Stone
Town: A Zanzibar
Renaissance by
Karen Hoffman
Following
the Africa Travel Association's
annual World Congress in Arusha, Tanzania
in 1998, I had planned a few days visit to the
nearby Island of Zanzibar. Leaving Arusha, we
rushed to the airstrip, sure that a presidential
traffic tie-up had caused us to miss the flight.
The 20 or so passengers calmly seated in the
tiny terminal building indicated to us that the
plane coming from Dar Es Salaam was going to be
late. The more than an hour delay led to casual
conversations with fellow passengers. And so it
was fortuitous that we met Paul Oliver, owner of
Oliver's Camp near Tarangire National Park.
Learning that we were to debark at Zanzibar he
recommended that we try and locate John de
Silva, a local artist/historian, an excellent
tour guide who could provide us with a more
intimate 'portrait' of the history of Stone
Town, the oldest section of Zanzibar Town, a
bustling Swahili (Arabic influence)
port.
Zanzibar,
for me, was always one of those 'far off' places
whose very name conjured up a romantic, mystical
image. The reality, although on the brink of new
development, in no way spoiled the dream.
Located about 30 K off the coast of mainland
Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar is
actually an archipelago with the two main
Islands of Zanzibar (also known as Unguja, the
larger one) and Pemba (the smaller of the two).
Incorporated into the United Republic of
Tanzania in 1964, Zanzibar, which in 1992 had
only 723,300 people, does have its own
democratically elected president and government
that run the internal affairs of the Islands.
We
checked in at the Zanzibar Serena Inn, a 51-room
world-class property on the Stone Town
waterfront. The hotel, a splendid example of the
careful preservation of historic buildings
provided a perfect base for exploring on foot.
This project undertaken by the Aga Kahn Fund for
Economic Development, owner and manager of the
Serena Hotels, involved the restoration and
rehabilitation of two historic buildings , the
Old Extelcoms Building and the Chinese Doctors'
Residence.
Finding
De Silva proved to be all part of the Stone Town
adventure. Not expecting quick results, we
started our inquiry with the Serena's Duty
Manager, Rahim Azad. "Of course, I know him
well," he responded with a smile. "But since he
does not have a phone, I will take you there in
the afternoon." The five minute walk to De
Silva's flat through twisting and turning
casbah-like alleys, was immediately
intoxicating. At every turn, a new vista.
Swahili-clad people mixed with those of western
dress. Old buildings in juxtaposition with
recent renovations.
At
once, provincial yet cosmopolitan, a reflection
of its history as a cross roads of the trade
routes. De Silva lived on the third floor of an
old Arab style house. The knock went unanswered.
Our
gracious hotel manager left a note on the door
to arrange a meeting with De Silva for the next
day to take us on a walking tour of Stone Town.
De Silva's personal story, intertwined with the
recent history of Stone Town, is one of many
stories that reflect the diversity of the
population who call this historic place home.
Born in Goa, he came to Zanzibar at the age of
nine. His father was a dressmaker in the
sultans' court. In 1958 de Silva started work in
accounting, but his interest in art soon led him
to work on the restoration of the paintings and
murals of the Catholic Cathedral of St.
Joseph's. Built by the French about 1898, the
Cathedral's Romanesque style is a replica of the
basilica of Notre Dame De La Garde of
Marseilles. Although De Silver's early paintings
featured Zanzibar portraits, the work on the
Cathedral spurred his interest in the
architecture and history of Stone Town.
Concerned that there was no record of these
diverse architecture styles influenced by the
cultures of the Omani Arabs, Indians, Persians
and European colonials, his art now focused on
the buildings of Stone Town. De Silva captured
these facades in pen and ink and watercolor as
well as with his camera. He boasts a collection
of over 300 photos, most taken by him, and in
many instances the only known record of the
carved wood doors, windows, iron latticework
decorating the balconies, the alleys, streets,
historical and architecturally important
buildings typical of Stone Town. In 1991, the
United Republic of Tanzania approved a proposal
by de Silva to dedicate a series of postage
stamps to the rich architectural heritage and
history of Stone Town. A unique collection of
four stamps were issued featuring De Silver's
Stone Town drawings of the National Museum, The
High Court building, the Balnara Mosque and a
Balcony.
