Written by Hannah Tayla
During my holiday I had the opportunity to visit a few tourist attractions in the beloved city of Cape Town. I embraced its numerous art galleries, bustling city streets, vibrant views, quaint cafes, dingy Eastern Food Bazaars and thrifty emporiums.
Aaah the Mother City: A city that inaudibly speaks volumes of its horrific and compelling history, housing both relics of the past and projections for the future. One thing that stood, literally and figuratively, out to me about Cape Town is the walls of the various places I visited. In this article I will be discussing three walls that I believe speak of the past, reflect the present and display its hope for the future.
Bo- Kaap: Walls of the Past
Bo- Kaap is undeniably one of the most recognizable residential areas of South Africa. Its steep roads, tiny streets and striking coloured houses stand tall on the slopes of signal Hill. Previously known as Malay Quarter, the area has historical links with the Middle East, Amsterdam, and Malaysia. When the houses were first built around the mid-1760s, the houses were leased to slaves and had to be painted white. Later, when liberated slaves were permitted to purchase houses, slaves painted their homes in a different colour to reflect their emancipation.
Today, the colourful walls continue to remind the city of its rich history.
Observatory: Wall of the Present
Observatory is popular for its creative edge, especially in lower main road. South Africa is known as the “Rape Capital of the World” and there is one particular mural in Observatory that beautifully advocates for the rights of women in the city. Like any work of art, this mural may be interpreted in a number of different ways. In the mural, a woman is looks directly at you. Above her collar bone are the words “Stop GBV” (gender based violence) which appears to be a painted in a tattoo- like font. Beside and above her are animals that can all be found in South Africa. The giraffe and its calf on her right may be interpreted as representing the maternal nature of the woman, whereas the leopard to her left on her shoulder represents the woman’s strength, enduring spirit, courage, and protective nature. This wall is clearly making a statement about women and advocating for women’s rights in an era where gender based violence is the norm.
Observatory: Wall of the Future
Another wall that stood out to me in the Observatory area is a mural depicting smiling kids holding what appears to be kites, while a man pleasantly watches them play. I think this mural is powerful because it displays the innocence of childhood and also the safety brought by the adult. So many children around the globe are at risk of having their innocence and childhood taken away from them by the adults in their lives. I believe this mural projects an alternative and hopeful future for our children.
Even though inaudible, the walls of this city are speaking to the past, present and future. But the question we Capetonians should be asking is, are we listening?
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