Zanzibar

Stone Town of Zanzibar

Stone Town – a place to get lost in – lost in all senses of directions but not at least in the fantasies of its intriguing past. A past filled with contradictions; the darkest horror of trading with human beings – the slave trade, the scrambling for the interior Africa by explorers and exploiters, the sultans and their harems, the wealth in gold, ivory and clove fortunes, the power of a strategic location and its diplomacy. The rich Swahili culture is all embraced in the name Zanzibar.

Zanzibar Stone Town, or the ‘Old Town’ as the name reads in Swahili, has a rich and delicate history which can be told in many versions. The mix of imprints from its ancient visitors until today has gained the place its exclusive reputation. Its unique cultural heritage has rewarded it a position among the World Heritage sites and thus in need for careful preservation and conservation.

Stone Town is as old as the first told stories of its Island. The first Arab sea traders are said to have mentioned the ‘Coast of the black people’ – the land of Zenj – from which the name Zanzibar is believed to have come from. The Islands strategic and accessible location along the East African coast, turned it into cosmopolitan centre where Arab, Indians, Europeans and African traditions and cultures all got merged together.

The first settlement and the oldest today known in Stone Town is the Portuguese fort, which foundation was laid down in the early 18th century, but probably not finalised until late 1780, by the Omani rulers, thus more correctly being a Omani fort. The most significant part of the Stone Town is made up of the dominant Arab houses. These buildings, often square and with a spacious inner courtyard allowing light and air to circulate in the house, were built closely together not considering the need of any fencing and/or garden around them. The Arab families were used to stay close to each other and many of the buildings were connected via walkways, like bridges, still seen on the first floors This arrangement made it possible for the female members of the family to go and visit relatives and friends without having to enter the streets. By just leaving room for narrow streets in between the often tall houses helped to make sure there would be a shadow for those walking in the streets. Still the wind from the sea was allowed to blow though and give some comfort during hot days.

In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century the town was clearly divided. There were the Arab neighbourhoods, the Indian and then the Europeans. Hardly any Africans were living in Stone Town during that time, they only came to town for work or business, but lived in the nearby area called ‘Ngambo’. Before the Creek Road was filled out there was a small ferry taking passengers from the town area to the Ngambo side.

After the Revolution in 1964, a majority of the non-Africans left Zanzibar, thus leaving their homes and buildings. The Government confiscated abandoned buildings, and found them useful for government offices, schools and other public needs. Some buildings were let out to tenants for a symbolic monthly rent, and the spacious houses could easily accommodate many families from the poorer population.

It is estimated that Stone Town today has about 1700 houses; a good number of them are unfortunately in a poor stage and in immediate need of repair. A survey done in 1992 showed that almost 25% of the houses were Government property, about 20% belonged to a religious Trust Commission (Wakf), and nearly 50% were privately owned, leaving about 6% as unknown property.

Stone Town – Stone walls

Try to use a modern cell phone inside a traditional Stone Town building. The reception will fail and the call will never get connected. The average thickness of a wall in Stone Town is 40 – 60 cm. The building material used is coral rag and lime mortar. An appropriate technology for a hot and humid climate where heat needs to be kept out and humidity varies over the seasons. When the monsoon swept in over Zanzibar the walls managed to absorb the dampness. The material in the walls could expand. When the hot and dry season entered the walls dried out and the heat was kept at bay.

Due to neglect and poverty many buildings have already collapsed in Stone Town. The sad remains of those crumbled houses show the handsome work of the walls interior. The corall stones and mixed with sand and mortar, holding the construction together.

Stone Town – Floors, ceilings and roofs

The plan of the houses was limited to the material available and affordable. Most rooms found in traditional houses in Stone Town are quite narrow and deep. This plan is due to the limitation caused by the use of mangrove poles for making of floors and ceilings. Only in houses where the imported teak could be afforded, and in later constructions where iron beams were introduced, are the rooms wider and more spacious. Lime mortar was also used for the floors and ceilings giving the same flexibility to building as the walls. The height from floor to ceiling was generous and made it possible for the air to circulate and cool off. Initially the houses had flat roof with a crenel around the top. When corrugated iron was introduced to the Island, many houses got an additional pitched roof on top.

