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History
The Cape Malays are the only cultural group of their
kind globally. They are a long standing people of South Africa
who originally came as slaves, political prisoners or exiles
from the Dutch East Indies and were brought from countries
as spread out as India to Eastern Indonesia. They came to
be called Cape Malays as they all spoke Malay, an important
trading language at that time.
Cape Malays are also known as Cape Muslims. They were
tied by a common language, religion and presence of important
political and religious figures. The culture has endured centuries
and some of the worst abuses of the Apartheid regime. Their
interaction with the Dutch produced a 'kitchen' Dutch that
was the beginnings of the Afrikaans language.
Where to meet the Cape Malays
The Circle of Karamats around Cape Town is made up
of tombs of twenty five saints from the Muslim community.
One important exile is Tuan Guru from Tidore.
He spent thirteen years on Robben Island and copied
the Koran from memory in a very accurate reproduction and
also helped Establish the first Mosque.
If you are in Cape Town you should make time to visit Bo-Kaap,
which is the Malay quarter. A tour by a local resident is
well worth it. You should also sample a Cape Malay curry
which you can get all over South Africa and represents
the exotic origins of this unique culture. The curry is rich
in spices and fruits, particularly dried apricots.
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