The long anticipated Ng’ambo Atlas is finally out!
Last week on Thursday 24th we had the opportunity to present Ng’ambo Atlas to the public during the conference The Future of the African City at the African Studies Centre Leiden. The book launch was followed by a debate on the relevance of material and immaterial culture and urban planning for cities on the African continent with Prof. Filip de Boeck, Dr. Muhammad Juma, Prof. Nnamdi Elleh, Prof. Ronald Wall and OluTimehin Adegbeye, moderated by Aart Oxenaar.
The first copy of the Atlas was handed over by Dr. Muhammad Juma, director of the Dept. of Urban and Rural Planning in Zanzibar and co-author of the book, to the Ambassador of Tanzania to the Netherlands, Her Excellency Irene Kasyanju.
For those who couldn’t be there we are also planning a book presentation during the conference African Perspectives +12 at TU Delft (25-27 March) and in Zanzibar later this year.
-----------------
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.
Sneak preview of the publication:
The Ng’ambo Atlas can be purchased here.