Stone Town – Doors

Perhaps the most striking and spectacular impression of Stone Town for its first time visitor is the magnificent wooden doors serving as prosperous entrances to the grand buildings.

The doors have become more or less synonym with the Swahili culture where they mainly are found in East Africa, Lamu and Mombasa (Kenya) and in Zanzibar. The doors in Zanzibar outnumber the doors, both in number and in grandness, found elsewhere along the coast, and thus being named ‘Zanzibar doors’. An inventory done in the 1980ies reported around 800 doors. Unfortunately has the number decreased, not only due to the diminishing of several houses, but also due to theft following the increased attention from international collectors.

The doors are manifestations in excellent craftsmanship, both technically and artistically. The oldest doors are often made out of Burma (Indian)[p teak, shipped all the way from Asia across the Indian Ocean. The shutters are made in one impressive piece and not mended together as is the case on newer doors. The Burma teak does no longer exist and the alternative has been the East African teak. Even this wood has become rare and difficult to find, often demanding a very high price.

The wealthy traders and house owners appointed skilled carvers brought in from India for the delicate job of arranging the entrance ornament. Their creativity is continuously at display.

In principal there are two types of doors found in Stone Town. The Indian doors, or Gujarati doors, with square shutters and made into smaller sections so that the door can fold together. These doors are to be seen along the busy bazaar streets where the Indian businessmen lived. The second type is called ‘Arab doors’, these doors are often found with an inscription in Arabic – most likely a phrase from the Holy Quraan – on the top frieze, and richly decorated around the frame. The older doors were all square at top. The semi-circular frames were introduced later, but are still referred to as ‘Arab doors’.

The custom of putting brass knobs on the shutters comes from India, where the knobs were said to prevent elephants from crushing the doors. Since there have been no violent elephants in Zanzibar the brass knobs were simply but there as a decoration and to show the wealth of its owner.

By looking at the lower part of the side posts and rough estimate can be done of the age of the door. The oldest doors have a symbol resembling of a fish. The fish gradually transformed into a shape of a pineapple and thus if the carving shows a clear and distinct pineapple the doors is of a younger generation. Another symbol that became part of the decoration was the chain-like row at the very outside of the whole door. The chain was said to protect the entrance from evil spirits.

One of the oldest doors in Stone Town can be found at the entrance to the Old Fort. Another one is the well maintained door at the Zanzibar Conservation Centre (former Old Customs house) along the Forodhani seafront.

Zanzibar louvers and other details

The windows in the Stone Town buildings are also worth some attention. They often stretch from floor and high up the walls, with deep niches protecting the inside room from direct sun-light. The lower part at floor level had separate shutter that could open and helped to increase the ventilation in the rooms – once again an appropriate construction for the humid climate. The special louvers, even named ‘Zanzibar louvers’, at the mid part or upper part of the windows have a vertical stick in the middle making it possible to change the angles of the louvers. This finesse made it possible to open op for maximal light and air and then close for privacy and shade.

The Arab houses had in general plane facades with windows giving the inhabitants the possibility to look out but no one from outside could look in. The Arab women were not supposed to be seen in public and hence there were no verandas or other outside arrangements. Still several houses can be found with the most beautifully decorated verandas. Some of these houses have had their balconies added later or the houses were built by Europeans or non-Arabs. The Zanzibar Conservation Centre (the Old Customs House) is one example of an Arab-mansion that has had its significant veranda some thirty years after its original construction.

A typical detail at the houses in Zanzibar are the stone benches either outside the house or seen in the first hallway when looking in from the main entrance door. These benches, or sitting arrangements, are called ‘baraza’ in Kiswahili and a symbol for the rich social life in the Swahili culture. The outside braza benches are often found in the merchant part of Stone Town were business could both discussed and displayed openly. In the Arab houses the baraza benches are find inside. In the more prominent Arab houses there was even a second ‘Zanzibar door’ in the hallway leading to a room where guests could be invited for more private discussions.

Black and white marble tiles found on the stairs and entrance to a house is yet another sign of wealth and importance of its owner.