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Wide streets lined by mauve jacarandas, flame trees and hot pink bougainvilleas, women with dreadlocked hair, dressed in bright prints with babies strapped on to their backs, and privately run kombis or omnibuses loaded with passengers — this is Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Long ago this city used to be called Salisbury and was one of the most prosperous African cities. Legend has it that the city’s name (which means the ‘One who never Sleeps" ) was derived from the name of the Shona tribal chief who lived in a citadel on the highest point in the city called Kopje and was ever vigilant so that no enemy could creep up behind him. There is a travel and tourism fair on in Harare which is showcasing the country’s rich culture and tourist attractions. It is also a platform to meet talented artists selling stone sculptures, recycled art created from bottle caps, and colourful batiks. Almost everyone seems to harbour an artistic soul, creating something that is beautiful. A wide cross-section of people — from young woman entrepreneurs to holistic healers, percussion musicians, owners of safari camps, a young activist who conducts township tours to show how the black people live, a new company which organizes cricket tours around the country, even soldiers from the Zimbabwean army who explain how they are engaged in diffusing land mines over vast areas —are part of the fair. To really understand Harare’s soul, one has to visit Mbare Township, the city’s oldest township, where for many years the black Zimbabweans have lived, worked and shopped. Mbare market is a real picture of chaotic and frenetic Africa: reams of colourful fabric, horns blaring, traders peddling a variety of things from fruits to cigarettes and touts shouting out their wares. Told to mind our wallets and cameras, we trail through the Curio Market stacked with huge drums covered with skin, musical instruments made from dried fruits, soapstone sculpture, intricately woven baskets and animals carved out of wood. As we drive through the area, bright murals that enliven the shabby walls of residential blocks, as part of the Harare International Festival of Arts by Dutch Graffiti artists, are eye-catching. Under shady trees in an
empty stretch of open ground, there are members of the apostolic sect
worshipping in their white robes. Known for their esoteric practices,
they worship in small groups in the wilderness. In the largest
community hall here called Stodart Hall, Cliff Richard performed in
the 1960s; jazz music and tap dancing are still popular with locals.
There is the crowded Mupedzanhama Market where second-hand clothing,
garnered from the western world, is sold for as little as a dollar.
A world apart is the Central Business District with its glass and steel skyscrapers and the northern suburbs which look like a piece of faded England with well tended gardens, golf courses and stately Victorian homes. We walk into the sprawling Botanical Garden laid out corresponding to the climatic regions of the country with a stunning variety of trees, cacti and flowers. History whispers from every corner of the city. On Robert Mugabe Road, there are heritage buildings which are remnants of the colonial past with cast iron balconies and filigree capitals. One can almost imagine ladies in trailing gowns and men in bowler hats walking across this street. On a Sunday one can attend the mass at the granite Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints, built on the site of the first mud church, designed by famous architect Herbert Baker, who also helped design the Parliament House along with Lutyens in New Delhi. Women in blue and white uniforms, children dressed in their best clothes and flower vendors outside – provide a slice of local life. Long ago prospectors and gold diggers flocked to the watering holes of the town; today the rustic Book Café is the place of alternative culture where activists, musicians and poets give vent to open expression and dialogue. For sport buffs, a visit to the Harare Sports Club where Zimbabwe played its inaugural test against India in 1992 is a must. Surrounded by purple jacarandas and a gabled pavilion with rounded gables typical of Cape Dutch architecture, this is truly a blast from the past. Britain seems to be in the cultural DNA of the locals: from English schools with ‘A’ levels, high tea in hotels and cricket remaining the favourite sport, the city seems to suffer from a massive colonial hangover. The cuisine is, however, distinctly African: meat heavy with a great dose of carbohydrates. The main staple called sadza is a maize/cornmeal mixture eaten with a vegetable stew, sour milk and game meat like kudu and impala. The most interesting local dish is crunchy mopane worms (actually the caterpillars of the emperor moth) which locals say is packed with proteins and minerals. The Harare Gardens is
the city’s green lungs, with walking paths dotted with school kids
and charcoal suited men.
Sam Levy’s Village in Borrowdale is a world apart from Mbare with its chic restaurants, classy boutiques and market overflowing with meats, luscious fruits and vegetables. The ambience of Doon Estate is lovely with railway workers’ houses which have been converted into classy shops selling high-quality wares from local craftspeople. There is hand-painted pottery and the Cocoa Tree specialises in chocolates made in fine Belgian style. One can strike great bargains at the flea market behind the Avondale Market crammed with souvenir like drums, wood figurines, carved pieces, colourful beads. The highlight of the day is a chance meeting with two young girls who entertain us with a soulful rendition of Gospel songs. This is a moment to take home along with a suitcase full of other treasures like an aged bowl, a malachite hippo and a painting of a local market by an unknown artist! FACT FILE How to get there: Fly on Emirates through Dubai to Harare. Currency: US dollar. Where to stay: Centrally located Rainbow Towers or the charming Bronte Hotel located in extensive gardens. Meikles Hotel is a good luxury option. What to do: A township tour of Mbare, the National Gallery, performance at Book Café, the Heroes Acre and the Lion and Cheetah Park, the Botanical Gardens, shop at Doon Estate and the Balancing What to eat: Staples like sadza made from corn meal and millets accompanied by meat stews, dried fish called kapenta, dried biltong meat; vegetarian specialties are butternut squash and green chomolia; the local chibuku beer and locally brewed brands like Lion and Zambezi Beer. What
to buy: Stone carvings, wooden figurines, recycled art, batik
panels, woven baskets, colourful bags and beaded slippers, carved
wooden boxes and panels.
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