This is a history of the Kenyan city of Mombasa and its surrounding settlements from the mid-19th century to the height of colonial rule in the 1930s. The book places the island and town of Mombasa in its African context, incorporating the findings of historical and anthropological research. It examines the institutions and social networks that simultaneously united and divided the people of the region before the colonial period, demonstrating both their interdependence and the creation of distinct population categories. The book traces the development of these institutions under British rule, when the demands of the colonial economy caused officials to attempt far-reaching changes to the social structure and to physically remake the town of Mombasa. This is a re-interpretation of the history of Mombasa and its hinterland, based on archival research. It offers insights into the nature of ethnic identity.