The Comorian Presence in Precolonial and Early Colonial Congo (19th Century-1908)

The historical sources related to the Muslim presence in Congo in the late 19th century and the early 20th century usually mention Arabs and Swahilis, though many other ethnic communities were involved: Omani and Yemeni Arabs, Baluchis, Indians, Banyamwezi, Batetela, Basonge, Bakusu, Comorians, etc. The goal of this paper is to depict one of these ethnic groups, the Comorians, so as to identify the reasons for their presence in Congo, but also to explore their social position inside the Muslim community in Congo and the surrounding countries, given the fact that they had various professions: soldiers, scribes, chiefs, religious leaders, etc.