Designer shops in Stone Town
They are multiplying and improving over the years: designer boutiques selling wax or kanga clothing and concept stores give Stone Town a pretty Swahili-chic look. The classic boutiques are wearying because of the similarity of the souvenirs, many of which are imported from the continent, other African countries or even China. On the other hand, these stores cater to a more discerning clientele, selecting beautiful objects and unique collections. Women's clothing stores in particular, but men's and children's clothing are also available. The designer is often the salesperson. You can also bring your own fabric to have a dress or shirt made to measure. It's all possible! Concept stores bring together the most attractive clothing lines, beautifully finished handicrafts and well-packaged kiki fabrics, making you want to buy everything.
Spices, inspiration for natural cosmetics
It's unlikely enough to leave Spice Island without spices, but avoid the tourist traps and head instead to Stone Town's spice market in Darajani: it's central and easy to find, the bags are large and, if you bargain, cheap. The spice farms where spice tours are organized also sell spices. As well as spices for cooking, don't forget to take along Swahili teas and coffees scented with vanilla, banana, mango...
Spices have also inspired the creators of top-of-the-range natural cosmetics ranges in Zanzibar, such as Inaya, the best-known, or Zuri Rituals, which has just opened. The new natural cosmetics stores were born of the success of certain products in hotels, with beauty treatments incorporating essential oils from Zanzibar spices. The packaging is sophisticated, the product compositions original (such as lemon lime and coconut). You can even bring your own bottles to buy shower gel in bulk at Inaya, which is eco-friendly.
The kanga, emblematic of Swahili culture
Kanga fabrics are fascinating in Tanzania, particularly on the Swahili coast. You can buy them both at the fabric market and in Stone Town's concept stores. They really are an inexpensive gift (€2 to €4 a pair) and easy to pack in your suitcase. You'll find them in typical Swahili colors and patterns at Zanzibar's fabric market. Made in Tanzania and Kenya, they are worn by the island's women. They wear them in two parts, as a scarf covering the bust and as a skirt-layer. That's why they're usually sold in pairs. It's also a very practical baby carrier, as it is everywhere in Africa. This 1.5 m x 1 m cotton rectangle is quite thin, with the central part (called "mij" in Swahili) filled with brightly colored patterns, bordered by a border ("pindo") of different motifs. Printed in the square is a Swahili proverb, the "jina", which has an important philosophical meaning in local culture. While the kanga has been around since the 19th century, the jina was only introduced in the 20th. It is seen as a means of expression for women, who are rarely given the floor, and who can assert their ideas through their choice of clothing. The sayings printed on the fabrics speak for themselves. For example, the kangas read: mwanamke mazingira tuanataka, usawa, amani, maendelo ("We (women) want equality, peace and progress"). Just as naogopa simba na meno yake siogopi mtu kwa maneno yake ("I'm afraid of a lion with strong teeth, but not of a man with words") is a clear message! Some proverbs relate to existential ideas(Japo sipati tamaa sikati : "Even if I have nothing, I don't give up my desire to have what I want") or virtues and morality in relation to God(mungu).
Maasai jewellery and beadwork
Granted, Maasai country isn't Zanzibar, since the Maasai live in the Arusha region at the foot of Kilimanjaro in mainland Tanzania. But when we meet all the young Maasai who have come to work as seasonal workers in Zanzibar, it's a bit like Maasai country that comes to us! They are impressive with their colorful beaded bracelets, scarification and jewelry, which add to their red plaid blankets. It's the women who make the jewelry with great patience, and you'll find everything possible in beads in these stores. They're run by friendly Maasai women, and you'll find a huge choice of bracelets and necklaces in red, blue, yellow and green beads, often in wide bands. The multitude, the choice and now the best finishes of these creations with real clasps make them tempting.
Tanzanite, a precious stone on display in Zanzibar
The more affluent or passionate can treat themselves to a piece of jewelry mounted with tanzanite, a cobalt-blue gemstone with indigo reflections, transparently cut and sculpted to sublimate the light. In Zanzibar, new tanzanite jewelry stores are opening regularly in Stone Town, proof that this market is flourishing. Tanzanite is rare: in the whole world, it is found only in Tanzania. And even then, not everywhere, only in the far north, near Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), in the Arusha region. It was a Maasai shepherd who first discovered this precious stone in 1967. The story goes that he noticed stones glinting on the surface of the ground under the effect of the sun's rays. A thousand times rarer than diamonds, it immediately attracted the American market, where 85% of exports to luxury jewelers are concentrated. The Maasai own 95% of the tanzanite trade, as the mines are located on their land, in Mererani, some 30 km east of Arusha. Working conditions in the mines are extremely arduous. The descent into the galleries is particularly dangerous: the 40 to 50 m vertical descent is made via a ladder with slippery rungs. Although a siren warns of explosions, accidents are frequent.
