AT HOME EXPERIENCES: TRIAL & TRIUMPH IN BO-KAAP

Our Experience Days offices are based in the UK, and although I’ve always been dying to go to South Africa, I’ve not yet had the chance. I’ve always loved travelling, jumping into an unknown area and embracing another country’s people, culture and food. 

When I signed up for a virtual tour of Cape Town’s colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, I’ll admit that I had no idea what to expect. Although I love the excitement of travelling, being immersed in every part of the culture and witnessing it all first-hand, unfortunately, none of that is an option right now. 

What better way to continue learning and exploring in our current situation, than online with an expert? (and you can bet it was much cheaper and more accessible than catching a plane to Cape Town). 

The best part of the tour was my guide Rafiq Jacobs. Rafiq’s love for his community and compassion for the struggles they had faced throughout their history in Cape Town was clear to see. I’ll confess that I knew little of the Cape Malay people or history before this tour, but that is exactly why we do things like this, to learn! 

The Cape Malay people are a Muslim community directly descended from the slaves brought over to Cape Town during the Dutch and British rule. 

Most Muslims living in South Africa are situated in Cape Town, and a large number of those make up the population of Bo-Kaap, a previously racially segregated area, now a national heritage site of Cape Malay culture. This tour included the history of South African slaves, the Malay community in Bo-Kaap, their culture and traditions, and finally a look into the modern issues that the community still face today. 

At one-point Rafiq proudly presented his family tree, and talked of his ancestor Saartjie van de Kaap, one of the first free women to own property. 

He told me that she was an activist, leader and inspiration to women throughout Cape Town. I replied that she is now an inspiration to me all the way in London. As the tour went on you could feel the emotional connection Rafiq had to the stories that he told, and it made the telling of them all that more relatable. 

This included a story of him, his wife and his neighbours protesting against gentrification in the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood. Gentrification is a prevalent issue throughout the world, and one that most of us have unfortunately witnessed first-hand under the grip of capitalism. 

Hearing a tale of a united society fighting back was yet another way that Rafiq’s tour encouraged me from halfway across the world to never give up. 

This one-hour experience was completely unique, and something that I would never have dreamed I’d have been doing this time last year. Yet, it gave me the opportunity to bridge a gap of cultures and meet someone who I may never have had the pleasure of knowing otherwise. 

I’m a firm believer that it’s important to always try to interact with a wide range of people from different cultural and social backgrounds to your own, and this short tour gave me the chance to do that on one otherwise normal Wednesday evening sitting in front of my computer.