Pan African Market
Overview
76 Long Street, Cape Town Central, Cape Townphone: view phone+27 21 426-4478
fax: view fax+27 21 426-4478
website: http://www.panafrican.co.za
e-mail: send an e-mail
Description
The Pan African Market (PAM) was started in 1997 as a craft market comprising various traders each running their individual businesses and leasing stall space from the then owners of the market. Located in a national monument on historic Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa. The market then consisted in five traders, including the Methven's, occupying only the first floor. PAM has grown tremendously from the original storefront idea into Cape Town's largest pan African cultural melting pot, and now comprises 33 stores and stalls representing at least 14 countries of Africa. As a meeting place for African migrants and visitors from around Africa and the rest of the world, PAM now houses a dynamic market place where traders from all over the continent make and sell their art and run small businesses, including the selling of art and crafts, hair dressing, tailoring, holistic healing and catering. Vuyo Koyana and Ntone Edjabe, the current owners, have considerable experience in both business and people management. Between the two of them, they have had vast exposure in the human development, journalism and arts and culture fields. The Pan African Market is the brainchild of people who identified the opportunity to create something that would become uniquely and distinctly African multi-ethnic. When spoken of, African Art tends to be homogenised. In the Pan African Market, however, there is both the ingenue and the connoisseur to bring to bear the incredibly edifying exposure to the cultures of peoples from various parts of Africa. The traders who man their stalls are effectively independent. The Pan African market is so structured as to allow them to showcase the work they choose and in so doing, bring a beautiful and unrestricted multi-ethnicity to this space. One is able to explore three floors laden with stunning pieces, each corner leading to yet more revelation. The next step in the exploration of this artwork is to bring forth its stories to begin, not only to contextualise these art pieces, but also to enhance the buyers' knowledge of the cultures of Africa. What is not spoken of in places of "African Studies" is that the ways of life of the people of Africa are stultifyingly complex. They have yet to be fully unravelled, their ancient roots probed for answers not easily given up. It would be foolhardy to attempt to describe the vibrancy of colour, the distribution of texture, the dexterity of the expressive masks amongst other things in the market. Where else in South Africa is one able to absorb and be absorbed by such unspeakable craftsmanship. One might find oneself disappearing in a mystical fog as one contemplates what might have inspired those pieces ; incredulous as to their realisation as to the hand of man. Then again, it may not be so mysterious when one considers that these works of art are in fact a part of life of peoples ancient and modern. This total lack of affectation is part of the unique charm of the PAM.
