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!
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
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