A WALK IN THE NIGHT

Celebrate the end of slavery!

30 Nov '17 21h30

Starts: Zonnebleom Estate, District Six Ends: Lydia Williams Centre for Memory Chapel Street, District Six

HUNDREDS of people are expected to participate in the annual “Walk in the Night” through Cape Town’s CBD tonight, commemorating the abolition of slavery 183 years ago.

The Emancipation Walk will start at the Zonnebloem Estate and move through District Six, to Strand Street Quarry, move on to the Prestwich Memorial site in Green Point and finally make their way through the Bo-Kaap to Church Square.

It will end at the Lydia Williams Centre of Memory in Chapel Street and there will be celebrations and a public picnic running into the anniversary of the freedom of the slaves.

Tonight’s walk, which begins at 9:30pm and finishes at midnight, will be the eleventh walk organised by the museum and the Prestwich Place Committee.

On December 1, 1834, the enslaved people of the Cape were legally freed.

This year’s walk takes inspiration from former slave Lydia Williams, who was born in 1820 and died in 1910, and world-renowned South African artist Lionel Davis whose work was recently exhibited at the South African National Gallery. The walk is open to everyone.

Artist and art educator in various media Ayesha Price said she facilitated a group of former District Six residents for three weeks in creating 100 lanterns for the event.

“Lydia in her day used to cut out flowers and animals and decorate her cabin to celebrate the emancipation of slaves.

‘‘Our group took this concept and they made the lanterns from scratch, in honour of Lydia and her legacy,” she said.

To keep the memory of Emancipation Day alive was important, said Price, and using visual art was extremely valuable because slavery was not just about the past.

Lydia Williams, who was affectionately known as “Ou Tamaletjie”, celebrated the first day of December every year by inviting all ex-slaves and friends to her cottage to celebrate their freedom.

A former political prisoner and cultural activist, Lionel Davis has worked in visual modes that ranged from the realist to the abstract and covered themes of everyday scenes as well as reflections on black and African identity.