The Pan African Market (PAM) was started in 1997 as a craft market comprising various traders each running their individual businesses and leasing stall space from the then owners of the market. Located in a national monument on historic Long Street, Cape Town. The market then consisted of five traders, including the Methven’s, occupying only the first floor.
Vuyo Koyana and Ntone Edjabe, the current owners, have considerable experience in both business and people management. Between the two of them, they have had vast exposure in the human development, journalism and arts and culture fields.
The Pan African Market is the brainchild of people who identified the opportunity to create something that would become uniquely and distinctly African multi-ethnic. When spoken of, African Art tends to be homogenised. In the Pan African Market, however, there is both the ingenue and the connoisseur to bring to bear the incredibly edifying exposure to the cultures of peoples from various parts of Africa. The traders who man their stalls are effectively independent.
The Pan African Market is so structured as to allow them to showcase the work they choose and in so doing, bring a beautiful and unrestricted multi-ethnicity to this space. One is able to explore three floors laden with stunning pieces, each corner leading to yet more revelation. The next step in the exploration of this artwork is to bring forth its stories to begin, not only to contextualise these art pieces, but also to enhance the buyers’ knowledge of the cultures of Africa.
