Persians of Zanzibar

Zanzibar or "Coast of Blacks" is a semi-autonomous island in Tanzania. <br />Some people from Shiraz immigrated to this island in 10 century AD. They traveled on sailboats. Ali Ibn Hasan was the first Iranian ruler who established a government in Tanzania. <br />Zanzibar is considered as one of the oldest regions of East Africa and is home to people of different colors and religions. <br />More than 90 percent of some 1 million population of Zanzibar are Muslim. Ali Ibn Hasan went to Zanzibar to begin trading with Eastern Africa. Shirazi people are involved in different religious activities in Zanzibar, including mourning ceremony of Imam Hussein (AS), third Shia imam. They built mosques and invited people of the island to Shi'ism. <br />The history of an ancient Persian bath dates back to 12 A.H. It was built by an Iranian architect upon the order of an Omani king who married a Persian Princess. <br />Zanzibar painters have invented their own unique style of painting. <br />The ancient Iranian tradition of Nowruz was brought to Eastern Coasts of Africa by the Shirazi people as a souvenir. Many people from Zanzibar as well as reporters from all over the world come to the celebration venue to see Nowruz ceremony. <br /> <br />PRESS TV Documentaries