Bazar Vest

Facts

Multicultural market

By Jakob Ingemann Parby, Cand.mag. i historie og etnologi fra Københavns Universitet, 2004. (6 stories)

The 7,000 square metres of Bazar Vest make it Scandinavia's biggest indoor market. Located on Edwin Rahrs vej in Brabrand near Aarhus, it was established in the premises of a disused boiler factory in 1996 as a privately-funded employment and cultural integration project. After a dicey start, the bazaar is now financially viable. Around 200 people, representing many different nationalities, work in the 70 shops in the market. During the six days of the week it is open, the bazaar receives around 20,000 visitors. In March 2009, the bazaar was extended by a further 9,000 square metres.

Public place

Selected entry

When the khat was let out of the bag

Story written by Jakob Ingemann Parby

Time / Periode 1996

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The bazaar sells oriental bread, cakes, fruit, meat, spices, carpets, clothing, jewellery and much more. But the sale of khat was a touch too exotic under Danish law. The leaves of the khat shrub, native to East Africa, are chewed as a euphoric stimulant. A group of Somalis were dealing and taking this illegal narcotic at the entrance to the bazaar in 2007. The leader of a youth drop-in centre voiced concern about the khat situation. It was damaging to the Somalis' image as a group, he warned: Many kids start chewing khat because they don’t have anything to do. Maybe dad sits around chewing it, giving teenagers the idea that it's normal". In December 2008, 40 individuals were put on a treatment programme for khat misuse, and khat dealing in front of Bazar Vest was brought to an end. "