SEEING BO KAAP THROUGH RICH HISTORY
IT'S NOT everyday one gets to experience the historic Bo Kaap on a guided tour free of charge.
Imagine being taken through the historic sites such as the oldest Mosque, Auwal Masjid, the story of Tuan Guru, the old Tailor's House, Bo Kaap Kombuis Restaurant, the Atlas Spice Trading Centre for spices from the east and the beautiful Chiappini Street, by popular ‘Living Coloured' author Yusuf Daniels.
This was the experience of a group of locals and international tourists as part of Heritage Day celebrations on Wednesday, thanks to the Cape Times.
Bo-Kaap is the oldest surviving residential neighbourhood of Cape Town. It has been the traditional home of Cape Town's Muslim population for decades.
A former racially segregated area, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre and a historical centre of Cape Malay culture in the city, Bo Kaap is today famous for its array of brightly-coloured houses, frequently photographed by tourists and locals alike.
Daniels shared stories of growing up in the community and of meeting the late President Nelson Mandela in the 90's for the first time - while he was visiting the Auwal Mosque which is the first mosque established in the country.
“I had a friend who lived close to the mosque and his father used to be the caretaker of the mosque. The nice thing was when you went through the kitchen there was a big hole where you climbed into the mosque. When Nelson Mandela came to this mosque and obviously it was crowded and with a lot of security there was no way I was going to see him. I actually climbed through the kitchen and I actually got to see Nelson Mandela. It was such a beautiful moment and my memory of this mosque,” he said.
“Most stories are found in the graveyard, because most of our people passed on with the greatest untold stories. Because they were told writing stories was meant for certain types of people. My late grandmother told me the most amazing stories, I would have loved if she would have written those stories today, but they are gone. I always say that each and every person has a story to tell,” he said.
For Belinda Keller walking through the Bo kaap community brought back memories of growing up as a child in District Six.
“The tour for me was sort of emotional because I grew up in District six, my family lived there and we left when I was 11 years old. So many amazing memories came back as we walked through this community. It was a very special moment for me and just getting back to my roots,” said Keller
Auriol Southgate, who was part of the tour said people should always celebrate where they come from and their heritage.
“I have been a tour guide since 2006, I do guided tours around Cape Town to the tip of Africa. The tour was amazing. There was a lot of new information that I learnt. I feel we should celebrate our heritage more. We should be happy in our skin. We should accept ourselves as who we are, and we should be tolerant as well to other people.
“We need from time to time to go back to the spaces of our heritage, the spaces that make us who we are.
These tours stand as a good reminder to appreciate the things we might have even forgotten," she said.
Cape Times Assistant Editor Liesl Van Der Schyff said the tour was an appreciation of the Cape's diverse culture.
“It was exactly what was needed beauty, laughter and a great history lesson. For some it was a cultural awakening and for others a reminder of so many injustices done to people, families and ‘forced' removals, uprooting from one's home because you could no longer afford to live there.
“The Bo kaap has such a rich history and it reminds one of how strong family bonds are. The community is one huge landscape of how to celebrate and embrace our diverse cultures,” she said.
Independent Media Marketing Coordinator Rehana Rutti said the tour was also a gentle reminder to celebrate diversity, share our experiences, and learn from each other.
“There is something special and unique about every culture. Bo Kaap is as vibrant as it is culturally rich,” she said.
Chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association Osman Shaboodien said the area has lived through the history of the forming of Cape Town.
“There is no Cape Town without Bo-Kaap. We have the history to prove it. We have been here ever since the first slaves came from the boats.
“If you look at the artisan, if you look at the cuisine of Cape Town it's part of Bo Kaap. Bo Kaap lived through all the history of the forming of Cape Town. From the Dutch, British and Afrikaner occupation and through apartheid. It is still around even years after liberation.
“The challenge that we have is because of the proximity that we have to the city centre it has become an easy target for the Group Areas Act and many of the Bo Kaap's areas were taken away. For example, Long Street, De Waterkant and some part of Somerset Road used to be part of Bo Kaap,” said Shaboodien.