Art for Sale in Tanzania Cities
An article by Ian Williamson

When on safari in Tanzania many tourists look to buy some African art; the towns of Arusha,Dar es Salaam and Stone Town being three of the best towns to buy art - browsing for hours looking and talking to the artists and the stall holders.

 

Arusha has a great art market and a local tour guide will be able to assist you or any taxi driver can drop you off and wait for you for just a few dollars. A local guide will help you with the language,get a better price and stop the hawkers from bothering you. Not all the artists/stall holders speak English well, or even at all. Your guide will be a great help with negotiations.

 

Everything you buy must be bargained for,bargaining being a part of the fun part of the experience. However,this must always be kept good-natured,never show irritation or raise your voice. This would be considered rude. Remembering at all times, you are the visitor here.

 

In the entrance of the market in Arusha you will see and be able to purchase fantastic Maasai beadwork direct from the women who make it. It is always better to buy direct from the artist or from a cooperative of artists/artisans. If it is not possible to buy direct,the next best option is to buy from the art and craft markets. 

 

I try not to buy from the curio shops along the high street at all. The guides/safari drivers may prefer the curio shops on the High Streets as profit margins are higher and therefore commissions much better than the art markets. Your guide may even suggest the art markets are not safe. Ignore this advice,the art markets are the better option,a part of the adventure and the artists get a better share of the profits and you a more likely to get the art at a lower price. 

 

Sometimes I will buy art from a gallery, such as the small, independent gallery in Oyster Bay,Dar es Salaam. This gallery is not too expensive and tends showcase artists that are not available in the touristy ‘tinga tinga’art markets; for example Saidi Ray is showcased at this gallery. 

The best markets for Maasai beads are in Arusha as explained above. Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar do not have much to offer in the way of the Maasai beadwork. However, I feel that Arusha does not have the quality of carving or paintings that you find along the coast - with the exception of one or two expensive galleries. 

 

Dar es Salaam has two markets. One is called Morogoro Stores,north of the city and close to ‘the slipway’,and a great source of Tinga Tings art. The market is split into two. The back half hosts some very good artists,all working in a cooperative. This is the half that most tourists visit. The art is more expensive and it is hard work trying to meet with the artists - the whole cooperative is managed by a fantastically efficient if not intimidating woman. The front half of the Morogoro Stores is manned by all the independent artists/dealers. The front half is more casual and the paintings are cheaper.

 

A little further out of the city is Mwenge Village [also known as Makonde Caverns],which again is an art market,full of artists and dealers selling paintings,fabrics and lots of wood carvers work here. I think that of the two markets this is the most fun to visit,the more relaxed. Never-the-less,Morogoro Stores sometimes has the better paintings and I think it necessary to go to both if you have the time. If not, then Morogoro stores for the painting and Mwenge for the carvings. If you need both then you need to make time for both. All other markets in Dar are a waste of time. If you visit during in high season then paintings can be in short supply and you may need to visit both. 

 

I must confess that I gave a wide birth to Zanzibar for a long time –however - I have re-discovered the Spice Islands and have fallen in love with them. Stone Town in particular is where most of the art is to be found in Zanzibar. The Old Fort, next to the majestic House of Wonders is the place to start. Inside the fort is the tourist information office and in the interior court yard is the art market. Here you can buy watercolors, a medium I have never found on the mainland. Be prepared to dig around to discover the gems.

 

The old narrow streets of Stone town host many ‘galleries’and the art is breathtaking [in a good way]. Try to find,in the maze of narrow streets,the ‘Basket Shop’run by Jackson. This is a fascinating shop that sells huge batiks that are great for wall hanging. It is an Aladdin’s cave of art, fabrics and baskets all made by rural women who have banded together to form a cooperative. Jackson’s shop is one of the outlets for this women’s group.

 

This brief guide about where to find art is meant to kick-start your art shopping in Tanzania. If you need any further pointing in the right direction,please do not hesitate to contact us.