Soko Kuu (Head Market)

My little sister asked me what the markets are like so…this one’s for you Noelle.

You can usually hear the market from a mile away. It’s not that Arusha has ever been quiet enough for noise to carry, but rather these prime markets draw so much attention it’s impossible to ignore. The main one I’ve found myself at is Soko Kuu (The Head Market). This markets hosts everything from fresh produce to dagaa (small fish) to clothes to cooking ware. Just outside the main market place are smaller carts filled with phone vouchers, head bands, and pictures of Obama. Tanzanians have four foreigners they truly love: Bob Marley, The Pope, Chris Brown, and Obama – in no particular order.

Spattered among the carts are men on motorcycles (piki pikis) offering their taxi services and heckling women. Aside from a few private drivers and public buses (dala dalas), most people have come to the market on feet. They carry with them a few plastic bags or kangas to hold the items.

As I pass into the main market, I see piles upon piles of fresh fruit…mango, pineapple, coconuts, passion fruit, guava, papaya – essentially an endless supply of not so exotic fruit for incredibly cheap prices. Some vendors offer sugar cane or freshly prepared spices. Fresh milk and eggs have been brought down from the mountain tribes. Old women stand proudly by their stalls filled with brightly colored textiles for dresses, curtains, blankets and kangas. Aside from this, you can find knockoff sunglasses, stolen iPhones, cooking ware, and makeup. Hairdressers, dressmakers and tour guides wander through the crowds offering their services.

Nothing has a price tag on it, but rather the tumult is filled with bartering as the seller and buyer try to assess their opponent and receive the best deals. You can hear a variety of animals caught in the crowded market. This is also the best place to buy fresh meat and even live animals as Soko Kuu is the central market to bring sheep, goats, cows, donkeys and chickens.

It’s nearly impossible to navigate through the crowd. Some stalls have walls and others are nearly a few buckets filled with items. Each seller calls out their items and encourages you to come appreciate their items. The heat and dust mix with the smell of goats and sweat, choking you and inspiring a purchase of fresh bananas.

Once purchases have been finalized, you can walk away with large baskets of fruit for only a few thousand shillings (not even five dollars). Most women leave the market with a baby in a kanga on their back and a basket of fruit on their head.