Digital content creators Tasneem Waggie (@tasneemwags) and Ameer Cloete (@eatfromscratch) have been celebrating their heritage through food on TikTok, using the #RepYourHeritage hashtag.
Waggie, who is a store operations expert for a local food delivery app, is also a part-time digital content creator on the trendy social media app.
Open her profile and it’s clear that her niche is food. She posts her recipes, taste-test videos, and restaurant recommendations.
As part of the #RepYourHeritage challenge, Waggie shared a recipe that grandma Amina Holmes prepared for the family – salt and pepper lamb chops, served with steamed vegetables.
“Food has always been at the centre of every family gathering. Especially, my grandparents – they loved feeding people and making people happy through food,” she said.
She added: “My grandmother called it a ‘vinnige stappie’ because it was a quick meal. She cooked a big lunch every Friday, so at night she didn't cook.”
The home chef’s first viral video was potato, jalapeno and cheese poppers, which had more than half a million views.
Waggie started her TikTok account during the first hard lockdown, and was encouraged by her husband Waseem and daughter Ghanaan, to post more food videos.
“My husband gave me the idea of finding my niche, and my daughter always helps me film my videos,” she said.
She added: “I decided to shift my content to food reviewing and cooking. That was when my content skyrocketed.”
Waggie said she loved observing heritage and cultures that were passed down from previous generations.
“It’s important to know where you come from. All my grandparents have passed on, and I still get to celebrate their heritage and cherish what they shared with me,” said Waggie.
Ameer Cloete, also known as @eatfromscratch, interns as a designer when he’s not creating content for his TikTok account.
Cloete started his account after his wife Jamiee shared a video of snippets of him in the kitchen.
“People responded really well and that’s when she suggested that I start a TikTok account, and it took off from there,” he said.
“She’s my manager now and, in the last six months, it’s been a nice journey,” said Cloete.
The home cook’s TikTok account is filled with easy recipes, to cook enjoyable food.
“You’ll never see me using my KitchenAid mixer because I want people to see they can make these recipes without needing all the fancy equipment,” said Cloete.
Cloete’s first viral video received more 100 000 views, when he showed his followers how to make a full-house gatsby at home.
For the #RepYourHeritage hashtag, Cloete shared his grandmother’s koesister recipe.
“My grandparents had a food truck, where my grandmother sold koesisters in her neighbourhood,” he said.
He added: “My love for cooking stems from that. Everyone always made dishes at family gatherings, and food is a part of my heritage.”
“Heritage is memories that you’ve created and that stick with you. Everyone eats, you can’t say that eating is not part of your heritage,” he said.