Headscarves and Henna
At first blush, Zanzibar (at least what we saw of it) is similar to the Arusha area in the following ways: they speak Swahili, most look Tanzanian, they serve chips (fries) with most meals, they use the same currency, they sell the same knickknacks, there are a few Maasai wandering around.
And that's about it.
Zanzibar has a rich history (in the last 300 years or so) and has been astoundingly influential for its size. Stone Town struck as a combination of Cape Cod, India, and a stereotypical Arab country. The narrow cobbled streets and crumbling, multi-storied stone buildings reminded each of us of the other old towns we had seen (Jerusalem, Varanasi, etc.), although the Stone Town is not actually that old. The weather was muggy and in the 90s or low 100s. The town has a much larger concentration of tourists than I'd seen elsewhere in my trip, mostly Europeans. The alleys are lined with tourist shops, restaurants, and hotels, contrasting with the dilapidated state of the buildings and the Muslim dress of most women and some men.
The air smells like the ocean and is regularly filled with the sound of one or more muezzins. The market sells only hallal meat. One evening we were almost run over by a crowd of about 25 boys, identically dressed in white robes and white head coverings, racing around the corner.
Our first response to the black-clad women was that they must be terribly hot, especially once we saw that they had clothes on under the robes. Then I realized that the women in Arusha also have a full set of clothing on under their kangas, so maybe it wasn't so different. We asked a woman a couple of days later, and she said that she did not find the robe hot at all. She seemed very cheerful about it. A small minority of women also covered their faces. I was happy to see that women were driving, running errands, managing shops, socializing (including with men). Many chose robes that only buttoned on top, revealing the outfit underneath. One of these outfits was jeans and a t-shirt! Some women wore nice shoes and/or painted their toenails. Some robes had elaborate lace, sequined, or embroidered designs.
There has also been a strong Indian influence on the island, not least the introduction of Zanzibar's famous spices. We went on a "spice tour" and saw how many common spices grow - I think not one grew the way I would have expected, though, really, I'd never given it much thought. Stone Town's old buildings have beautifully carved doors, some in the Arabic style, and some in the Indian style, representing the former inhabitants. We ate some astoundinly delicious Indian food, and I currently have henna (or, as they say, heena) designs all over my hands and wrists. The mix of Arabs, Indians, and Africans seems to have given rise to a tolerant and cosmopolitan outlook. As a small gauge, not a single person called us "mzungu" while we were there; everyone just said, "'Jambo."
The Arabic doors sported symbols of the major businesses the Arabs ran on Zanzibar. As such, a detailed carved chain ran around each door, symbolizing the slave trade. We heard how the slaves were brought to Zanzibar from all over East Africa and saw the horrible underground chambers where they waited at least three days, chained, in overcrowded, hot, and dark conditions. We also saw the church that was built, with the sultan's help, on the land that had held the slave auction, with the altar directly over where the whipping post had been. It was actually quite moving.
Zanzibar is also about water, beaches, and relaxation. We didn't have the time or inclination to take advantage of the snorkeling, diving, swimming with dolphins, etc., but I had one of the best dinners of my life at a perfectly-set table on the beach. Delicious food by candle-light, warm breezes from the Indian Ocean, sand between my toes, stars above, and traditional African/Arabic music in the background. The "real world" felt very far away.
I'm currently in Malawi, and very much in the "real world." I'll write about it next time.
-Jenna
And that's about it.
Zanzibar has a rich history (in the last 300 years or so) and has been astoundingly influential for its size. Stone Town struck as a combination of Cape Cod, India, and a stereotypical Arab country. The narrow cobbled streets and crumbling, multi-storied stone buildings reminded each of us of the other old towns we had seen (Jerusalem, Varanasi, etc.), although the Stone Town is not actually that old. The weather was muggy and in the 90s or low 100s. The town has a much larger concentration of tourists than I'd seen elsewhere in my trip, mostly Europeans. The alleys are lined with tourist shops, restaurants, and hotels, contrasting with the dilapidated state of the buildings and the Muslim dress of most women and some men.
The air smells like the ocean and is regularly filled with the sound of one or more muezzins. The market sells only hallal meat. One evening we were almost run over by a crowd of about 25 boys, identically dressed in white robes and white head coverings, racing around the corner.
Our first response to the black-clad women was that they must be terribly hot, especially once we saw that they had clothes on under the robes. Then I realized that the women in Arusha also have a full set of clothing on under their kangas, so maybe it wasn't so different. We asked a woman a couple of days later, and she said that she did not find the robe hot at all. She seemed very cheerful about it. A small minority of women also covered their faces. I was happy to see that women were driving, running errands, managing shops, socializing (including with men). Many chose robes that only buttoned on top, revealing the outfit underneath. One of these outfits was jeans and a t-shirt! Some women wore nice shoes and/or painted their toenails. Some robes had elaborate lace, sequined, or embroidered designs.
There has also been a strong Indian influence on the island, not least the introduction of Zanzibar's famous spices. We went on a "spice tour" and saw how many common spices grow - I think not one grew the way I would have expected, though, really, I'd never given it much thought. Stone Town's old buildings have beautifully carved doors, some in the Arabic style, and some in the Indian style, representing the former inhabitants. We ate some astoundinly delicious Indian food, and I currently have henna (or, as they say, heena) designs all over my hands and wrists. The mix of Arabs, Indians, and Africans seems to have given rise to a tolerant and cosmopolitan outlook. As a small gauge, not a single person called us "mzungu" while we were there; everyone just said, "'Jambo."
The Arabic doors sported symbols of the major businesses the Arabs ran on Zanzibar. As such, a detailed carved chain ran around each door, symbolizing the slave trade. We heard how the slaves were brought to Zanzibar from all over East Africa and saw the horrible underground chambers where they waited at least three days, chained, in overcrowded, hot, and dark conditions. We also saw the church that was built, with the sultan's help, on the land that had held the slave auction, with the altar directly over where the whipping post had been. It was actually quite moving.
Zanzibar is also about water, beaches, and relaxation. We didn't have the time or inclination to take advantage of the snorkeling, diving, swimming with dolphins, etc., but I had one of the best dinners of my life at a perfectly-set table on the beach. Delicious food by candle-light, warm breezes from the Indian Ocean, sand between my toes, stars above, and traditional African/Arabic music in the background. The "real world" felt very far away.
I'm currently in Malawi, and very much in the "real world." I'll write about it next time.
-Jenna
posted by Jenna @ 9:31 AM
<< Home