Abstract

CARVALHO, Fernando da Piedade. The Zanzibar dhow: The persistence of an ancient boat of Arabic origin and its socio-economic role in the present. Cadernos de Estudos Africanos [online]. 2014, n.27, pp.149-170. ISSN 1645-3794.

We watched the dhow, this ancient boat still in use in Zanzibar. In the neighborhood of Nungwi and Stone Town shipyards on the beach are construction sites of the dhow, built entirely with manual old tools. A large fraction of the fishing activity in the archipelago is carried out with the dhow, also used in coastal shipping for freight and passenger transport. In the coastal communities of the archipelago connected with fishing, social organization and economic activities rely largely on the construction and use of these boats. Because of scarcity of exotic woods (mahogany, teak and mango) used in their construction, the traditional dhow seems doomed.

Keywords : Zanzibar; dhow; technical construction; boat; artisanal fishery; insular trade.

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