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- This building that Atlas is in, is over a hundred years old. And it’s been built by the same stone as the castle has been built. So since 1943, Atlas has been going on and has been well known amongst the community. We import spices from India. So we buy the spices whole. We have it grounded here, locally. And we ground enough so that it can remain fresh. The fragrance, the aroma of the spices is there. We get it here, we pack it and according to our customers, our spices are pure. Bo-Kaap is a unique place and in the early years there were the slaves that came from Indonesia and Malaysia, so they came with their culture. The Indians came with their culture. These two cultures are totally different. And what happened is those two cultures, came together as one.
- We have 9 mosques here and also the first question that comes to mind is the colour houses. During apartheid years, people didn’t own the homes and when they did, immediately they painted them and that’s still today. So, I’ve been doing this for 10 years, the Bo-Kaap cooking tour, teaching people to cook Cape Malay food. You know the tradition of Cape Malay food has been kept very much the same. There is no stocks in it, it’s the basic onion, tomato, masala.
I have to like stand behind their backs, teach them to fold a samosa and the interesting one is the roti it twirls like a hair bun, you know. Twirl it this way, twirl it that way, slap it together and that creates fun. It’s a beautiful way to meet people from all over the world. Isn’t that great?
- I’m the owner of Rocksole Shoe and Bag Repairs. My grandfather was the pioneer. District 6 and Bo-Kaap was all connected. A lot of people were taken away and that was a disaster. It was vibrant. We were a community although we were all mixed community and in front of our shop wasn’t tarred or anything like that. We used to play marbles there in the road we used to play cricket. For the past 55 years, I’ve been in the workshop. I love the workshop as it’s challenging, all the time. It’s a different work daily. I don’t have to have a rest – but when I’m in the office, I feel I need a 15 minutes nap.
- I play for SK Walmers, my position is a lock. All my life I’ve been staying in Bo-Kaap. I was born here and I don’t think I’ll ever move from here. Most of the generations here in Bo-Kaap, their fathers play, their fathers before their fathers played rugby. I’ve got probably about 200 and something caps playing for SK Walmers. It keeps a lot of children away from crime and so now when they’re playing rugby, it’s something for them to do. They can see it’s more of a community like this than on the streets. Bo-Kaap community loves rugby, it’s very big. On the day you’re doing well, they’ll shout for you my man. You will hear it, while you play. Yeah it’s big here. If you do anything bad, you will hear for the rest of the week and at the next game. They’re our biggest fans, the old tannies. It’s a tight fit community, so everybody knows each other here. No matter where you stay in Bo-Kaap, you’ll know who’s who.
- Monkeybiz started in the year 2000. We were born in the Bo-Kaap. We hold workshops and we have teachers in certain areas of the township. We are trying to revive the art of beadwork. Doing beadwork art with approximately between 280 and 320 women in and around Cape Town and with some of them coming from the Eastern Cape. We use all sorts of lovely, funky colours and we’re doing it onto a 3D surface. But the technique of our beading is still the needle and thread and beads. It’s a very advance form of pattern making. It creates a platform for our crafters to become artists within their own right. Bo-Kaap is so colourful and is a place of great historical value to Cape Town. There is so much richness in that area, it attracts. Youngsters who are opening new businesses, or anyone who is opening a new business. Cape Town is just this melting pot of incredible talent. I think it just bleeds from all the way through Cape Town it bleeds up into Bo-Kaap as well.