The islands were part of the ancient
Somali empires , merchants, and fishermen who used it as an offshoot to trade with other civilizations in the spice world. The Somali
Ajuran Dynasty utilized it for centuries as part of their kingdom. After the decline of several
Somali empires later, the islands became less inhabited until the colonial invasion by the
British East Africa prior to
World War I. According to
C. Wightwick Haywood, a British official in
Kismayo who visited the islands in 1913, the only inhabited islands in the chain were Chovaye and Chula. Maize, millet, sweet potatoes and coconuts were grown on the islands, and
dhows were used for transportation. While there, Haywood saw ruins of what he described as a "fair-sized town" on Chovaye. He mentioned that similar stone scrollwork could also be seen on houses in the
Lamu Islands. Haywood thought some of the residents to be of
Arab or
Persian descent. ==Demographics==