The centuries-long history between Zanzibar and Oman is integral to understanding the Zinjibari people in Oman. Due to the complex history that includes several waves of migration, intricate socio-political power structures, colonization, and the eventual exile of the Zinjibari people from Zanzibar after 1964, the history of how the Zinjibari people came to be is crucial to understanding their modern-day role in Oman. 

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The first definite mention of Oman-Africa connections can be traced back to 700-705 AD when rulers of the interior of Oman traveled to Africa to escape Umayyad attacks (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 79). However, the area was dominated by the Portuguese until the tail end of the 16th century, when the Ya’aruba dynasty expelled the Portuguese from Muscat (Matthews, 28). This led to the first major wave of Omani migration to Zanzibar amid the growing demand for the trade of ivory and enslaved persons (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 79). This was followed by the establishment of plantations which furthered migration of Omanis to Zanzibar, and Omani rulers and nobility came to control political, religious, and economic affairs of the island, constituting both the political and cultural elite (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 79). In 1832, Zanzibar became the seat of the Omani empire when Sultan Said bin Sultan moved his court to the island (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 79). These Omani migrants became known by the Swahili word “Waarabu”, which indicated their Arab lineage, elite class position, and strong links with Cairo, Baghdad, and the broader Arab world (Matthews, 18). This group was praised by some European historians for “civilizing” the “savagery” of the African interior, and were seen by both outsiders and themselves as “colonizers'' and “settlers” of the area (Matthews, 23).

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In the early 20th century, another major wave of Omani migration to Zanzibar occurred when repeated droughts and famines in Oman led to economic deprivation. This gave cause to an “economic opportunity diaspora” to Zanzibar, though these migrants often remained poor and lived in rural areas (Matthews, 29). During the interlude of British colonial rule after Said’s death in 1856, the privileges of the Arab elite were perpetuated and even expanded by the British, which furthered their economic flourishment and political preeminence on the island (Matthews, 30-31).

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Despite several centuries of the Arab elite in Zanzibar, the tides were about to turn. During the decolonization period following WWII, there was a large call from Zanzibaris to end the oppressive system of colonial rule. A political consciousness developed among the Zanzibari laboring class, who began to see themselves as an African majority oppressed by the ruling class of Waarabu (Matthews, 34). This led to the formation of the Afro-Shirazi Party in 1957, who characterized Zanzibar’s 1963 independence from British rule as “freedom for Arabs only” (Matthews, 34). On January 12, 1964, the new post-colonial government was overthrown in a bloody revolution by the Afro-Shirazi party, who claimed to “unseat an Arab colonialist government” (Matthews, 35). Residents who were considered Arabs were deported by the new government or were killed, and it is estimated that 6,000-10,000 died (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 80). Whether a member of the Arab elite or a later date working-class migrant, all those identified as Arabs were targeted. It is approximated that 30,000 of the 50,000 residents of Arab origin were forcibly expelled or fled of their own volition, many of which went to Arabia (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 80).

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However, arrival in Oman was not immediate for the refugees. The 1964 Omani government refused to create a repatriation process and only agreed to accommodate 3,700 Zanzibari refugees. It was only in 1970, after a coup changing Omani leadership, that the Zanzibari refugees were permitted to move into Oman, forming a considerable community there (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 80). This mass exodus resulted in the creation of a conflicting identity: while Zanzibari refugees were prized for their education and knowledge of English, they were also faced with negative attitudes and refusal due to their “Africanness”, as shown through their use of the Swahili language and weakness in Arabic  (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 80). In addition to a linguistic distinction, the Zanzibari population was perceived to have more liberal, cosmopolitan cultural traits that distinguished them from the larger Omani population (Verne & Muller-Mahn, 81).