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Rufati (Bazaruto islands)

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Ibn Majid in his Hawija has Rufati at 5 fingers.

In his Suffaliyya he has Satawah or Satuvah at 5 fingers and Mulbaiuni city at a bid less than 5 fingers.

Ibn Majid in his Hawija gives at 5 fingers for Nach: Haduda at 22.4°S Bandar Kuri at 21.7°S (Both in Madagascar) and Rufati at 21.7°S.

 

Barradas, Lereno 1971 has argued convincingly that: Charbuh or Sadbuwah islands and Vacika or Wasika who are at three fingers in the Sufaliyya also belong at 5 fingers.

At 5 fingers for Nach are the Bazaruto islands and on the mainland the very important very old side of Chibuene which was a close connection to the Zimbabwe hinterland.

See my entry on Charbuh islands Vacika-Vaza (Bazaruta-Chibuene)

 

Seydi Ali Reis (d. 1562) in al-Muhit has Kilvani is 5 fingers; in the Sufaliyya it is a bid less. As this place is clearly recognized being the island of Chiloane, we have to conclude that Rufati might well be one of the other possibilities given.

 

-Satawah or Satuvah: identification very unsure might be the Austronesian ports Singo and/or Nshawa on the Sabi river known from oral history stories but still undiscovered. (See my entry on Satawah)

-Mulbaijuni city: identified as maybe Mambone by JOUANNES Claude and by Tibbetts. A possible site of Old Mambone has been identified. But my idea is that ’A port for all the winds’ at 51/2 fingers fits better then Mulbaiuni city at a bid less than 5 fingers.