The Bokap district at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa’s southern city, is famous for its rows of colorful houses and is a must-visit place for tourists to Cape Town. This block was built in the 1760s, because there are many descendants of the Malays living here, it is also called the “Malay Quarter”.
Strolling through the steep cobbled streets of the Bokap district is a visual feast. The architectural styles on both sides are diverse, the colors are different, and they are bright and eye-catching, just like an exhibition of diverse cultures. I heard from the locals that in the past, for the convenience of location and delivery by postmen, residents used color as an identification, and used “what color house on which street I live” to inform others of their residence. In order not to repeat the colors, every household has a color card. The most convenient way to find someone back then was to go to a paint store and ask who bought what color paint.
Today, houses in the Bo Kaap district are often painted to keep their façades colorful. The householders also purposely magnified the number on the house number as a decoration of the house for tourists to take pictures. This is to preserve the tradition, but also to show the new look and new life of Bokap District. In South Africa, 11 languages including English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa are the official languages, and the tribal cultures of African aboriginal people are also protected. South Africa is known as the “Nation of the Rainbow”, and the “Rainbow” embodies the expectations of the South African people for equality, harmony and diversity.
”It’s wonderful because it’s different.” South Africans often say this when introducing their country. The streets of Bokapu District are like “Rainbow Streets”, showing the colorfulness, diversity, openness and inclusiveness of this African country, waiting for more people to experience the charm of ancient buildings and the splendor of cultural integration. Here, you can admire the architecture that combines the Cape Dutch style and the British Georgian style, and see the Baroque curves of the balcony parapet; appreciate the rough and unrestrained African painting style in galleries and museums; meet photographers who are shooting fashion blockbusters … During the day, you can taste delicious dishes combining Southeast Asian and European flavors in restaurants; at night, you can feel the passionate dance and dynamic beat of Africa.
During festivals, people here will put up the slogan “Color is my home”. “Color” is not only reflected in the exterior wall of the building, but also endowed with colorful meanings of life, making the city full of enthusiasm and vitality.
