Your inside guide to “The Bo-Kaap”
A visit to Cape
Town is not complete without exploring the beautiful and bright Bo-Kaap. This
community is full of rich history and great culture, and is one of the most
popular tourist attractions for the Mother City. But what is the Bo-Kaap all
about and why is it so popular? Below you will find your inside guide on all
things Bo-Kaap and dive into the suburb’s history, its people and why it is
such a beacon of hope in Cape Town’s historic timeline.
Location and history:
The Bo-Kaap is
situated on the slopes of Signal Hill, conveniently above the city centre of
Cape Town and is defined by Wale Street, Buitengracht Street, Rose Street,
Carisbrook Street, Shortmarket Street, and Strand Street. The area only
measures 2 kilometres in length and half a kilometre in width.
This iconic
area contains a rich amount of history and heritage and has been through a lot
of different changes throughout the years. The Bo-Kaap is a suburb that dates
back over 250 years and was previously known as the Malay Quarter. During this
time the suburb was home to the Cape Malays, a group of people who were brought
from Malaysia, Indonesia and the rest of Africa to work in the Cape as slaves
for the Dutch East India Company. When slavery was abolished, the Malay Quarter
became the home of many Malay and Muslim newly-freed slaves.
Currently there
is a very strong Muslim presence in the area with about 90% of the residents
being of the Muslim faith. This being so as a result of the slaves who were
brought to the Bo-Kaap during the 1760’s.
During 1885 after
slavery was abolished, the Bo-Kaap was vibrant and included a large number of
Muslims and some Africans. However, The Group Areas Act of 1950 was put into
place by the Apartheid government resulting in neighbouring area, District 6,
being labelled a “whites only” area, seeing residents of the area being
forcibly removed to other areas such as Mitchell’s Plain, Manenberg, and
Hanover Park. The Bo-Kaap however, was declared a Cape Muslims only residential
area under the Group Areas Act, therefore people of a different religion and
culture were forced to move from the area. The Bo-Kaap was actually the only area of Cape Town where the
Cape Malay people were permitted to live during this time period. The residents
have lived in this suburb for generation after generation, with a tight-knit
community developing over the years amongst the residents due to their close
bonds and rich culture.
Things to see and do:
The Bo-Kaap is
home to the Bo-Kaap Museum which is the oldest building in the suburb and can be
found in Wale Street. The museum building was built by Jan de Wall in 1768. The
museum is the best way for tourists to find out about the Cape Malay culture
and get a glimpse of the life of a 19th century Cape Malay family. The
museum is proudly managed by the Iziko Museums group. The museum itself was
established in 1978, with the building that houses the museum being declared a
National Monument in 1966.
You can expect
an authentic cultural experience when visiting the Bo-Kaap. The area has the
most eye-catching colourful and bright houses that pop against the blue sky or
mountain background and cobblestone lanes. The Bo-Kaap is famous for its
Instagram worthy backdrops. You have to take a selfie against one of the many
bold coloured houses. It is interesting to note that the houses built here have
both Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture styles. The most noticeable
similarity of all of the houses are the front porches, which are known as
“stoeps” in South Africa. Most of the houses front doors are above street
level. The reason for the brightly coloured houses is all due to the oppression
that the residents felt during the Apartheid era. When Apartheid ended, the
residents decided to use bright and bold colours to bring a new positive look
and feel to the area. The colours bring about a sense of freedom, expression
and joy.
It is very
important for visitors to the area to respect the local residents who live in
these beautiful houses. Please bare in mind that residents should not be
intruded upon and that you should not take photographs of people without their
permission. Please keep your photography to outside of the houses and do not
intrude on residents. The Bo-Kaap people are very friendly and are always
welcoming to tourists therefore it is crucial to maintain respect from both
sides to ensure that this area is enjoyed for many years to come for all
tourists.
We highly
recommend that you experience the delicious Cape Malay cooking that the Bo-Kaap
offers tourists. The Cape Malay food style is a very popular choice of cuisine.
This style of food is so unique due to its use of various herbs and spices
which are used to balance out the flavours of various traditional dishes. You
can take part in a Cape Malay cooking course led by a Cape Malay expert or
enjoy a meal at one of the various Cape Malay restaurants found in the area to
really experience the Cape Malay taste. Samosas are found throughout the suburb
at various corner stores and are a firm favourite with locals and visitors
alike, we suggest that you try at least one, you will not regret it. We suggest
that you visit the Bo Kaap Kombuis restaurant, not only is the food outstanding
but you will have a wonderful view of Table Mountain.
You can take
the audio tour of the Bo-Kaap narrated by Shereen Habib or you can join an
actual tour group and explore the Bo-Kaap. The audio tour is available to
download onto your phone for around 4 US dollars (subject to change) and gives you an intimate tour of the Bo-Kaap
directly from your headphones. Shereen’s audio tour is about 35 minutes in
duration and includes about one kilometre of walking around. The Bo-Kaap is
safe to visit alone or with a group so don’t worry about your safety, just
stick to the basic safety rules of being out and about in a city, and be sure
to venture around during the day time and you will be just fine. Just remember
that you can only enter holy places if you are dressed appropriately and are
wearing a headscarf if you are female.
The Bo-Kaap
residents host a monthly market which features locally created products and
produce. This market takes place on the last Saturday of each month and takes
place in the Haas Collective Gallery in the Bo-Kaap in Rose Street. The market
runs from 10am to 4pm, and is run solely by the Bo-Kaap residents. We recommend
that you attend this market to get to know the locals more and to gain access
to some locally created arts and crafts, food items and spices.
Interesting facts about the Bo-Kaap:
- Did you know that “Bo-Kaap” translates to “above the Cape”.
- Did you know that the first recognized Muslim mosque built in South Africa can also be found in the Bo-Kaap. It is called the Auwal Mosque and was built in 1794 in Dorp Street.
- The Bo-Kaap was called various other names in previous years. Other names included “Malay Quarter”, “Schotcheskloof” and “Slamse Buurt”.
- The Bo-Kaap has a population of over 6000 residents.
The Bo-Kaap
truly is the cultural heart of the Mother City. Add this exciting area to your
Cape Town itinerary, experience true Cape Malay culture, and don’t forget to take
your best photo against the bright and bold houses of the Bo-Kaap.
References:
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| Bo Kaap, Unsplash, Jiao Shen |
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