Akibani | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Akibani Location in Comoros | |
| Coordinates: 12°11′35″S44°21′43″E / 12.19306°S 44.36194°E | |
| Country |  Comoros |
| Island | Anjouan |
| Population (2009 (est.)) | |
• Total | 2,110 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Akibani is a village on the island of Anjouan in the Comoros. According to the 1991 census the town had a population of 1,199. The current estimate for 2009 is 2,110 people [1]
The origins of Akibani date back to a time long before the colonial era. According to oral traditions, its history began with the foundation of the village by two distinct groups.
The first group, whose origins remain mysterious, initially lived in an area not far from the current location of Akibani. This site, situated on a plateau south of the village, is known as Bandrajou-dzitsoni. Ancient dwelling ruins, still visible today, attest to their presence. Nearby is a place called Mavani, a Comorian term referring to cemeteries. This somber site, believed to be an ancient burial ground, likely served as a resting place for these early inhabitants.
This first group, well-organized and settled, contributed to the founding of Akibani. However, the reasons for their migration from Bandrajou-dzitsoni to present-day Akibani remain unknown. Was it a natural disaster, an external threat, or divine intervention? The true cause remains uncertain.
The second group is more identifiable, as their story is tied to the movements of populations from the villages of Bandrani ya Chitrouni, Saandani, Bandrani Mtsangani, Bandrani ya Maouéni, Bandrani ya Chironkamba, and Akibani. These six villages share a common history.
According to stories, this group descended from individuals once imprisoned in Mutsamudu, the capital of Anjouan. After escaping, they sought refuge in the mountains to evade pursuing soldiers. Their journey first led them to the present-day villages of Chitrouni and Saandani, strategically located on hills for better concealment. Yet, their persistent fears drove them to continue searching for a safer place.
Heading east, they reached an area near the sea, today known as Bandrani Mtsangani. However, wary of the proximity to water and its potential dangers, some decided to move further inland. At this point, the group split in two: one part headed towards Maouéni, while the other followed the Akibani River upstream.
This latter group eventually divided again. Some settled in Mro-wa-nsini and others in Mro-wa-uju, two peaceful sites close to water sources. Over the years, these sub-groups migrated again. Those from Mro-wa-nsini founded the present-day village of Chironkamba, while those from Mro-wa-uju moved to the plains, establishing what is now Akibani.
The latter group is often associated with the Mirereni family, considered the first inhabitants of Akibani. However, this claim remains uncertain, as the traces of Bandrajou-dzitsoni inhabitants suggest an earlier presence in the region.
Historically, Akibani was originally called Nsengueni. According to Anjouanese oral tradition, the name change is linked to a fascinating legend.
The story recounts that a group of people was desperately searching for a rare variety of paddy. After scouring the island without success, they arrived at Nsengueni and miraculously found what they were looking for. Soon after, another quest began, this time for a seven-year-old rooster. The seekers, equally unsuccessful elsewhere, were directed to Nsengueni. Once there, they discovered the much-coveted rooster.
These extraordinary discoveries led the men to exclaim, "Ankibani!" (meaning "a place of reserve" in Comorian). This site, now known for its hidden treasures, was renamed Ankibani, which eventually evolved into Akibani.
Thus, Akibani was born from the union of these two groups and rooted in tales of quest, escape, and survival. It embodies the story of a place shaped by generations in search of safety and abundance.
The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Moroni. The religion of the majority of the population, and the official state religion, is Sunni Islam. Comoros proclaimed its independence from France on 6 July 1975. The Comoros is the only country of the Arab League which is entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a member state of the African Union, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, and the Indian Ocean Commission. The country has three official languages: Shikomori, French and Arabic.
The history of the Comoros extends back to about 800–1000 AD when the archipelago was first inhabited. The Comoros have been inhabited by various groups and sultanates throughout this time. France colonised the islands in the 19th century, and they became independent in 1975.
The Comorians inhabiting Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli share African-Arab origins. Islam is the dominant religion, and Quranic schools for children reinforce its influence. Although Islamic culture is firmly established throughout, a small minority are Christian.
Mayotte, officially the Department of Mayotte, is an overseas department and region and single territorial collectivity of France. It is one of the overseas departments of France as well as one of the 18 regions of France, with the same status as the departments of Metropolitan France. It is an outermost region of the European Union and, as an overseas department of France, part of the eurozone.
Anjouan is an autonomous volcanic island in the Comoro Islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean, part of the Union of the Comoros. It is known in Shikomori as Ndzuani, Ndzuwani or Nzwani, and, until the early twentieth century when the name fell out of general use, in English as Johanna. Historically it was also called Hinzuan or Hanzoan.
