I have always wanted to visit Zanzibar and learn more about the East African slave trade, from the site of possibly the last open slave market.

Bantu slaves, bought by Arab slave traders, were sold to customers in Egypt, Arabia, the Persian Gulf, India, European colonies (in the Far East), Indian Ocean islands, Ethiopia and Somalia.

The exhibit and former slave market site (now a church) is a short walk from my hotel and very near Luk Maan restaurant, where I ate yesterday.

Although a small exhibit area, there’s lots to read. I opted out of hiring a tour guide (come on folks, former African Studies librarian here). But from what I could overhear, the guides were a good source of information.

Now that the former slave market has a church on the site, it’s difficult to get the true scale of the market. Down in the chamber, there are only two areas remaining. The small size makes the space even more powerful.

The chamber is below the small gift shop, once you leave the exhibit area. I completely missed it. One of the cab drivers, sitting outside by a small cafe, (where you are screened, with a metal detector, before purchasing your ticket), asked if I had seen it. When I said no, he directed someone to show me.

There really are no words–GGT