The islands of Wasini Stands like an open book on the waters. From the islands one can see the faint outline of the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania. History has it, that five centuries ago the Shirazi sailed across the Red Sea in Seven dhows led by Hassan Bin Ali from Persia today known as Iran. Some sailed further north to Lamu while others sailed to Zanzibar and one dhow sailed to Mombasa.
Mkwiro means “the stick that beat the drum” and there’s a legend to it. On the dhow that docked at Mombasa was a king’s daughter who settled in the Diani., Msambweni area on the south coast. All this is documented in a mosque near the village of Tumbe. Later the Shirazi moved along the Coast and reached Wasini Island. However the Vumbe were jealous of their new neighbors, who were master drum beaters and possessed magical drum beats.
The Vumbe decided to attack the Shirazi and steal their drums. The best attack plan was to marry a Shirazi girl and used her to “cry wolf”. Mwauzi Tumbe agreed to this plan and on the first day she screamed war! War! And the Shirazi came out but nothing. Second time she tried it the Shirazi came out but nothing. On the third time however the Vumbe did indeed attack the Shirazi carrying away the drums. The story goes on to say that Mwauzi Tumbe was ostracized by both tribes and died making the gods unhappy.
The tiny island of Kisite where no one lives but happens to be the largest breeding colony of Terns the two Mpunguti Islands are also uninhabited. Not far from Wasini is the Islands of Funzi island with turtle nestling beaches.
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