{"id":52355,"date":"2022-09-20T06:03:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-20T04:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/experience-and-taste-muslim-culture-20220919\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T20:04:29","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T18:04:29","slug":"experience-and-taste-muslim-culture-20220919","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/experience-and-taste-muslim-culture-20220919\/","title":{"rendered":"Experience and taste Muslim culture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Heritage Day (Saturday 24 September) Capetonians get to taste and experience Muslim culture and history during an informative free tour through the Bo-Kaap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event, organised by the Boorhaanol Islam Movement and the Tana Baru Trust, aims to educate people, especially non-Muslims, about the culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The area, formerly known as the Malay Quarter, boasts a rich cultural history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Situated at the foot of Signal Hill, the Bo-Kaap\u2019s origins date back to the 1760s when numerous rental houses were built and leased to slaves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were known as Cape Malays, and were brought from Malaysia, Indonesia and the rest of Africa to work in the Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abdul Bassier, Secretary of the Boorhaanol Islam Movement, explains that people can choose from a selection of three tours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says these tours include a tour inside one of the oldest mosques in Cape Town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery few non-Muslims have been inside a Mosque. So, we are offering people that opportunity, so it\u2019s an open day for the Boorhaanol Mosque based in Longmarket Street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is the first mosque in South Africa to be constructed with a Minaret (a tall slender tower of a mosque having one or more balconies from which the call to prayer is said). It was a wooden structure at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassier adds: \u201cWe would like non-Muslims to attend and allow them to see what goes on inside a mosque. The Imam of the mosque, Shaikh Muhammad West, will do a short tour explaining what Islam is and answer questions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second tour is a visit to the Bo-Kaap Cultural Hub where an exhibition of cultural traditions will be on display. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says it is imperative that people book their time slot in advance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassier says: \u201cThe exhibition is called \u2018Cradle to the grave\u2019 which gives you insight into what the Cape Muslim lifestyle is all about. It\u2019s called that because it\u2019s from when a child is born, all the cultural practices and traditions linked to that, until the person dies. If you have a friend that is Muslim, you get acquainted with what happens when someone dies and what procedure follows.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says people will get to understand what it means when a Muslim goes on pilgrimage and many other traditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassier explains that the third tour is a visit to the Tana Baru Gardens of Remembrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tana Baru Cemetery is a Muslim cemetery where some of the earliest and respected Muslim pioneers were buried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is an historic site, and you get a great view of the City Bowl and Table Mountain from here. There are a lot of new developments happening there. Three shrines are located there.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says there will also be refreshments available after each tour, but adds that it is important that people book a specific time slot ahead of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassier encourages people to use the opportunity to explore and learn more about the Muslim culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople can book for all three tours or one of the three. There are different time slots for each.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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