Comorian is the name given to a group of four Bantu languages spoken in the Comoro Islands, an archipelago in the southwestern Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar. It is named as one of the official languages of the Union of the Comoros in the Comorian constitution. Shimaore, one of the languages, is spoken on the disputed island of Mayotte, a French department claimed by Comoros.
The Comoro Islands are a group of volcanic islands in the Mozambique Channel, an arm of the Indian Ocean lying between Madagascar and the African mainland. Three of the islands form the Union of the Comoros, a sovereign nation, while Mayotte belongs to France.
Mohéli, also known as Mwali, is an autonomously-governed island that forms part of the Union of the Comoros. It is the smallest of the three major islands in the country. It is located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa and it is the smallest of the four major Comoro Islands. Its capital and largest city is Fomboni.
Grande Comore is an island in Comoros off the coast of Africa. It is the largest island in the Comoros nation. Most of its population is of the Comorian ethnic group. Its population as of 2006 is about 316,600. The island's capital is Moroni, which is also the national capital. The island is made up of two shield volcanoes, with Mount Karthala being the country's highest point at 2,361 m (7,746 ft) above sea level. According to the 2009 revision of the constitution of 2002, it is governed by an elected Governor, as are the other islands, with the federal government being much reduced in power. The name Ngazidja is sometimes seen in the now nonstandard form Njazidja.
Colonel Mohamed Bacar is a Comorian former politician who was President of Anjouan, one of the three autonomous islands that make up the Union of the Comoros, from 2001 to 2008. He is a former chief of police on Anjouan and has studied extensively in France and the United States. He was part of a military coup on Anjouan in August 2001 and soon became president. It is alleged he rigged the elections to become the first president of Anjouan in March 2002, in part due to his leading role in the separatist movement. He was ousted by the combined forces of the Government of the Union of Comoros and the African Union in the March 2008 invasion of Anjouan.
Ali Soilih M'Tsashiwa was a Comorian socialist revolutionary and political figure who served as the 3rd President of the Comoros from 3 January 1976 to 13 May 1978.
Mutsamudu is the second-largest city in the Comoros. It is also the capital and largest city on the island of Anjouan as well the former home of former Comorian president Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi. It now houses a deep water port, an ancient citadel, and narrow streets with many shops and small crafts. The population in 2021 stood at 23,594.
Domoni is the second largest city on the Comorian island of Anjouan in the Indian Ocean and is located on the east coast of the island. It was the capital of the island in the past while the present capital of Anjouan is Mutsamudu.
The Shirazis of the Comoros, 138,000 people with Iranian heritage, are one of the largest ethnic group inhabiting the archipelago nation of Comoros near the east African coast and they represent 17% of the total population of the Comoros. Their origins are linked to Shiraz and the southwestern coastal region of Persia. 89,000 people or 11% of the population from the Comoros have Southeast Asian ancestry. The Shirazi people are notable for helping establish Sunni Islam in Comoros, and the wealth they accumulated from trading commodities and slaves.
Livingstone's fruit bat, also called the Comoro flying fox, is a megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is an Old World fruit bat found only in the Anjouan and Mohéli islands in the Union of the Comoros in the western Indian Ocean.
The invasion of Anjouan, on March 25, 2008, was an amphibious assault led by the Comoros, backed by African Union (AU) forces, including troops from Sudan, Tanzania, Senegal, along with logistical support from Libya and France. The objective of the invasion was to topple Colonel Mohamed Bacar's leadership in Anjouan, an island in the Union of Comoros, when he refused to step down after a disputed 2007 election, in defiance of the federal government and the AU. The Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean has had a fractious history since its independence from France in 1975, experiencing more than 20 coups or attempted coups.
The Shirazi people, also known as Mbwera, are a Bantu ethnic group inhabiting the Swahili coast and the nearby Indian ocean islands. They are particularly concentrated on the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Comoros.
Nioumamilima is a village on the island of Grande Comore (Ngazidja) in the Comoros.
The official languages of the Comoros are Comorian, French and Arabic, as recognized under its 2001 constitution. Although each language holds equal recognition under the constitution, language use varies across Comorian society. Unofficial minority languages such as Malagasy and Swahili are also present on the island with limited usage. According to Harriet Joseph Ottenheimer, a professor of anthropology at Kansas State university, the linguistic diversity of the Comoros is the result of its rich history as part of the Indian maritime trade routes and its periods of Malagasy and French colonial rule.
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