Kabwata Cultural Centre

Buying and selling is one way to survive in Lusaka.

Buying and selling to tourists could be a lucrative activity when there are lots of tourists around. At Livingstone, a tourist mecca with Victoria Falls nearby, it was evident that the traders were doing it tough. Some of the accommodation places had laid off staff, and the street vendors would savage their own prices to try to make a sale. It is no different in Lusaka.



One tourist place in Lusaka is the Kabwata Cultural Centre. A visit there is at once interesting, frustrating, and worrying. Located not far from the city centre this village has been set up in a semi-traditional style, with lots of round huts and thatched rooves. There is no charge for entry, any the main purpose seems to be to sell locally made arts and crafts.

Wood carvings, batik materials, and baskets abound. Around the centre you can see men carving the sculptures or fashioning small animals out of wood. Under and around the shelters you can see the items for sale. With very basic tools they carve some amazing items. In the shelters are anything from one to five vendors (sometimes it seems like more) who want you to buy something from their stock.

Today we paid our second visit to the centre, and spent some of our money, but not enough to satisfy any of the traders. During the afternoon we spotted only one other 'mzungu' in the centre, and she was accompanied by a local guide or helper. From the time of our entry through the gate we only had to look at an item, and the bargaining started. When we entered some of the huts closest to the gate we were swamped with two, three or four people trying to get us to look at their items, and offering us prices which reduced rapidly as we looked at other items.

We bought some items for our family, but after an hour or more it was a little too much for me. Beth might have stayed for another hour if we knew that what we bought would be welcomed as gifts for family.

For people who depend on tourism the economic downturn has been tough - and it can only be hoped that the American summer holidays will bring a few more tourists with the resources to inject much needed funds into the Zambian economy.

Anyone interested in a small wooden carved elephant, rhino, giraffe, hippo or lion ?