ANNA - QUA - ANA: Indian Ocean

Showing posts with label Indian Ocean. Show all posts

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Anna Luks In Dar

This summer, I was back in Dar-es-Salaam, my home town for a vacation with a difference. Instead of enjoying the wonderful sun, sea and sandy beaches it was more of a working holiday. My aim this time around was to introduce my clothing brand Anna Luks..

Being home is always a blessing. Despite being born and growing up in the city (Dar-es-Salaam, the Swahililand), I found myself surrounded by a "new" Dar!! A world of new faces and lifestyle, it felt strange but understandable at the same time. I was reminiscing of the beautiful old Dar, familiar places and landmarks, many of them are very sadly no more! Things just seemed totally new to me!

I was quite fortunate to have family and friends helping me out in my venture. Karolyn Klaire and Carola Kinasha were the main force behind Anna Luks in Dar by introducing me to many wonderful people in my field. I couldn't have achieved what I did without them.

I had an opportunity to be part of one of the fast-growing Pop Up shops in Dar known as Pop-Up-Bongo which is run by Natasha. The Pop-up-Bongo exhibition event took place on the 2nd August in Slipway Dar-es-Salaam. The turn out and interest was amazing. I was also thrilled to have finally met quite a few of Anna Luks supporters in person for the first time!

The highlight of my trip to Swahililand was being invited by one of the prestigious Fashion Magazine, Bang, for an interview and a photoshoot at Albert Manifester studios in Mwenge Dar-es-Salaam.

I have put together a few highlights/behind the scene of my working holiday in Dar. Enjoy!

Exhibition

Venue: The Terrace , Slipway Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

My buddies Tony Joett (TJ) with Sauda Simba. Thanks guys for the love! xxx

Natasha of Pop-up-Bongo and Karolyn Klaire wearing Anna luks skirt and crotchet top

Rope Jacket

Rio-the- Stylist rocking Anna Luks Rope Jacket

Tz model Chelsea E Santana

Tz Designer of Pax Fashion label Judith Ngonjela

Interviews

At Holiday Inn Dar-es-Salaam

With Khadija

Ruth Luks talking about her Jewelry.

Photo Shoots

Behind the scenes

Ladies in Red. The coat dress

Dyed hessian fabric

Karolyn in Hessian Coat Dress

Nasreen of Enji Pai Jewellery

Its a wrap guys! @ the Bang Magazine shoot with awesome photographer himself Albert Manifester.

Other Business

Nasreen Karim of Enjipai and I

Karolyn and I chilling after a meeting with Designer Ally Rhemtullah at the Fish Market in Msasani Dar-es-Salaam

Ally and I

Ally with Anna and Ruth of A&R Luks accessories

Chillaxing ; Anna & Ruth Luks of A&R Luks accessories

Thanks to:

Karolyn Klaire, Carolla Kinasha, Athanasius Lukindo, Natasha of Pop-up-Bongo, Lyn Lux, Tony Joett, Zainab and Jabu Maalim.

Much appreciation!

See you guys very soon!

Anna x

Sunday, 10 February 2013

Swahiliness in Swahililand

In the 21st century, to be referred as Mswahili is far from a compliment. To be called "Mswahili" is a form of scorn. Mswahili is a person who will not keep their promises, time inefficient, careless and anything negative! Literally, if one says Mswahili, it should mean " A Swahili Person"; just like when we refer to a person born and bred in London as being "A Londoner" or a Cockney speaker, etc. I personally identify myself as a Swahili woman so that will make me a "Mswahili" and very proud of it!! This little post will tell you exactly why.

Myself (centre) with my Swahili sisters representing, at the River Thames Carnival in London September 2010

Being born and raised in Dar es Salaam on the East African Swahili coast there are times when I reminisce on the uniqueness of the Swahili culture, its traditional music and dance, visual arts, cuisine and of course fashion; a collage of daily activities, depending on where you are. You would see women weaving mats, baskets, pounding corn or vegetables to prepare meals.

You would also encounter ladies and young girls decorating themselves with henna or braiding hair and actually, the cost of braiding is not that exorbitant in these neighbourhoods. Knowing that someday you could return the favour. You would see men enjoying a game of “bao”, young boys with their creative engineering skills constructing a “car” using materials they have found in the neighbourhood, men scaling palm trees for fresh coconuts which are peeled and cracked open for refreshing drinks, etc! Oh, how I miss that!
As for the music and dance … on weekends you could bump into a group of people getting together with their musical instruments and just having fun! I remember when we used to live in a particular area in Dar-es-Salaam called Magomeni, it was disastrous in a good way! You would be in the house minding your own business and my word; you hear these hypnotic sounds of drumming and singing, the wonderful sounds of Gombe Sugu, Beni, Mkwaju- Ngoma (later on was replaced by Mdundiko) and of course Mdumange, passing outside your street, before you know it you have slipped out of the back door and enjoyed the carnival… destination unknown!!! I used to get into a lot of trouble for that, I can laugh about it now.

Beni man

Proper Beni going on here!!!

I am so grateful that I had the full Swahili experience when we moved from Oyster bay to this typical Swahili area of Magomeni; It felt strange in the beginning, as the two areas are totally opposite to each other, after a few months being a child, I adapted, and boy, I loved it!. This is the area where all these carnivals used to happen on our street, sometimes it could be too many in a day, but hey.... it swept me alright. I remember once going as far as Mwembe Chai with my neighbour friend called Mwana Hamisi. That is when I really got smacked by my dad because we came back late; around 6-ish... and boy no child was allowed out of the house during those times.

Hey! Those bygone years Taarab a typical Swahili genre sort of music was on the scene; nowadays it is Bongo Flava – a combination of both Swahili and Western forms.

I will not talk much of the mouth-watering cuisine cooked with local spices! The fresh fish from the Indian Ocean, available at the open fish market along Kigamboni beach. This can be picked fresh fish to be prepared at home or grilled right there; or roasted (grilled) corn and cassava chips, fresh vegetables, fruits (i.e. different types of mangos, bananas), etc. I could go on, but you get the picture.

When it comes to fashion, women like to adorn themselves with Khanga, which continues to be recognized as traditional attire as well as Vikoi (kikoi, singular) mostly worn by men, a pride of Swahili women and men.

There is a lot of history about the Khanga fabric which I had written about in my earlier blogs. I am proud to highlight that Khanga continues to maintain its status as it enters into the 21^st century. Designers use this traditional fabric in the revolutionary styles of today.

With that I say, please enjoy some of the snippets of the Swahili Flavour.