Stonetown, Zanibar Island

Stonetown, Zanibar Island (off the northern coast of Tanzania, just south of Mombasa, Kenya) began as a typical Swahili settlement, as early as the 12 century. I have always wanted to come here after reading in high school about the famous African explorations of Morton Stanley and Robert Livingston, joining up at one point to cross the continent. From this amazing place. Its roots are in fishing, but oral traditions of the Swahili are replete with stories of migrations of people not only from the African mainland, but also from Arabia, the Persian Gulf (large groups today include descendants from Yeman, the biblical land of Oman and Portugal) India and China. A critical commercial and plantaion economy developed with slavery and the spice trade. Even Queen Fatma ruled in the sixteenth century and her palace remains today as a museum. These peoples represent now a heterogenous society in a constant process of assimilation! The architecture alone is an amazing cultural heritage.

Arab doors are always carved and cut straight across at the top, an Indian door features the fluted dome shape at the top. The Zanzibar door was an indicator of wealth, with a variety of motifs which also were represented in the elaborately carved sterns of the Indian ocean dhows (fish, fish scales, wavy lines, rosettes and lotus flowers, chain design to indicate security) The pointed brass knobs kept the street animals from causing damage.

As a result o the dramatic social upheaval of the 1964 revolution and the nationalism of the clove economy, more than 60% of the 2000 stone houses went into the hands of the government and or low income housing, leaving behind the great historic buildings to fall into decay. Since the 80’s however, a new conservation society has been formed and Stonetown has been designated a world heritage site. Wander the intricate narrow streets and lanes bonded by the social nodes of mikahawa (Kiswahili for coffee houses and barazas, meeting points with benches) When it rains, it really rains, and the streets become rivers, part of the natural heritage. Someday the drainage system will be cleaned. Look for me at The House of Wonders near the harbor front
Park, Queen Fatmas place!

Ancient tortoises, up to 125 years old, live on Prison Island where the old slave quarters honor those who served before us. Wonderful snorkeling is nearby, clear blue no seaweed!

I loved the spice plantations, located in a wonderful hilly center part of island. Hectares of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cardammon, turmeric, ginger, all fruits, coffee, pepper (white, so as not to show itself in the final meal, green, red and black corns harvested at different times from the same tree) curry, (the curry powder we buy does not have curry leaves in it, rather an amalgam of many Indian spices). More, quinine and neem tea to treat malaria, paprika and many others I did not know.

Kids in Class

YOU’RE SO CLOSE, WHATS YOUR TAKE ON SUDAN?

Peace between S Sudan and Sudan remains elusive even after the peace agreement with Kenya. After the bush war against Khartoum, the agreement was signed in 2005 but peace never came, aggressions, rebel attacks, and economic sabotage have resulted. Future war between the two countries will cost the US billions if it were to last over 5 years, because of the dual GNP loss, and peacekeeping and humanitarian needs. Ethiopia will suffer greatly too.

-The government of S Sudan is preparing for war now, barely a year after successfully seceding, and seeing a majority of its 8 M in population newly returned from refugee camps, relying on relief aid for food.

-Juba’s government has closed the oil fields, a sign that relations are dangerously strained, oil exports aren’t going through the north, a dissolution between Kharthoum relations/government is worsening.

S is especially vulnerable to the break in economic lifeline.

Large non-Arab population prevents slows adoption of Islamic law even though Arabic is official language, Islam religion of country.

Bashir never wanted S Sudan to work, disregards President Kiir who needs to be a better diplomat.


WHY DO YOU THINK FAMINE IS STILL A PROBLEM??

Famine, the humane calamity that was prevalent throughout the world earlier in this century is fast being confined to Africa. Countries in the rest of the world seem to have managed to deal with the famine problem, but Kenya is one country not to have found the way. I only have a few observations after being here 10 months.

As long ago as 1991, Joachim Von Braun wrote in his report from the Food Policy Research Institute, stating that the food crisis in the continent is a result of the interaction between environmental and socio-economic factors in the short and long terms. It’s still a failure of policy to deal with, and we seem not to have made much progress. While agriculture can be under increased stress from drought and production failure, even for years, this does not produce famine unless other socio-economic conditions are present. Here ya go:

-deficiencies in public policy impair growth of households, poverty persists

-lack of seeds, affordable fertilizers, training to compost, manage water

- lack of technologies to improve alternative production methods,
(PC teaches and maintains many independent projects)

- lack of transportation, marketing for farm goods

-limit in non farming income opportunities due to poor education system,

-no training in savings for rainy day (PC is also involved in rural village
banking with women)
-poor health conditions, lack of country investment health infrastructure

-no macroeconomic infrastructure (exchange rates, export laws)

While mobile money is a booming business here, a tool helping to teach banking for the first time through MPesa, the cart is a bit before the horse. This system is not used for world business purposes. Resource capital is what’s needed to point to an impactful future –development of natural resources - minerals, fisheries, forestry, and gas – all waiting to be managed.

There is enough water, land, air and sunshine to manage these complexities, we need another 20years probably!