If you are an art aficionado, love traveling, and the time of planning your next vacation is coming up soon, we suggest you consider this African country, Tanzania. Although it's been mostly unknown to many people in the Western world, the reality is that Tanzania is an amazing country with a lot to offer and is gaining more popularity among foreigners every year.
This trendy destination is a fantastic way to explore African culture and visit the most incredible natural sites in the world. However, something special about the Tanzanian way, be it their welcoming and hospitable energy, impressive tourist spots, or cultural heritage, makes this a country you wouldn't want to leave once you get there.
To begin any trip abroad, there will naturally be some requirements. Therefore, we advise you first to take a look at all the items you need to get ready for your trip. For that, we recommend you check out a great platform to get all this ready from the comfort of your seat, **iVisa**. Check the comments hundreds of customers have left, and allow their team of experts to guide you throughout the process. They will provide you with all the information you need to know before departing for Tanzania. Through their website, you can find out more about the [
Tanzania eVisa] and how to start your application effortlessly with their method. In a few steps, you can apply by answering a few basic questions.
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When you have completed your paperwork and are on your way to Tanzania, you will find a place filled with incredible sites like the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Serengeti National Park. This park holds the biggest lion prides on the African continent, making it a perfect place for wildlife observation. Of course, it's important to visit the natural reserves and significant touristic sites, like the white sand beaches of Zanzibar or Unguja island. Still, if you are a true art fan you will be delighted to see all the African artisans working with wood and paint.
As a matter of fact, in 1968, Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga started painting with a very particular art style and developed what would later be known as Tingatinga, the eastern African-born art. He passed on shortly after, in 1972, but this special form of painting caught on to multiple artists that started adopting and imitating his techniques, allowing them to create their own work from within. Such has been the success of this manner of painting that they decided to start the Tingatinga cooperative society in 1990, which the Tanzanian government recognizes. Another essential aspect is that these art pieces used to be done on wooden boards. Later, they had to evolve with time into using cloth, manageable and lighter elements that clients could take with them easily, like t-shirts, trays, and dishes, revolutionizing the creative process altogether.
Where Edward Saidi Tinga Tinga got his influence from is very uncertain up to this day since he had such a short time as a painter. Some say he got his mark from Mozambican art, and others say it was Congolese. Some even claim it is all based on the traditional Makonde and Makua peoples' hut wall decorations. To tell the truth, this is a riddle that will never be fully resolved, but one that undoubtedly keeps the memory and art of Tingatinga alive. Other African countries like Kenya also adopted this form of art, which started with recycled materials, filled with saturated colors, and common African animals like giraffes, lions, hippos, rhinos, and gazelles.
Another impressive artwork found in Tanzania is the Makonde Art. This tribe inhabiting southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique has had a long tradition of wood carving and sculptures that have gained name and become famous worldwide. This way of sculpture evolved from very common objects taken from nature, like animals and humans, to a more familiar style nowadays: Shetani, which depicts devils in different ways. The preferred material for this wooden carving is usually Ebony and the different forms represented vary from abstract to naturalistic.