Street Level: Drawings and Creative Writing Inspired by the Cultural and Architectural Heritage of Dar Es Salaam

by Sarah Markes, Lisa Maria Burgess

Street Level was selected as 2012 Honor Book for Older Readers by the Children's Africana Book Award program, affiliated with the African Studies Association. The introduction to this extraordinarily beautifully illustrated book gives a fascinating overview of the history and architectural heritage of Dar es Salaam, and an insight into the efforts of those seeking to preserve it. The book captures 'fragments of the atmosphere, the sun bleached charm and the dynamic energy' of Dar es Salaam. Generic class and concrete skyscrapers are replacing human sized old Dar, and the frenzy to modernise shows little sign of abating. The city's cultural and historic memory is being erased by property development and its profits for the few. Through her drawings, the artist has recorded the vanishing city centre. She gives portraits of its colourful and dynamic living, going about their business, worshipping and gathering in its age old restaurants and tea rooms to spend time as generations have done so before. An important part of the book is short pieces of prose and poetry by some of the best creative writers in Dar today. They are snapshots of Dar and its the privileged, the poor, those who walk the streets going to places or aimlessly ambling, those in love and those who passed through Dar and left a record of their sojourn.

152 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2011

Reviews

[Lisa Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of spectacular sketches by the artist, Sarah Markes, is combined with literature written by authors living in Dar es Salaam. It is both a documentation of some of the endangered architecture of old Dar es Salaam and a celebration of life in this Tanzanian city.

[Kiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lovely peek into a city I'd love to visit someday- Markes' passion for Dar es Salaam shines through every page, and it's a beautiful thing to see. I don't think this one will stick with me for long, but it's great for what it is.