by Nazeem Davids
Today InnieKaap pays tribute to thousands of women across the Cape Flats, for years the almost invisible force behind the Cape Town cultures of Malay choirs and minstrels.
Without their selfless contributions, there would never have been minstrel troupes, “Tweede Nuwe Jaar” parades or Kaapse Klopse competitions.
From the advent of the Klopse carnival as far back as 1907 until the late ’90s women participants in the Klopse were rarely seen. It was thought unbecoming of a woman to parade through the streets with painted faces and dressed in bright satins.
For years the only “females” in the Kaapse Klopse had been males dressed in drag leading the troupes, to great amusement for the watching audiences. On the Malay choir front, the older generation were outraged when women joined the New Year’s Eve parade by the Malay Choirs. This, coincidentally, blossomed after democracy in 1994.
In the minstrels the explosion of brass music at the turn of the century attracted many young women to participate in the various brass bands that were formed across the Cape metropole. This meant many moms would accompany their daughters to ensure their safety, which led to many parents groups forming to support the bands.
When these bands were then contracted to play for a minstrel troupe, the moms would join in, leading to the family joining the troupe. Sadly, the carnival period nowadays is the only time of the year when the family spends time together.
Many troupes also boast female executives, many with excellent business and leadership skills.
Wahieba van der Merwe is a longtime director of the champion troupe D6 Raw, and her family, especially her mom, Gaironiesa, are staunch D6 members. Wahieba says: “Women play a big role in the troupe, we bring the feminine touch. We bring the family together and we are the sanity when things go awry.”
Rochelle Kota is an exco member at super troupe Baruch Entertainers and heads the fund-raising team. For many years Zaino Davids was the driving force behind the logistics of the Cape Town minstrel Carnival competitions staged at Athlone Stadium.
Shahieda Thole has been the mainstay and backbone of the Cape District minstrel Carnival Board, championing the cause of preserving the smaller troupes. There are too many female icons to mention them all.
Come carnival time, hundreds of women, seamstresses, cutters, ironers and packers are “druk besig” at little CMT factories across the Cape Flats with Klopse uniforms, sewing thousands of satin and sequin outfits for the various troupes. Without them there would be no carnival.
Pots of food are cooked and sandwiches prepared to feed hungry troupe members by female family and supporters. Female bus drivers now drive the troupes to competition venues.
Women are an integral part of the minstrel Carnival and thousands don their satins to participate in the “Tweede Nuwe Jaar” parade and competitions.
Women play a huge role behind the scenes as choir administrators and coaches, and Mrs Fatima Abrahams serves as the first female vice-president of the Cape Malay Choir Board.
The Malay choirs remain a male bastion with only men allowed to take the stage for the choral competitions. This is based solely on religious connotations because Islam does not allow a woman to gather in such close proximity with strange men.
We salute women and thank them for their contributions. Not behind their men, but next to them.
* Nazeem Davids
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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