Ng'ambo Atlas book launch

AAmatters
Jan 5, 2019
2 min read

The new book: Ng’ambo Atlas illustrates the Historic Urban Landscape of Zanzibar Town’s ‘Other Side’ (LM Publishers).

Ng'ambo Atlas is produced by the Department of Urban and Rural Planning in Zanzibar and African Architecture Matters.

Ng’ambo Atlas book launch is organised in collaboration with the African Studies Centre Leiden and will take place on Thursday 24 January 2019 at 15:30 in the Academy Building, Leiden University, Rapenburg 73, 2311 GJ Leiden - Klein Auditorium.

The event is open to public, but due to limited seating capacity registration is compulsory. If you would like to join us please register here.

The programme includes the presentation of the Ng’ambo Atlas by Dr Muhammad Juma (director of the Department of Urban and Rural Planning in Zanzibar), a public key-note speech by Professor Filip de Boeck and a discussion with Professor Nnamdi Elleh, Olutimehin Adegbeye, Ronald Wall and Muhammad Juma.

The first copy of the Ng’ambo Atlas will officially be handed over by Dr. Muhammad Juma to the Tanzanian Ambassador in the Netherlands, H.E. Irene Kasyanju.

We are grateful for the support received for the research, production and publication of the book from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the Creative Industries Fund NL, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dar es Salaam, EFL Foundation and the City of Amsterdam.

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Book details:

Ng’ambo is the lesser known ‘Other Side’ of Zanzibar Town. During the British Protectorate the area was designated as the ‘Native Quarters’, today it is set to become the new city centre of Zanzibar’s capital. Local and international perceptions of the cultural and historical importance of Ng’ambo have for a long time remained overshadowed by the social and cultural divisions created during colonial times. One thing is certain: despite its limited international fame and lack of recognition of its importance, Ng’ambo has played and continues to play a vital role in shaping the urban environment of Zanzibar Town.

This atlas presents over hundred years of Ng’ambo’s history and urban development through maps, plans, surveys and images, and provides insights into its present-day cultural landscape through subjects such as architecture, toponymy, cultural activities, public recreation, places for social interaction, handcrafts and urban heritage.

Ng’ambo Atlas. Historic Urban Landscape of Zanzibar Town’s ‘Other Side’ documents the material collected through the heritage-based urban planning project Ng’ambo Tuitakayo! carried out by the Government of Zanzibar in collaboration with African Architecture Matters and City of Amsterdam and under the auspices of UNESCO.

Click on the images below to preview pages of the book:

The book launch takes place in relation to the conference Future of the African City organized by the African Studies Centre in Leiden I collaboration with AAMatters. To read more about the event check the ASCL website

We look forward to seeing you on the 24th of January in Leiden!