Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses transnational connections between colonial Zanzibar and Indian Ocean countries; focusing on the movement of medicines to understand how historical links established during colonial Zanzibar influence the medicine landscape in present-day Zanzibar.

Paper long abstract:

This paper focuses on transnational connections between colonial Zanzibar and Indian Ocean countries that later formed the social fabric of present-day Zanzibar. At the individual level, these transnational connections are continued, for generations, by private and family-owned businesses. For example, although few in number, Indian traders are among the biggest wholesale suppliers and distributors of pharmaceuticals in both Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, the notable names being: Mansoor Daya Pharmacy and Shamshuddin Pharmacy. This paper is part of my doctoral research proposal that will employ archival data, oral histories, and family stories to understand how historical links established during colonial Zanzibar continue to influence the medicine landscape in present-day Zanzibar. The objective of my doctoral study is to examine the continuity of historical linkages in influencing how medicine, as a commodity, circulates and also how the circulation of medicines is regulated in present-day Zanzibar.