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Photos Scanned And Provided By: Mustafa Pirmohamed
Email: mpirmohamed@gmail.com
 

HAJI SIWJI SOMJ
(1888-1963)

Siwji Somji was born on 21^st December 1888. At the age of 18, Siwji Somji travelled from India to Zanzibar in a dhow. He joined in employment of Gulamhussein Somji Lilani in Zanzibar at a salary of 100 rupees a year. After one year he joined at Remtulla Allarakhia Tejani for 4 months. After leaving his job he went to Kilwa by a steamer ‘Governor”. He then travelled to Songea on foot taking with him tents, laborers and food. He used to travel 6 hours every day. It took them 24 days to reach Songea – a distance of 320 miles. He started working at his brother Jaffer Somji’s shop in Songea. After a year he went back to India for marriage.

In 1905, the African population carried out a major revolt called Maji Maji against the German rulers. The revolt continued for 3 months and subsided when the Mayor Mr Johannes brought German army to quell the rebellion. In 1906 Jaffer Somji returned to Kilwa where he opened a shop. In 1909 he went to India for marriage. While in India he sent his parents for Ziyarat. After one year he returned to Kilwa with his wife and within 2 years decided to go for Haj. Jaffer Somji could not return from Haj until 1917 due to world war.

In 1917, Siwjibhai went to Dar es Salaam and opened a business. In 1922 Jafferbhai went to India for marriage of his daughter and he died in India in 1923. Siwjibhai then called back the family of his brother Jaffer from India.

At this time, Siwji Somji, Rawji Somji, Esmail Rawji and Fazel Rawji opened a partnership business in the name of Jaffer Somji & Co in Lindi and the business continued upto 1934 when they split. Thereafter, Siwji Somji and Hassanali Jaffer Somji ran a joint business called Somji Store up to 1957. Thereafter they became independent.

Giving a story of an interesting incident in his life, Siwji bhai said that in 1934 he went to Mbwara (Bhoira)(Rufiji) from where he loaded a boat with dried coconuts for Dar es Salaam. Due to a severe storm the boat ran aground and broke into pieces. They were not very far from the beach. People tried to travel by wooden planks but due to stormy waves and limited space others could not make it. An Arab lady had drowned, and Siwjibhai, two Arabs and the boat captain decided to swim to the shore rather than depending on the wooden planks.

Source: Trade Directory 1960