The first time I went to Kariakoo was with one of my Mama Mkubwas - I remember clasping at her skirt as we weaved through people trying to find jewellery for my confirmation (🥲) For people who didn’t frequent this vibrant district - it was mysterious or just confusing. People would say it’s dangerous- chaotic etc etc. but when I moved back to Dar it was the best place to buy fabric and anything else I needed to be able to create. There was a time I would go to Kariakoo at least 3 times a week. One thing I love about Tanzanians in general is that we help strangers - and even though my Swahili sometimes got questioned (the struggle continues) I never once felt unsafe - or lost because someone always took the time to talk to me and now I know this place like the back of my hand. It was sad going back recently and seeing the main building closed off, knowing how many lives the fire affected. Capturing this history and learning about the art that once covered it’s facade was an honour - Revisit Kariakoo in @thearchitecturalreview Public issue - can’t wait for our full view of the monumental market building to be restored
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Slide 1&2 : Photos taken in 2011 by @benediktredmann
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Slide 3: photo taken in 2017 cc. IGC
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#writing#kariakoo#tanzania#market#africanmarket#architecture#history#art