The Mtoni Palace Publication is part of the larger Mtoni Conservation Project, which was originated by the Department of Archives, Museums and Antiquities of Zanzibar and Mtoni Marine Center in order to safeguard the conservation of Mtoni Palace. The above parties asked ArchiAfrika to coordinate and execute part of their project, namely the editing of a publication on Mtoni Palace.
The Mtoni Palace Publication is part of the larger Mtoni Conservation Project, which was originated by the Department of Archives, Museums and Antiquities of Zanzibar and Mtoni Marine Center in order to safeguard the conservation of Mtoni Palace. The above parties asked ArchiAfrika to coordinate and execute part of their project, namely the editing of a publication on Mtoni Palace. ArchiAfrika has involved three students from the Technical University of Delft to do part of the necessary research.
Historical background Mtoni Palace
Beit el Mtoni, which literally means the palace on the creek, was the first and largest palace on Zanzibar during the reign of Sultan Said who shifted his residence from Muscat in Oman to Zanzibar in 1828. The core of the palace is probably even older. There is mention of an older mansion owned by a Saleh B. Haramil al-Abry, who is supposed to be the person who introduced clove growing to the island.
Around a thousand people lived in the palace and its direct surroundings during the thirties to seventies of the nineteenth century. During the1880s the palace was abandoned and fell into ruin.
In Mtoni palace princess Salme was born. She would become world famous as Emily Ruete, the wife of a German merchant, who eloped with her to Hamburg. In her beautiful book – Leben in Sultanspalast – Salme paints a vivid and detailed picture of the bristling palace during her youth, and, later on her sentimental journey back to Zanzibar in 1885, its decay and ruin. The palace played a crucial role during the heyday of the history of Zanzibar, when it was a place of immense wealth and great power.
Mtoni Palace belongs, together with the old fort, Beit el Sahel (the Palace Museum) and a few mosques to the eldest buildings on the island.
Mtoni Conservation Project
In January 2005 the long time existing public-private cooperation between the Department of Archives, Museums and Antiquities of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (DAMA) and Mtoni Marine Center (MMC) was sealed by a formal agreement on a 10-year lease of the palace premises to the latter party. Mtoni Marine is one of the older tourist hotels in Zanzibar and located right next to the Mtoni Palace Ruins. DAMA and MMC both aim at preserving the oldest palace on Zanzibar. Therefore, their partnership is referred to as the Mtoni Conservation Project.
Since the early nineties of last century, maintenance and repair works have been jointly undertaken by the two above parties. The site was cleared, weeds were removed from the ruins and salvaging works have been carried out. Recently, piecemeal reconstruction of the palace baths has commenced. These works are carried out by tradesman who have followed a restoration course, and under supervision of DAMA.
MMC has cleared the gardens, replanted them with original species and laid out a natural-historical trail through the grounds, which has opened the site to the public.
Although the cooperation has proven to be successful, the efforts rely on meager funds and a lot of goodwill. The available means are unfortunately not sufficient to prevent further decay of the palace. Constantly exposed to the elements, the original structure is being severely damaged.
Consequently, the Mtoni Conservation Project decided to start a new project with aim at boosting the conservation budget by creating income-generating activities: in this case being the publication of a guidebook on Mtoni Palace. ArchiAfrika was approached to do the editing of this publication.
A guidebook for Beit el Mtoni
As a first step towards self-reliance of the Mtoni Conservation Project, a guidebook has been published to raise awareness amongst the public, institutions and simultaneously create revenue. The guidebook is meant for a broad public.
The book consists of a historical and an architectural part. The historical essays focus on the advent of Omani rule on Zanzibar, the life of Princess Salme and the decay of the palace.
The architectural part consists of an architectural analysis of Omani architecture in the Zanzibari context, a detailed description of the palace along with virtual spacial reconstructions and detailed plan drawings.
Involvement TU Delft
In order to find information on the initial shape and construction of the palace, extensive research was necessary. Therefore, the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands was involved in the project.
Three master students of the TU Delft decided to do their final thesis on Mtoni Palace. Karin Meijer, Susanne Pot and Xiaoguang Zhang, travelled to Zanzibar to do research at the National Archives, to talk to local experts and execute excavations under supervision of Dr. Abdurahman M. Juma at the palace premises. The outcome of their research has been included in the Mtoni Palace Publication.
All three students successfully graduated with their proposed designs for the future use of Mtoni Palace.
Book Presentation
On April 15th 2010 'MTONI Palace, Sultan & Princess of Zanzibar' was presented in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Following a brief introduction by Antoni Folkers, Anne Katrien Denissen introduced the story of the wanderings of Princess Salme. Agnes Wijers, Director International Affairs at the Delft University of Technology, then explained shortly how the University played a role in the Mtoni Palace Project.
During this special event there was a live performance by Matona, a well known Zanzibari Taarab musician, assisted by Henk Lippens. Taarab is Zanzibar's most popular music.
The performance was preceded by an introduction to Taarab by Rob Lokin, programmer of the Afrikafestival Hertme in Twente since 1991, a non-profit African music festival.
To view the YouTube video of the performance please click on link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCVZpII7Dy0&feature=player_embedded
The publication was formally launched in July at the 2010 Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) Literary Forum hosted in Mtoni palace.
To read a review on the book and event by David Slocum from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership:
http://www.archiafrika.org/en/node/1220
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Project Team Mtoni Conservation Project
Department of Archives, Museums and Antiquities (DAMA) - Dr. Hamad Omar
Mtoni Marine Center - Nicola Colangelo
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Project Team Publication
Mtoni Conservation Project:
Stefanie Schötz – Overall Project Coordinator Zanzibar
ArchiAfrika:
Anne-Katrien Denissen – Editing Project Coordinator
Antoni Folkers – Chief Editor
Anne-Katrien Denissen:
Anne-Katrien Denissen is one of the authors of the book MTONI Palace, Sultan & Princess of Zanzibar. She obtained her Masters degree in art history at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, specializing in contemporary African art. She worked for the ArchiAfrika Foundation for several years and published various articles on African art and architecture. Currently she is employed at the National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development (NCDO).
Antoni Folkers:
Antoni Folkers is one of the directors of African Architecture Matters, which is responsible for carrying out research, organizing and conducting projects, amongst others for ArchiAfrika. ArchiAfrika is an independent and professional network where dialogue on architectural and urbanism developments in Africa is facilitated. Antoni Folkers graduated as an architect and urban planner at Delft University of Technology in 1986. His engagement to African architecture started in the eighties when he was living and working as an architect in Tanzania and Uganda and has never left him ever since. He is not only co-founder of ArchiAfrika, but also of FBW architects & engineers, Utrecht (1991), Dar es Salaam (1994) and Kampala (1997).
