“…Arabic epitaphs on tombstones at the site tell the story of the al-Hatimi al-Barawi lineage, thought to contain successive Diwanis (delegated rulers). According to oral traditions, the family came from Oman by way of Barawa, a settlement south of Mogadishu in present-day Somalia, and apparently ruled the Tanzanian coast between Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo including early coastal ports such as Msasani, Mjimwema, and Mboamaji, where they also got the name Shomvi (Anthony 1983;Brennan and Burton 2007;Brown 1971;Chittick 1970;Owens 2004Owens , 2006Sassoon 1966). However, the precise date of the arrival of the Shomvi people on the central Tanzanian coast is not known (Chami et al 2004), and issues about their identity remain unresolved (Anthony 1983;Baker 1947;Brown 1971;Owens 2004Owens , 2006Sassoon 1966).…”