Have a Fine Day

Harambe Market opened to the public in 2015 and with it came sausages, skewers, pita, and unique sides. Disney’s Animal Kingdom had always been near the forefront of reinventing what our perception of theme park food could be, but Harambe Market, with its kiosks and atypical flavor spectrum, kicked the whole thing up a notch.

This dining venue also raised the level of realism and detail that a dining room could have. Harambe Market is an outdoor market in the truest sense of the word, and one that would be right at home not only in corners of Africa, but throughout much of the world. Tables are put together with whatever chairs and wood could be drummed up. Stalls, some with roofs and some without, are set-up all along the periphery of the market. The market is so close to a mode of transportation, in this case the train station of the now shuttered Wildlife Express, you could watch a locomotive pass by as you eat. Then there are the wares themselves.

There are postings of every kind, from hand carved wooded advertisements, painted scraps of wood, and even paper posters melting in the rain. Each of these promote either a basic need being met or a a sector of the economy, tourism, from entertainment and travel, to medicine, housing, and more. It is also worth noting that what we consider to be male dominated fields, such as plumbing, here are brought to the community through a pair of sisters.

The people of Harambe are proud of how they make a living and in what they are selling, and it shows in their displays. There are baskets neatly hung between a clump of trees in the middle of the dining area. A sign for the stall makes use of a license plate for its base, but proclaims that these are, in fact, the "Best Baskets." The same care has been shown to building materials, clothes, kitchen wares, and even decorative home goods. Let us not forget the artisans who have added works of art throughout Harambe Market. True, their art isn’t for sale, but any true artist knows it is publicity and word of mouth that are the real test of your craft.

Words can only do this area so much justice, so let’s take a tour through the Harambe Market in some pictures.