Zanzibar's beauty is palpable and deep. What strikes me most is the interplay between the natural beauty, the warmth and humility of the people, and tourism-- a major industry. While we are intruding as tourists, we are also working hard to see beyond the lends afforded most tourists. Our reading and efforts to think about the history and structures of this old, diverse society help us see the processes that built Zanzibar--the mix of Arab, Indian, European, and African forces that shaped the buildings, people, and land. Today, we visited a spice farm and explored the various trees and plants that were transplanted here--cardamom, ginger, vanilla, and cinnamon. I never knew cinnamon came from the bark of a tree that has so many different functions, including a medicinal one. People have perfected uses for the trees and treat them with reverence. Walking in the spice forest provided a whole new way to look at the relationship between land and people. Men make perfume from the flowers. The vanilla vine is treated with tenderness. Pregnant women mix cinnamon and pepper with porridge to help ease morning sickness. It was also interesting to hear about women at all here. Women have a subtle, quiet presence. We have had very little interaction with women, except to reflect on being in a place where 95% of the women veil. Mostly, Zanzibar makes me feel very aware of a desire to connect to the source--as people here do. People walk to market to gather everything they need. People know every tree and multiple uses for each part of every tree. People talk passionately about politics and history in public places. There is little confusion about who the people of Zanzibar are. Being here invites me to ask: how can you know who you are when you don't know where you come from or how your daily blessings arrive in your life?
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