Last Friday, Marcia took Shawn and I to the Masai Market. This is an open air market held at the newest mall in town. Up on the roof was an unbelievable amount of vendors. There were Kenyans from many different tribes all selling traditional and more modern Kenyan things.
Before I continue I have to explain something: this is held every Friday. This is very much a “touristy” thing to do. I think we saw just as many white people there as non. However, this is not the kind of market that you would find anywhere in North America. Everything was hand made. Hand carved, hand sewn, hand dyed, and hand beaded. Therefore, even though this is definitely a draw for tourists, it is authentic. You bargain and are implored to stop by the sellers.
It is here, at the market, that I found out how completely gullible I am and how terrible I am at bargaining. I realize in hindsight that I ask too many yes/no questions. I could have asked a seller if a certain piece was made of soapstone and his answer would have been yes, even if it clearly wasn’t. I would ask, did you make this? Yes they would reply…every time. I also realize that I showed way to much interest in things and did not know how to say no. When you show interest they know that you’re a goner and that they have made their profit.
On top of my gullibleness (that isn’t even a word is it? Well, it is now) the market was on the roof. This limited the space and also made it very warm. The aisles between the vendors were probably only a few feet wide. So there are vendors trying to entice you to stop and look and buy. Then there are the white people gawking (I am generalizing - some bargained very well and even spoke Swahili…). Then there was me. Looking for all the world like I had money to burn and a need to buy one of everything I saw. Needless to say, if it weren’t for Shawn and Marcia, I would have had a hard time leaving. And that would have been only partly due to my resisitance, the vendors would have taken care of the rest.
Posted by dani at June 24, 2004 05:14 PM