Red Sea Citizens: Cosmopolitan Society and Cultural Change in MassawaIn the late 19th century, the port of Massawa, in Eritrea on the Red Sea, was a thriving, vibrant, multiethnic commercial hub. Red Sea Citizens tells the story of how Massawa rose to prominence as one of Northeast Africa's most important shipping centers. Jonathan Miran reconstructs the social, material, religious, and cultural history of this mercantile community in a period of sweeping change. He shows how Massawa and its citizens benefited from migrations across the Indian Ocean, the Arabian peninsula, Egypt, and the African interior. Miran also notes the changes that took place in Massawa as traders did business and eventually settled. By revealing the dynamic processes at play, this book provides insight into the development of the Horn of Africa that extends beyond borders and boundaries, nations and nationalism. |
Contents
IntroductionFacing the Land Facing the Sea | 1 |
1 Making a Region between the Sea and the MountainNāib Autonomy and Dominance to the 1850s | 33 |
2 On Camels and BoatsSpaces Structures and Circuits of Production and Exchange | 65 |
3 Connecting Sea and LandMerchants Brokers and the Anatomy of a Red Sea Port Town | 112 |
4 A Sacred Muslim IslandSufi s Holy Men and Town Islam in Massawa and the Interior | 166 |
5 Being MassawanCitizenship Family and Urban Authority | 217 |
Other editions - View all
Red Sea Citizens: Cosmopolitan Society and Cultural Change in Massawa Jonathan Miran No preview available - 2009 |