Preserving Paradise

For the fishermen who trawl its azure waters, the East African island of Misali offers sustenance both physical and spiritual. The fishermen, who still measure time not by a calendar but by the waxing and waning of the moon, haul in enough fish and octopus to feed their families. For centuries they also took their sick to the island’s subterranean caves, where traditional healers prayed for their health and offered food to the spirits to ensure bountiful catches. According to tradition, the island got its name when the Islamic prophet Hadhara appeared in a vision and asked for a prayer mat, or msala. None being at hand, he declared the tear-drop-shaped isle would be his prayer mat, since it pointed toward Mecca. “For us it’s a holy island,” says Misali ranger Shaib Khamis. “A special, beautiful place.”

Now that bond between nature and religion is being used to protect Misali. With the backing of the government of Zanzibar and the international development organization care, a small group of local fishermen and conservationists has begun a campaign to preserve the island according to Islamic tradition and the teachings of the Koran. In a colorful ceremony two months ago, the local Islamic community presented the island to the world as a “sacred gift for a living planet.” Says Harith bin Khelef, the chief mufti, or religious leader, of Zanzibar, to which Misali belongs:

“The need of our religion is to put human things and other organisms in good order, balance. If we don’t, then there will be mischief and disaster on our planet.”

Misali consists of 90 hectares of coral covered by thick scrub and the occasional tamarind and baobab tree. The island has no fresh water and thus no permanent inhabitants, but groups of fishermen from nearby Pemba, one of Zanzibar’s two main islands, regularly camp there. Vervet monkeys and the rare Pemba flying fox live in its trees, while endangered coconut crabs scuttle across its white beaches. Below the waves, a spectacular coral reef and sponge garden host at least 250 species of fish, including the striking black-and-yellow batfish and the aptly named trumpetfish. The island is also an important nesting site for both green and hawksbill turtles.

Like many of the world’s smaller islands, Misali is threatened by development and overfishing. At least one hotel chain has eyed it as the site for a resort, while 1,600 fishermen regularly exploit its waters. Scientists believe that up to 80% of the Indian Ocean’s coral reefs have been destroyed by human activity, leaving Misali a sparkling gem amid fading beauty. In 1998, Zanzibar declared the island a conservation zone and urged the fishermen to stop using nets and dynamite. But government edicts are often ineffectual in the developing world. Why should people alter age-old traditions when their government does little for them? The word of God is another matter. “It’s strong,” says ranger Khamis, who fished off the island before moving to protect it three years ago. “When we get the Word from God, we will follow.”

The Misali Island Conservation Association, a new local voluntary organization, says it will encourage tourists who dive on Misali’s dazzling reef to show respect for Islam by not bringing alcohol and by dressing appropriately. “We can’t say that women should wear a hijab [covering] when they are snorkeling,” says association member Ali Said Hamad. “But we will educate them to observe Islamic principles. People coming and staying on the beach naked, we will try to discourage that.”

As well, local fisherman will be taught verses from the Koran that encourage environmental care and sustainability. “In Zanzibar, where people’s lives revolve around Islam, teachings from the Koran may be the most powerful conservation tool there is,” says Polly Dolan, Zanzibar area coordinator at care Tanzania.

On Misali, fisherman Haji Hija, 50, in a tattered green T shirt and shredded trousers, waves his hands angrily at the suggestion that poverty may force fishermen to catch undersized fish and use harmful methods. “No one can break God’s law,” he says. “Poverty was created by God as something for the Muslim to think about. There are no excuses. If you sin you will be punished.” By preserving Misali, the fishermen hope God will protect them and their way of life.