Identity of ‘Aboriginal’ People in Zanzibar An Overview

Abstract

Present identities of what are historically regarded as the aboriginal people of Zanzibar are generally viewed as unchanged from the past. In the light of history recent archaeological discoveries and the concept of identity, this paper suggests that identities are changeable, bearing some immediate relevance and even political implication for limited period. It concludes that the earliest inhabitants of the islands might never have associated themselves with the present identities.