Loving Lusaka

Brooke Berlin

Founder of Karoo Consulting, a company focused on promoting travel to Africa and supporting conservation and community nonprofit organisations, Brooke has been exploring the continent for 15 years and has been to 19 of Africa’s 54 countries. She studied journalism and cultural anthropology and her passion and skills combine to bring awareness to the diversity and uniqueness of Africa. Her favourite activities include: participating in a rhino notching and elephant rescue; boating and flying; enjoying designer outfits from Johannesburg, Lusaka and Accra; and visiting tribes in the Omo Valley, Nubian Desert and West Africa.

LOVING LUSAKA

Extra Time is Worth the Dime

[WRITER: Brooke Berlin ]

[PHOTO: Johann Vanzyl ]

It’s perplexing to me, those who go to Paris for art, Sydney for opera, Tokyo for tastes, but avoid African cities. Is it out of fear, or maybe just a lack of understanding about how contemporary and culturally rich they are? Being from New York, I have a lovehate relationship with “Sex in the City”, but being African at heart, I have a love-love affinity for “An African City” and all things urban. This is why I go out of my way to stay and play in cities across the continent. In the time of travel where pre-departure Covid testing is often required, it’s great to know that there are many metropolises where you can get a test and then have a wonderful time while waiting for the results.

In Dakar, I’ve listened to Baaba Maal live closing out a film festival; in Johannesburg, I’ve watched a matinee of “Sophiatown” that would rival any on Broadway; in Nairobi I’ve discussed politics with artist Michael Soi in his studio; and in too many places to mention I have commissioned couture clothing, and Lusaka is one of those cities! Lusaka is my most beloved, approachable African city: there isn’t a lot of traffic; the majority of attractions are closely situated, especially to my favourite hotel, Latitude15; and the Zambian people are exceptionally warm, welcoming and wonderful.

On my last trip in September 2020, I stayed longer in Lusaka – seven nights total split between arrival and departure. My husband, Johann Vanzyl, and I ate out (literally outside) several times. We enjoyed the casual atmosphere of Zambean for a healthy lunch (plus it’s right next to the best butcher in town for biltong and droëwors), Cantina for a Mexican dinner, and the mid-day café breaks at 37D, The Lechwe Trust, and The Lusaka Collective. When we didn’t want to go anywhere, the various al fresco areas at Latitude15 provided the perfect oasis paired with a menu serving up mouth-watering fare. The only thing I didn’t get to taste was some traditionally prepared street food just outside The Lusaka Collective, where they can set up a meal for those wanting to experience the truly authentic.

As a connoisseur of craft and virtuosity alike, I love that Lusaka provides both. The Lusaka Collective is the perfect place to peruse countless items made from across the country. It is a hub for beautiful souvenirs or gifts, with an outdoor area for a spot of tea with WiFi

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if you would like to spend some extra time, which I would as the team is a delight to be around. They carry many of my favoured items from places like Mulberry Mongoose in Mfuwe, WayaWaya in Livingstone and others. On this trip I brought back handmade Azimai soaps, Bee-Utiful beeswax wraps and reusable food bags and a limited-edition print. For high art, 37d Gallery shows 20-25 internationally renowned Zambian or Zambia-connected artists. This is where I first saw and fell in love with Stary Mwaba, though equally impressive to me were Natasha Evans and Mwamba Mulangala. You just might be fortunate enough to be in Lusaka for an opening and there are several other spaces for performance art as well. For a museum quality experience, The Lechwe Trust Art Gallery has an impressive private collection as they purchase or commission pieces to support Zambian artists and a foundation to help further their education and other visual arts organisations throughout the country. Here I discovered Angela Ninda, Elisha Alex Zulu, Patrick Mumba and others.

For fashion, I follow a number of Instagram handles that promote designers across the continent. That’s how I “discovered” Bfyne swimsuits by Nigerian-American designer Buki Ade; Sarah Diouf, the designer behind Tongoro, who has dressed Beyoncé; and Mangishi Doll, the Lusaka-based fashion house of Kapasa Musonda, who is a member of Africa’s Forbes 30 under 30 List, and told me when i showed her the dress i desperately wanted that it sold out after Angela Bassett wore it on a red carpet. Go figure! But custom fittings are definitely not just for the dames! Johann has had a fierce jacket made by Rama Diaw’s team in Saint Louis and shirts by Zanele Lawana and her company, Black Bottom Couture, in Johannesburg. It’s just another reason to bookend any safari in Zambia with nights in Lusaka. Upon arrival, visit a designer to chat about their designs and have a fitting done; by the time you return, your tailored threads will be ready and waiting, even if walking down the jet bridge isn’t exactly same as walking down the red carpet.

While I’m not good on a manicured green and instead prefer the wild, varied colors of the wilderness, there are also two golf clubs that rent clubs for people wanting to play a round, both of which have nice restaurants, and the newest one, the Bonanza Golf Club, has opened a Hotel onsite, which is the closest to the airport for anyone wanting to just stay put and putt.

It’s not all about shopping and spending, though I do like to encourage both when travelling. One of my most memorable moments in Lusaka was visiting the Lilayi Elephant Nursery. We drove out for the mid-day visit, about 45-minutes away from Latitude15; for those who want a more intimate behind-the-scenes experience where you can help make the milk formula and

“The Lechwe Trust Art Gallery has an impressive private collection as they purchase or commission pieces to support Zambian artists and a foundation to help further their education as well as other visual arts organizations throughout the country. ”

more, plan to spend a night at the Lilayi Lodge. Either way, make this a priority as you’ll be supporting a truly impactful conservation project. This is where most of the crew stayed when filming “Holiday in the Wild” with Kristin Davis and Rob Lowe as the Lilayi Elephant Nursery was featured in the flick. When the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya was getting set up, they worked with the Game Rangers International team at Lilayi to learn from their expertise and get a head start on success. The team here is doing incredible rescue, rehabilitation, research, and release work on elephants who have been harmed due mostly to humanwildlife conflict. They take a different approach however to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, and are going about a long-term study to see if it is better to release elephants who have had as little interaction with humans as possible, so visitors here don’t feed or touch, but get a wonderful presentation while in the viewing platform where they can spend a few hours watching the herd from above as they get their lunch and play about.

So stay longer and enjoy. I worked from Lusaka (Zoom meetings took place from the WeWork-like offices at Latitude15) in between my daily outings. Seek out a reputable industry insider who knows what’s happening and can get you access to the well-kept secrets. Because Johann works with Nick Aslin and Zambian Ground Handlers, a lot of my doors were opened because of them. When Nick knew that I was interested in art, he mentioned that his wife Carol Aslin is an artist, and being tapped into the community in Lusaka, my Zambian art knowledge was established because of her. And Nosizi Mwase, who works on Nick’s team, has modeled for Mangishi Doll, which is how I got my first private fitting. Let those who live in Lusaka, or specialize in Zambia, help tailor the perfect experience to fit your urban interests.

[Brooke Berlin with Kapasa Musonda, Founder and Designer of Mangishi Doll ]