Is this Matonge? 1.All countries: diversity 2.Restless: passages and fluctuations 3.Bon marché: Matonge as a label 4.Mélange: history of cosmopolitan.

Is this Matonge?

Is this Matonge?

Is this Matonge?

1. All countries: diversity

2. Restless: passages and fluctuations

3. Bon marché: Matonge as a ‘label’

4. Mélange: history of ‘cosmopolitan’ Matonge

5. Talking and Writing: artistic production

6. Spaceless: a neighbourhood looking for its place

1. All countries

“I’ve been in places all over the world; never I saw a city as Brussels and a city quarter as Matonge in Ixelles where everyone is mixed (more than 100 nationalities in this one neighbourhood). It’s difficult to put in one word what Matonge-Brussels or Brussels itself is. Brussels eza mythical city. Brussels eza lola (paradise). Brussels is a magical city. Brussels is paradise.”

Habitants – Diversity

• Nationalities: 44% of the habitants of Matonge are non-Belgian. The ten most represented nationalities are mostly citizens of the European Union: French (7,1%) and Italians (4,0%), Dutch (1,2%) and Greeks (1,0%).

• 8% of the habitants are from African (incl. Nord-African) origin: 3,3% are Morrocan, 1,7 % are Congolese ( compared to Belgium, where 0,12% of the population is Congolese).

• Socioeconomic diversity: with regard to level of education and income levels

• People living in this neighbourhood are very aware of this diversity and generally appreciate it for different reasons.

• Some of the habitants even know the statistics by heart.

1 – all countries

getuigenis

2. Restless

“ I don’t like to stay too long in this

neighbourhood.”

2 - restless

Neighbourhood of ‘passers-by’• Habitants: mostly young people, young couples & singles who

move again after a few years• Stores: lots of changes, take-overs and changing destinations• Visitors: have very different reasons (social, commercial) which

influences how much time they spend in Matonge.

Dynamics• Fluctuations: the neighbourhood gets denser or more dispersed, it

grows and shrinks as times goes by• Busy times: late afternoon, weekends and holidays and holiday

periods

African?• Africans are the most important group of ‘visitors’ and generally

drive the fluctuations (‘the rhythm’) of the neighbourhood.• ‘You have a date/appointment without making an appointment’

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getuigenis

3. Bon Marché

Products

• pagne & clothes

• fruit & vegetables

• hair & beauty products

• jewelry

Services

• hair dressers & beauty salons

• horeca

• travel & transport

• telecom

Intensive business• Around 400 shops • Around 70.000 visitors weekly• Around 580.000 purchases

Matonge as a ‘label’• Quite unique compared to other big cities in the world: the label

‘neighbourhood of migrants’ is used by many entrepreneurs, mostly in the ‘exotic horeca’

• This is a recent phenomenon (second half ’90) and could easily dissapear again.

3 - bon marché

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4. Mélange

- “This neighbourhood is invaded…”

- “One is best in a society where everyone mixes.”

History of ‘cosmopolitan’ Matonge:

• Cosmopolitan orientation of Ixelles (since the late 19th century) and the rise of the ‘Porte de Namur’ in the belle époque (pan-European cultural phenomenon): creation of fancy shopping streets around St.Bonifaas church and Place Fernand Cocq. Witnesses are architecture and artistic heritage

• Colonials and ex-colonials: since the 1920s in the Rue de Stassaert, not only colonial social life but also ‘Africa-minded’ social life

• Period 1930-40: ‘Matonge’ is a Basque neighbourhood• Africans and especially Congolese frequent the ‘Porte de Namur’

since the early ‘50s and continuing nowadays. This is the real creation of ‘Matonge’

• New migrants, e.g. from Africa, but as well from Asia since the early ‘90s: even more diversity and mixing

4 - mélange

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5. Talking and writing“- I’m amazed by what I see here : since when do Africans read?

- My dear friend, you know Africa but you don’t know the Africans. We are fervent readers, mostly of quotes and comics.”

5 – to say and write

Music

From the ’50s on: new ‘fusion’ music genres such as e.g. developed by Manu Dibango (‘Soul Makossa’) who mixes African, Caraïbian and Afro-Americans elements. Recent example: Zap Mama

Art

From the’60s on : popular painting is developed in Congo/Zaïre (inspired by colonial artistic ateliers) and has been a great success in Europe and especially in Brussels. Cheri Samba is an exponent of these developments. Since 2007 new statue of Freddy Tsimba: “Au-delà de l’espoir”

Literature

Shops with African magazines, newspapers.

Library specialised in African litterature: ‘Panafrica’.

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6. Spaceless

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Problem of space:1. Between two fires: between Leopold (European quarter) and

LouiseIs Matonge threatened from the outside?Some habitants seem to think it is.

Small footpaths, not many squares: narrowly measured publical space. Does Matonge need more space for pedestrians, more meeting places ? Certain neighbourhood committees (Comité Cité, Comité Wavre) think it does.

Walk:1. Manoeuvering on very busy pavements2. We will live the neighbourhood more than observe it, we will

participate instead of taking distance from it

6 - spaceless

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Met dank aan:

De inwoners en gebruikers van Matonge die actief meewerkten aan dit project

₪De wetenschappelijke begeleidingscommissie:

Dr. Bambi Ceuppens, Prof. Dr. Eric Corijn, Prof. Dr. Filip De Boeck, Dr. Bonaventure Kagné, Hein Vanhee;

₪Onderzoeksgroep Cosmopolis (VUB)

₪Guy Forsbach

₪Gemeentebestuur Elsene

₪Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie

Tekst & regie: Karel Arnaut₪

ICT-ondersteuning: Miel Verbeeck, Wim Van Roy, Tijs De Bus & Stefan De Corte

₪Interviewers: An Claeys, Sari Middernacht, Katrien Van Craenenbroeck & Miel Verbeeck

₪Transcripties: Annelies Delanote & Deo Baribwegure

₪Coördinatie: Caroline Vos

₪Altijd in de buurt: Gudrun Willems

© Elsene, 2006