5H1WX-Mafia Island

Vlad, OK2WX will be 5H1WX at IOTA AF – 054 Mafia Island, Tanzania from September 18 to October 6, 2024.
He will operate on 80 – 10m, CW, SSB, digital modes.
Nearest DX Point 5H1W
5H1WX Log Searchsearch QSL was performed by I8KHC.
Direct QSL advertising:
Antonio Cannataro, Via Don Minzoni 18, Marano Marchesato, (CS), 87040, Italy.
Mafia Island IOTA AF-054 was last activated in 2019.

Mafia Island: When a terrifying name 100% deceives people’s expectations

In the Indian Ocean, which is dangerous for sailors but very warm, the closest (160 km!) is the southern edge of the Zanzibar Archipelago and the coast of Tanzania, where an island with the terrible name “Mafia” sits safely. In fact, this area of ​​slightly more than 5,000 square kilometers (518 square kilometers to be exact) is no more populated by criminals than anywhere else in Tanzania.

Mafia Island, Tanzania. Author – Michael Jeddah.

“What does my name mean?” – A fascinating title mystery

Those simple-minded people were instantly “infuriated” by this terrible name, and immediately began to associate one after another with bloody families in Italy, such as the Mafia and similar families. However, the reality did not match the violent fantasy inspired by the Mafia memory.

In fact, “Mafia” – we can say – is a phonetic translation of the English “Mafia Island” – and it has a secret! There are two equally true legends about the origin of the name “Mafia”.

Some say the word comes from the Arabic word “morfiyeh,” which translates colloquially as “archipelago.” That’s exactly what this island is!

According to the second version, the word “Mafia” in English is taken from the consonants “mahali pa afia”. Translated from Swahili, “mahali pa afia” means something good: “a place of health”, “a place of healing”, “a place of rejuvenation”. Well, being on a Mafia can really improve your health!

Still, it is certain that the island’s first name was not English, and certainly not Italian. The ancient “Chole Shamba” – as we call it, “the place of healing” – is the language of the Swahili people, the largest language speakers on the African continent. Swahili, the ancient Bantu language, is used by many tribes and peoples of Africa to communicate with each other.

5H1WX. Mafia Island logo.

A little history

According to archaeological finds (oriental pottery fragments) that survived in the 21st century, life on Mafia was prosperous in the 8th century AD. Due to its strategic location, the island was active in trade with China.

The economic development naturally bore fruit by strengthening the foundations of civilization: from the 12th century, the cultural center of Shiraz (Persia) fell to Mafia. It was not until the beginning of the last century that the cultural center was transferred from Mafia to Huani, with a very tragic ending: the scientists were exterminated by the cannibal tribes of Madagascar.

At the end of the 19th century (1890), Mafia was occupied by the Germans, who were replaced by the British during World War I, who established a military base on the island.

Mafia Island, Tanzania. Author – booniekathrin.

“We identify heroes by sight!” – Some interesting facts about the island

Shrouded in mystery and mystique, the island is believed to be one of ten equally mysterious areas around the world! Officially, a British newspaper gave the Mafia such a prestigious status.

But if we leave the mysticism behind and go closer to the tangible, the Mafia is not any one individual, but a group of inhabited (Juani, Cholay, etc.) and deserted islands that form an archipelago, among which there is a large island of the same name.

If you look at the archipelago from a high altitude, such as from the window of an airplane, you will see a piece of land shaped like a horseshoe under the wing. The natural area of ​​this “horseshoe” is 394 square kilometers.

The horseshoe-shaped land mass isn’t the only thing the archipelago has! Surrounding the archipelago are the turquoise saltwaters of the 822 square kilometers of the Mafia Reserve, home to more than 400 species of tropical fish.

Mafia Island, Tanzania. Author – Mathias Möller.

“Nice to meet you!” – What kind of people live in the Mafia

On this island, which is not the largest in the world, some 40,000 fishermen and their families lead a rural life, making a living from a peaceful occupation. But fishing (Gibondo fishermen go for sharks) is not something that only these hardworking and enterprising islanders can do!

Coconut cultivation is very developed here: part of it is for food, part of it is for making ecologically clean and very strong fibers, by the way, the islanders make ropes by hand in the old-fashioned way! The construction of fishing boats and sailboats is actively carried out, and tourist services are everywhere.

Therefore, it is necessary to abandon the unpleasant associations associated with this name – chaos, and rush to the hospitable “Mafia” – an ideal place for a tropical vacation, where everyone will be sincerely welcomed!

“Revitalize the Land” – How to Improve Your Health and Joy Your Soul in Mafia

As soon as you arrive here by plane or boat, the marvelous natural scenery of Mafia begins to have an amazing beneficial effect on the body. The air and water here are very clean, unpolluted by humans, and crystal clear, allowing you to see fish and a rich underwater world at considerable depths.

By the way, thanks to the warm climate in Mafia all year round, the beaches are always open. The beaches on the island consist of snow-white, pure sand, and the tides are almost unnoticeable.

Something to please your eyes and mind

And of course, admire the beautiful corals and brightly colored edible and non-edible tropical fish:

• flying fish;
• tuna;
• Lucien;
• shark;
• king;
• Barracuda, etc.

The aquatic life around Mafia is very rich! For those who love first-class diving and underwater hunting, this is a paradise! There is also a lot of coral here: according to experts, there is no other place in the world where you can find such a large number of soft and hard corals as in the waters of Mafia.

There are Mafia even on coral islands! For example, Chole, curiously enough, was attacked by the same greedy cannibals, but rose from the ashes to become the administrative center of the Mafia Islands.

Lovers of flora and fauna will not get bored of this island with a forbidding name. The impression made by the baobab trees is worth it, with their trunks that even a few people cannot grasp! Or the wild and garden fruit trees, where colonies of bats take shelter from the daytime heat in their canopies.

If you want to see bigger animals, you should go to Huañí, where three beaches are home to giant tortoises.

5H1WX. Where is Mafia Island located. Map.