A HOKN WITH A HISTORY 



It fell to the Wajiri family to be its custodians, and 

 they keep it to this day. 



History of the Ivory Horn of Patte 



The ivory horn (Siwa) was made at Patte by 

 Sherif Jamall Lail, it is said, about 700 years ago. 

 He made it in secret. He presented it to the then 

 Sultan of Patte, who gave him a handsome present. 

 It was blown on all state occasions, as well as lent 

 to the Principal men of Patte on the occasion of 

 marriage or other festivities in their families. At 

 that time Lamu was a part of the dominions of the 

 Patte Sultans. The great families of Lamu also 

 were lent it for the above purposes. 



At a recent date, namely, the occasion of the 

 marriage of the Ex-Wali of Lamu Abdulla bin 

 Hamed to his present wife Fatuma binti Mohamed, 

 it was borrowed by the bride's father to be used at 

 the marriage ceremony. At this time there was 

 living in Lamu Fumo Bakari, one of the Ex-Sultans 

 of the Nahaban line. After the marriage ceremony 

 Fumo Bakari seized it ; he said it must not be 

 returned to Patte. He sold it to a woman, Binti 

 Waziri, who was the living representative of the 

 family which was the hereditary keeper of the Lamu 

 brass trumpet, which was at that time in her house. 

 Binti Waziri gave Fumo Bakari thirty dollars for 

 it. Kombo bin Sham, one of the Patte Wazee and 

 a resident of Lamu, stated before the then Wali of 

 Lamu, Sudi bin Hamed, that the Horn was not the 

 property of the Royal Family, but belonged to the 

 Wazee of Patte. The Wali replied, " Pay dollars 

 thirty for it and I will get it from Binti Waziri." 



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