Wiyoni: Lamu’s 'Little Dubai' which has embraced modernity amidst centuries-old culture
Homeowners in Wiyoni have been enjoying the freedom to build their homes without any restrictions on the architectural rule or blueprint to follow.
Wiyoni on Lamu Island is among the few areas that have witnessed fast growth in terms of development.
It is Wiyoni where you will spot modern houses or mansions that give Lamu Island a modern look.
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Lamu Old Town, located on Lamu Island, is a key tourist destination. It was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2001, and its culture and traditions span centuries.
Despite the Lamu Old Town getting historical status, other places like Wiyoni have embraced modernity, including the kind of houses built which depict true modernity.
That is the reason why Wiyoni is branded as Little Dubai today.
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830-metre-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies the Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music.
On artificial islands just offshore is Atlantis, The Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks, features that indeed depict modern, advanced life.
Lamu Council of Elders Chairman Mohamed Mbwana Shee. He says Wiyoni was once part of the Indian Ocean before the land was reclaimed. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)
Iconic storey buildings
In Wiyoni, residents have in recent days branded it ‘Little Dubai’ since it has iconic storey buildings and other structures that make the area unique and modern compared to the rest of Lamu.
Often, when Lamu is mentioned, what comes to the mind of many people is the history, antiquity, old and ruined historical buildings and architecture among others. All of this is because the epicentre of the island is the Old Town of Lamu with over 700 years of existence.
The ancient city is renowned for its unique history and how its residents, who are of Swahili descent of Bajuni origin, have strived to preserve their centuries-old culture and heritage.
As a result, Unesco listed Lamu Old Town as a World Heritage site in 2001.
The move further solidifies the perceptions of many visitors to Lamu that the area is nothing but purely outdated.
But what they don't know is that the area also has areas where modernity is prevalent like Wiyoni, or ‘Litte Dubai.’
A view of part of Lamu Old Town. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)
Modern look
Ali Shekhuna stressed that in recent years, Wiyoni has emerged as an area with modern and luxurious buildings, hence, earning it the nickname ‘Little Dubai' due to the modern look it gives the Lamu archipelago.
Typically, many of the buildings built in Lamu Old Town follow a single style, especially that of Oman, where houses are built in a plan or appearance similar to that of mosques.
“But in the Wiyoni area, things are different. Here, you will find many houses, including modern apartments and mansions furnished and built in a modern design. The modern way of life has earned Wiyoni the name ‘Little Dubai.’ It’s a Lamu Dubai,” said Ali.
Wiyoni is an area located approximately one kilometre away from Lamu Old Town, though it is still located within Lamu Island.
Homeowners in Wiyoni have been enjoying the freedom to build their homes without any restrictions on the architectural rule or blueprint to follow.
This is in contrast to their counterparts living within Lamu Old Town, which is a historical site, where developers cannot undertake any construction without following appropriate or acceptable regulations or maps.
Abdalla Omar, one of the owners of modern houses in Wiyoni, says at least tenants living on Lamu Island have the opportunity to choose where to live unlike before.
“In the past, people felt oppressed living in Lamu Old Town, a place where they felt things were too old, outdated, historical and much far behind time. Today, many are relocating to Wiyoni, knowing very well that this area embodies or represents modernity,” said Abdalla.
Mohamed Kombo, a resident of Lamu Old Town, admits that the developments witnessed in the Wiyoni area in recent years are worthy of praise.
He says unlike in Lamu Old Town where houses are crowded together, thus further bringing out the old look, the layout of houses in Wiyoni has provided good space, thus bringing out a satisfactory appearance.
Dubai feeling
“I indeed, admit that Wiyoni is Little Dubai. It has made great strides in matters of development. When you arrive in Wiyoni, you will feel as if you are really in Dubai and not on Lamu Island. New buildings and designs have sprung up. Houses there are well organised, giving the area a real modern look and luxury,” said Mohamed.
But do you know how Wiyoni started?
According to the elders, the current Wiyoni, which is made up of dry and sandy land, was once under water or part of the Indian Ocean.
Lamu Council of Elders chair and historian Mohamed Mbwana Shee says that in the 1990s, when the excavation, deepening and dredging of the Mkanda Channel near Wiyoni was carried out, the excavated rubble was carried and dumped on the beaches of Wiyoni.
Dredging
The dredging was carried out to enable boats and other large marine vessels to pass through the Mkanda Channel which was initially shallow.
Mohamed Shee says it was due to the dredging that the ocean waters began to slowly move away and as a result, enabled Wiyoni lands to be reclaimed.
“First, the Wiyoni area was not owned by anyone. It was public land that incorporated the Indian Ocean. After the dredging activities took place at Mkanda Channel and the rubble disposed within Wiyoni Ocean, that’s how large tracts of land were reclaimed and hence enabled the construction of houses to be carried out,” said Mohamed.
In addition to rental houses and residential houses, you will also find luxury hotels built in the area that have already begun to attract visitors and tourists, similar to what is witnessed in the ancient Lamu Old Town.
Lamu Island, which includes the areas of Wiyoni, Shela, Kipungani, Matondoni, Makafuni, Kashmiri, Kandahar, Bombay, India, Hidabo and its environs, is home to over 30,000 people.
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