A
living Museum Walking along with De Silva, Stone Town
became a living museum. He pointed out the
details that distinguish the Arab ( Swahili)
doors from the Indian style (Zanzibar has the
largest number of carved doors in East Africa);
the simplicity of the Arab mosques as compared
to the ornate Indian mosques (Stone Town has 50
mosques and four Hindu temples); windows in the
same building representing Gothic, Italian and
English styles; history related through the
chain of ownership of buildings as new rulers
came to power; The House of Wonders, one of the
first buildings in East Africa to have
electricity; and the town's oldest existing
building, the Portuguese Fort.
Our
meandering continued past old buildings in
various states of disrepair, interspersed with
newly renovated buildings housing modern shops
and hotels, that, like the Zanzibar Serena Inn,
had preserved the original architectural design
so to be in complete harmony with their
surroundings. This respect for the environment
is in large measure due to the fact in 1987, the
Stone Town Conservation Authority was created to
provide strict guidelines for architectural
design and materials used in all renovations of
public and privately owned buildings.
Is
it working? De Silva, through his paintings and drawings
and frequent visits over the years to historical
sites, and as a member of the Advisory Board of
the Zanzibar Museums, often finds himself in
serious discussions with the conservation
authorities on what he considers inappropriate
transformations of important architectural and
historic areas which are under constant threat
by wealthy and unsympathetic developers.'
The
challenge to Stone Town, if it is to achieve a
true renaissance, is to find the right formula
for the preservation of its culture heritage,
history and architecture, without creating a
sterile new environment affordable only by the
wealthy and the tourists, thus putting at risk
the wonderful mosaic of peoples and cultures
that make this historic community the enchanting
place that it is today.
Zanzibar,
for me, was always one of those 'far off' places
whose very name conjured up a romantic, mystical
image. The reality, although on the brink of new
development, in no way spoiled the dream.
Located about 30 K off the coast of mainland
Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar is
actually an archipelago with the two main
Islands of Zanzibar (also known as Unguja, the
larger one) and Pemba (the smaller of the two).
Incorporated into the United Republic of
Tanzania in 1964, Zanzibar, which in 1992 had
only 723,300 people, does have its own
democratically elected president and government
that run the internal affairs of the Islands.
At
once, provincial yet cosmopolitan, a reflection
of its history as a cross roads of the trade
routes. De Silva lived on the third floor of an
old Arab style house. The knock went unanswered.
O
ur
gracious hotel manager left a note on the door
to arrange a meeting with De Silva for the next
day to take us on a walking tour of Stone Town.
De Silva's personal story, intertwined with the
recent history of Stone Town, is one of many
stories that reflect the diversity of the
population who call this historic place home.
Born in Goa, he came to Zanzibar at the age of
nine. His father was a dressmaker in the
sultans' court. In 1958 de Silva started work in
accounting, but his interest in art soon led him
to work on the restoration of the paintings and
murals of the Catholic Cathedral of St.
Joseph's. Built by the French about 1898, the
Cathedral's Romanesque style is a replica of the
basilica of Notre Dame De La Garde of
Marseilles. Although De Silver's early paintings
featured Zanzibar portraits, the work on the
Cathedral spurred his interest in the
architecture and history of Stone Town.
Concerned that there was no record of these
diverse architecture styles influenced by the
cultures of the Omani Arabs, Indians, Persians
and European colonials, his art now focused on
the buildings of Stone Town. De Silva captured
these facades in pen and ink and watercolor as
well as with his camera. He boasts a collection
of over 300 photos, most taken by him, and in
many instances the only known record of the
carved wood doors, windows, iron latticework
decorating the balconies, the alleys, streets,
historical and architecturally important
buildings typical of Stone Town. In 1991, the
United Republic of Tanzania approved a proposal
by de Silva to dedicate a series of postage
stamps to the rich architectural heritage and
history of Stone Town. A unique collection of
four stamps were issued featuring De Silver's
Stone Town drawings of the National Museum, The
High Court building, the Balnara Mosque and a
Balcony.