique seems to have been supplied from Ibo Island. By this time Ibo Island had become the most important centre of the islands and in the mid 17th century the Archipelago was ruled by two main 'Mazumgo' (white) families - the Morues and the Meneses.
At this time the slave trade also became significant, with the French needing labour for their plantations in Mauritius and Reunion. The Portuguese tried to control this trade, for monetary, not humanitarian, reasons but the Quirimbas Islands were ideal for clandestine pursuits and the trade brought more prosperity to Ibo even after the market switched to Brazil and indeed, even after it was illegal. |
The Forts and the Customs House After the government of Mocambique was separated from that of Goa in 1752 the governor-general began building a fort at Ibo, which was raised to the status of municipality. In 1770 the new district of Cabo Delgado was created (on Ibo Island) with its own governor. A church and warehouses were built and in 1786 the island acquired a customs house. In 1791 Antonio de Melo e Castro began work on a new fort. This fine star shaped building rose on the mudflats guarding the narrow shipping channel through the reefs into Ibo Islands harbour. The slave trade bought Ibo great prosperity. Streets of houses were laid out and fine public buildings were erected around the plaza. By the beginning of the nineteenth century Ibo had become a very established trading centre.
Ibo Island gained municipal status in 1763 and by the end of the 18th century, Ibo is regarded to have been the second most important Portuguese trading centre Ilha do Mozambique. Throughout the 18th and 19th century the population of Ibo Island and the adjacent regions were consistently under attack from Dutch and Madagascar forces. As a result of the attacks the Fort of São João Batista (St. John Baptist) was completed in 1791. The little chapel housed inside of the fort was built in 1795, followed by the Fort Santo Antonio (St. Anthony) and Fort of the Bairro de Rituto built in 1847. | | | Old books in the customs house |
|
| | An Island Forgotten It wasn't until 1897, when Ibo Island was integrated into the administration of the Niassa Company that the island and population enjoyed relative safety and peace.
In 1902 the capital District of Cabo Delgado was transferred from Ibo Island to Port Amelia, currently the city of Pemba, which remains the capital until today. This signalled the slow demise of the island, which eventually led to its total abandonment as a formal trading centre some years later.
The islanders have relied on fishing for their livelihood for the last 100 years, and the old buildings are in need of restoration. The owners of Ibo Island Lodge are investing in community projects which will help restore the buildings, builing a school and bringing small scale tourism to the island to boost the economy. Up until the lodge opened in 2006 the island had no cars, running water or electricity. |
> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]
| janiebaxter's Pemba Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | Ibo Island | January, 2007 | 8 | | Quilálea Island | January, 2007 | 8 |
|
 Comments for janiebaxter about Pemba | | | | |
junecorlett Tue Feb 24, 2009 16:25 UTC
Lovely tips, thanks, I wanted to see Namibia tips too. | MikeD99 Tue Oct 2, 2007 17:21 UTC
Hi You've been to some cool places! |
|
|
email me
add as friend
