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Vacini (Wasini)

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Ibn Majid (1470) is the only author to mention the island.

Taken from: THE MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN KENYA COAST by Thomas H. Wilson, Ph.D.

The town of Wasini is located on the north-western side of the island of the same name; the community faces the mainland over a channel of the sea several hundred meters wide.

There are two communities on the island in addition to Wasini, Nyuma ya Maji on the south side, said by Hollis to be called Kunani and to be built on the site of an older fishing village (1900:285), and Mkwiro, a village of wa-Funzi on the eastern end of the island. Although 13th to 16th century ceramics were reported from Wasini (McKay 1975:239), the present town itself seems to have been settled in the early 18th century, when Diwan Ruga moved there with his people from Vumba Kuu.

At Wasini there are five mosques, three of which are still in use, associated tombs and the ruins of a few stone houses. From west to east the mosques of Vasini are: Msikiti wa Mira Mwiyuni (mtaa name), Msikiti Mdogo, Msikiti wa Ijumaa, Msikiti wa Kale and Msikiti wa Mgodo (mtaa name).

All of these are from later than the Middle Ages. 

The Islands of the Sheiks, including Wasini (the most Northern one).