{"id":18040,"date":"2020-10-18T08:38:45","date_gmt":"2020-10-18T08:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barazalab.com\/?p=18040"},"modified":"2023-09-04T05:38:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T05:38:34","slug":"jacaranda-propaganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tuwele.com\/baraza_update\/jacaranda-propaganda\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacaranda Propaganda\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Greetings, friends:<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope all is well with you and yours, all factors considering. We\u2019re well into #jacarandapropaganda season, and as Nanjala Nyabola frequently reminds us on Twitter, this is a time to remember that there is still tremendous beauty in the world. Every year I\u2019m reminded of something else though, that nothing, not even jacaranda trees, are politically neutral. A few years ago I wrote a piece on the politics of trees, where in my research I discovered that jacaranda trees are actually indigenous to South America, and along with the ornamental shrub bougainvillea, was beloved of British colonials across the Empire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In almost every major city in British Africa, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the continent, the colonials made an effort of planting the trees. Many cities across former British colonies in Africa bear the stamp of jacaranda including Pretoria in South Africa; Blantyre in Malawi; Harare and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe; Nairobi and Nakuru in Kenya; and Kampala, Fort Portal and Mbale in Uganda.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even in Kenya\u2019s dusty little border town with Ethiopia, the jacaranda tree stands out as a marker of British presence \u2013 Moyale on the Kenyan side has jacaranda trees around its administrative centre, while Moyale on the Ethiopian side has none.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jacaranda season reminds me to read the political in the ordinary, in the quotidian, in the architecture and built environment – and that these stories are everywhere, if we know how to look.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Baraza, it\u2019s been a hectic couple of weeks, where momentum is picking up and we are getting busier every day. We\u2019ve curated some exciting events that you can find out more about in this newsletter. In the meantime, here\u2019s —<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n