Imagining the City - Sensory Remapping of Brixton

In simplest terms, I want to represent Brixton’s physical and ideological spaces in ways that are neither hostile to its Black residents nor subject its distinct localised form of Blackness to a process of reductive simplification. In doing so, I aim to centre Black embodied senses. I initially was drawn to the idea of imagining an idealised speculative future for Brixton, creating something of a Black British utopia. However, not to succumb to Afro-pessimist temptation, but this feels not only like a futile pursuit, but something I simply do not have the capacity for nor wish to spend time doing. As such my alternative conception of present-day Brixton is informed both by my personal experiences as a Black South Londoner, and supported by scholarly literature that provides insights into the origins of and reasoning behind the ways in which Black Brixtoners exist in and relate to the area’s spaces.

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(Pages 13-14)

“Food for the soul

The market is perhaps Brixton’s main attraction, it houses restaurants, takeaways and stalls selling imported groceries. While it most certainly has changed a lot since its conception, it is still a place from which you can get some of the best Caribbean and African food in London. Market row along Electric Avenue is where most of the fresh produce can be found - plantains, yams, jackfruit and other fruit and vegetables. You can even buy Matoke, a fruit indigenous to Uganda that is difficult to find in many places outside of the country. The availability of staple foods for so many different national and ethnic groups means that Brixton Market functions (parts of it at least), in the same way as marketplaces in the ‘Global South’ do, as “a cultural environment in which local community lifestyles are showcased” (Agboola et al., 2018, p87). People can carry out weekly grocery shopping to cook meals such as fried plantain, ackee and saltfish, and fufu and matoke, using ingredients not found in mainstream British supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s or Asda. Residents and visitors alike can look to Brixton Market to connect to their home countries and cultures through their taste buds.

Fish, Wings and Tings

In other parts of the market, there are restaurants and takeaways selling ready made Caribbean and African food. Some of my favourite places to eat in Brixton Market are ‘Fish Wings and Tings’, a Caribbean restaurant that is known for its fish and wings, among other things, ‘Light of Africa’ an Ethiopian restaurant that has the best lentil sambusa I have tasted, and Eat of Eden which sells entirely vegan Caribbean food. Though somewhat expensive, probably to keep up with rent prices in Brixton village, all three are run by Black people and their decor reflects the origin countries of their cuisine. I also have no reason to question the food’s authenticity. There are more Caribbean restaurants and takeaways in the surrounding area, serving as a visible reminder of the cuisines and flavours that reflect Brixton’s population.

Liquid Joy

Another taste that is characteristic of Brixton is Supermalt. Supermalt is a non-alcoholic malt beer that is drunk in many African and Caribbean cultures. It is an acquired taste that only a few people actually like, nonetheless Supermalt is a staple drink at most gatherings and celebrations. Brixtoners interviewed about the significance of Supermalt and concluded that it holds cultural significance owing to its uniqueness to African and Caribbean cultures; this dictates Supermalt’s popularity, along with it being synonymous with celebration (Bech‐Larsen et al., 2007, p9). Additionally Supermalt is also a niche product that can only be bought in certain corner shops in certain neighbourhoods with established Black populations. The distinct red and orange logo can be found on bottles littering Brixton as well as on shop signs along Electric Avenue. Supermalt is essentially the non alcoholic version of ‘Magnum’ a fortified tonic wine from Jamaica which is widely drunk by Brixton’s Black population. Magnum is not for the faint hearted. It became popular on the dance hall scene in the 1980s for its ability to boost energy and sexual vitality (Maislin et al.). There is still a demand for it today as it can be cheaply (and illegally) by individuals and sold at a profit. I digress, but what I am trying to communicate is the cultural significance of the food and drink sold and consumed in Brixton. Tastes of foods evoke distinct memories of African and Carribbean home cultures and are central to the maintenance of a distinct Black Brixtoner identity.”