Looking for an international atmosphere or wanting to leave your comfortable Stockholm life just for a weekend? You don’t need to go far to feel like you step out into a different reality. Tensta promises great food, art and a sense of community.
The summer has faded away and the first chills of autumn have arrived when I decided to take another trip to the suburbs. I have just come back from Berlin, where I was visiting a friend residing in the up-and-coming hipster area, Neukölln. What fascinated me there was the organic and spontaneous way in which the community is constantly shaped by different groups of people moving in.
Inhabited mostly by immigrants from the Middle East, the area is now attracting young creative types from both Germany and abroad. Locals and newcomers gather for a late meal at a Turkish fast-food place, the sweet shisha fills your nostrils as you eat a delicious baklava for breakfast, and every Friday you can stock up with fresh veggies, fruits, fish and bread at the colourful market, which features delicacies from all over the world.
Back in Stockholm I missed the simplicity and beauty of this natural cohabitation of cultures. So the first weekend in September provided a perfect opportunity to go to Tensta, the northern suburb that once a year celebrates the diversity of the area with Tensta Market.
The market is a great example of what community can feel like when everybody comes together offering their best. A variety of food stands offered everything from Chilean *empanadas* – little deep-fried dumplings filled with cheese or minced meat – through Ethiopian *injera* bread to Indian samosas. The most impressive stand was probably the one where you could not only taste the food, but also experience the alchemy of its preparation. A group of elderly ladies from Turkey sat around in a circle making their tasty bread called *börek* from scratch, in front of everybody’s eyes. Further down the street ladies from all corners of the world threw themselves over a pile of colourful textiles. Others took a chance to sell off some of their bric-a–brac, clothes and books.
The whole neighbourhood buzzed with music coming from a stage, where young performers from Tensta and the surrounding area could present their talents for a broader audience. I stopped for a bit to see a group of teenage girls performing Brazilian samba and to listen to a rapper, whose song about the life in the hood could definitely be played alongside the more acclaimed artists on the radio. Tensta has produced many fascinating musicians, with famous hip-hop artist Adam Tensta – who adopted the name of the district as his own – on the top of the list.
Just like the Harlem choirs of the 60’s, the Tensta Gospel Choir led by Cedwin Sandaman brings out the best of the authentic gospel. It has already performed on great stages such as Fasching and at the Stockholm Kulturfestival. Two other choirs – Tensta Gospel’s Revelation and Tensta Gospel’s Joyful Noise – embrace a more eclectic mix of genres, including hip-hop, r’n’b, reggae and soul among their inspirations.
The choirs are just one of the creative outlets available for the young population of the area. The cultural institution Blå Huset provides courses and meeting opportunities for the teenagers between 13 and 20. One of the activities Blå Huset can boast about as a particular success is Tensta Boxing Club – a well-known club in Sweden.
I returned from Tensta reconciled with my Neukölln nostalgia. Instead of envying Berlin its multi-cultural atmosphere, I opted for embracing the richness that Stockholm’s suburbs can offer, just a short ride on the tunnelbana away from the city centre.
Tensta also boasts a lot of attractions you can visit all year round. Here are a few places you shouldn’t miss:
Tensta Konsthall
A modern art gallery with thought-provoking projects. With conceptual exhibitions, seminars, movie screenings and workshops, the gallery is an unprecedented institution, connecting internationally-acclaimed art with local initiatives. The projects about the area are presented in a special series entitled ‘’Tensta Museum’’ and they have recently showed the work of Mats Adelman as well as Adam Tensta.
Tensta Konsthall works constantly to involve the local community, and one of the more successful recent initiatives is a series of city walks. My favourite one so far happened in March and went under the name of ‘Tensta Lesbian Walk – I am Every Lesbian. This storytelling promenade, with the guide narrating personal stories of different lesbian girls that actually live around the district, was a great way to see the personal side of Tensta.
Livstycket
The workshop *Livstycket*, is run by women from the local community. Here they can combine learning Swedish, socialising and learning how to sew with creative freedom of expression. Designing patterns for textiles, paper goods and home interiors and organising their own fashion shows, *Livstycket* is a charming and important initiative. Give it a try; you will surely come back home with dresses, pillow cases and tote bags adorned with cute animals and graphic flowers, which would make the designers at Marimekko jealous.
Punjabi Masala
One of the first Indian restaurants in Stockholm, with a variety of classic dishes. In spite of all the activities happening on the market at the same time, the restaurant is full when I arrive. The energetic owner hasn’t got much time to talk, and his priority is to serve the guests. His advice to me is simple – “Just read our reviews on Trip Advisor!” Sensing a chance to share the limelight, he asks me to take a picture of his “amazing crew,” saying the staff is the key to his success.
Back home, I see all the reviewers agreeing on Punjabi Masala being the best Indian in Stockholm. ‘’Punjabi u rock’’ and ‘’heavenly food’’ are recurrent comments. Having tasted their palak panneer and samosa rolls, I have no choice other than to join the choir of amazed voices myself.
Words: Weronika Pérez Borjas
Pictures: Carolina García
