Salt River heritage festival: knowing the past to shape a better world

The second Salt River Heritage Street Festival was held on Saturday. Organised by the Salt River Heritage Society, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving and celebrating the historic suburb, the event saw poetry readings, live music performances, talks by community leaders, and a heritage walk that culminated in the unveiling of three modern giant murals.

“During the apartheid days, we were robbed of our culture, dignity and values. We felt it was vital to find ways of recapturing who we are as a community,” said Shabodien Roomanay, founder of the society, in his opening remarks on Saturday.

Gertrude Fester, an anti-apartheid activist who had been held in solitary confinement for 100 days, told GroundUp: “First of all, it’s to preserve the community voice and to highlight what happened here. It’s excellent to create some education and awareness of what the issues are.”

The Salt River Heritage Society received a Cultural Affairs award at a recent ceremony hosted by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs, recognising the organisation’s contribution to heritage and culture.

Lutfi Omar, chairperson of the society, told GroundUp that the award was “recognition of our relentless dedication to preserving and promoting the rich tapestry of our local history and heritage.”

“This accolade represents a shared triumph for our organisation and the entire community it serves, affirming our belief that the preservation of our past is crucial for shaping our future and making a better world possible.”

Reverend Michael Weeder and Dr Imam Rashied Omar attended the event. Weeder said murals are “one way of making history accessible in a fun, accurate and very profound way”. He said the community of Salt River was facing a recent battle – “the very rapid and almost corrupt gentrification that’s happening here”.

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