Murutu traditions There are narratives that give a picture of an invasion, as opposed to a single instance conflict. In these accounts, the residents did not immediately leave. Rather they refer to invaders who wore a single, red cloth, tied around the waist and at the shoulder, and bound another around their heads. Each carried a short sword of the scimitar type, of which the blade curved backwards and only the outer edge was honed. These narratives tend to portray a period of submission to the new rulers before which the islanders grew hostile, refusing to herd flocks and till fields as commanded. All these are congruent with present understanding of Shungwaya traditions. References Meru Origin hypotheses of ethnic groups African folklore