REASONS TO BELIEVE

THERE are songs which shine so brightly. Like this line, by The Killers: “Took to the spotlight, like a diamond ring!”

What a line. I remember a South African tourism matriarch, instructing us tour guides, 25 years ago: “Sparkle!”

I rode at dawn yesterday in a gale-force black South-Easter. On a mighty mountain, in wild wind and rain.

Three guys rode mountain bikes by Giant.

“So: what’s the legend behind Giants?” I asked.

They looked blank. “It’s a big, global brand?” one offered.

But the fourth rider had a sparkle in his eye: “I ride a Cotic,” he said quietly.

“A what?”

Cotic is a boutique brand from England, he explained. Their story: “We make bikes we love to ride; it sounds simple and obvious, but it’s true…

“We are a truly independent bike company, not some ‘little guy’ front to a big distributor or corporation.”

And they’re based? In Hope Valley, in the Peak District.

Okay! How wonderful: climbing the peaks, in a valley of hope. You’ve got my attention…

Just 313km away, an even better story can be found – nestling in the Welsh countryside.

“Our town is going to make jeans again,” announced Hiut. Their story reads: “Cardigan is a small town of 4 000 good people; 400 of them used to make jeans.

“They made 35 000 pairs a week. For three decades.

“Then one day the factory closed. It left town. But all that skill and know-how remained. Without any way of showing the world what they could do.

“That’s why we have started the Hiut Denim Company. To bring manufacturing back home. To use all that skill on our doorstep. And to breathe new life into our town.

“As one of the Grand Masters said to me when I was interviewing: ‘This is what I know how to do. This is what I do best.’

“I just sat there thinking I have to make this work,” wrote founder David Hieatt.

“So yes, our town is going to make jeans again. Here goes.”

Their motto? “Do one thing well.”

They make jeans. Damn fine jeans. Brilliantly. They’ve taken to the spotlight, like a diamond ring.

So: What relevance for us, at the Southern Tip of Africa?

One: Do we sparkle? Shine on the world stage – like stars?

And, two: Are we conscious of our forgotten narratives – ready to be dusted off, re-told passionately again?

Like our historic CMT (cut, make and trim) precinct in Salt River: Is it ready for a revival, built on generations of rich artisanship, labour and lore?

Wow. What a story. What a RTB (reason to believe) that would be.

Do we on the southern tip of Africa sparkle? Do we shine on the world stage – like stars?