More to minstrels than Tweede Nuwejaar
IT’S NOT just about the Tweede Nuwejaar parade for the Cape’s minstrels.
For them, this is a sport that requires discipline and months of preparation and training.
And what’s the point of participating in a sport if you can’t win a prize?
The minstrels’ march on January 2 is a commemoration of the original marches, along the historic route down Keizersgracht Street in District Six, down into Darling Street, left into Adderley, right into Wale and finally into Rose Street in Bo-Kaap.
The parade lasts up to five hours, depending on the flow of the 60 troupes from the different representative boards participating.
But the competition starts a day earlier on January 1.
There are 16 categories that the 36 troupes belonging to the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association – the largest representative board – contest over six days of festivities at Athlone Stadium, culminating in a prize-giving ceremony on February 13.
Day one, on January 1, starts with the Klopse Jol. As the name suggests, this is a big party, with teams showing off their unity and style.
Teams consist of hundreds of members; dancers, singers, musicians, drum majorettes, choirs and smaller singing groups.
The Santam D6 Entertainers are among the biggest and most successful over the last 10 years since their inception.
The first day of competition is also a chance for teams to show off their uniforms – a crucial part of the tradition.
The Best Dressed, Best Board, Adult Drum Major, Juvenile Drum Major, English Combined Chorus and Afrikaans Moppie are all contested on the first day.
Day two is the street march involving the minstrel boards.
Day three of the competition is contested on January 9. The Afrikaans Combined Chorus, English Moppie and Juvenile Sentimental – often a ballad or love song – are contested then.
On January 16, Day four sees teams contesting the Grand March Pass, Juvenile Combined Chorus, Juvenile Best Band and Adult Sentimental.
The Group Song, Minstrel Song, Senior Best Band and Exhibition are contested on Day five on January 30.
The teams then face a long wait for the results. Those come out on February 13, accompanied by the handing over of trophies and, says D6 Entertainers’ Malick Laattoe, “bragging rights for the whole year”.