Longair, Sarah, Said, Fatma and Wynne-Jones, Stephanie orcid.org/0000-0002-3005-8647 (2024) Colonialism, heritage and conservation:Zanzibari perceptions of the collapse of the House of Wonders. Journal of Eastern African Studies. ISSN 1753-1063
Abstract
The House of Wonders (or Beit al-Ajaib), one of the iconic buildings of Zanzibar’s waterfront, partially collapsed on 25th December 2020. This catastrophic incident, which included the famous clocktower, killed two people who had been inside the building and injured several others. The House of Wonders has prompted fascination and admiration since its construction as part of a redevelopment of Zanzibar’s waterfront by Sultan Barghash in 1883. Its collapse attracted worldwide media attention. This article explores the dynamics of history and heritage in Zanzibar, using the collapse of the House of Wonders as the catalyst for analysing the ways that Zanzibaris feel about the presentation of the past. The research involved a series of interviews with residents of Stone Town in which participants discussed the collapse of the House of Wonders and themes of history, identity and tourism. Our project reveals the layered associations with the House of Wonders, one which acknowledges the building’s Omani origins and colonial use but simultaneously its centrality as an icon of Zanzibar. The article also discusses what these findings about the House of Wonders reveal about the complex relationship between perceptions of Zanzibari cultural heritage and the role of tourism.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Author(s). |
Keywords: | cultural heritage,identity,Swahili,tourism,Zanzibar |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (York) > Archaeology (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 22 Jan 2024 12:20 |
Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2025 18:12 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2023.2295188 |
Status: | Published online |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/17531055.2023.2295188 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:208117 |
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Description: Colonialism heritage and conservation Zanzibari perceptions of the collapse of the House of Wonders
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