Weekend Craft and Produce market

Fun Days Out for the Whole Family

2009 Event Diary

THE CARTWHEEL - newsletter

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A DICKSON CART - MADE IN PAARL c1890

Here comes the smouswa !

Bringing the past back to life is exciting for everyone. Here you can find out more about what we do and how you can participate.

When we open the doors of our visitor centre in 2009 we will have years of experience organising heritage events with the support and participation of all in our community.

This is no easy thing to achieve in an area which suffered so much under apartheid, and where livelihoods and whole industries have disappeared leaving many families without a steady income.

Going forward into the new South Africa we began learning about each other, rediscovering that our grandparents had lived and worked together in the same streets. They were happy and successful. They came from all over. They were skilled people and together built the first true industrial complex in our country - manufacturing all types of ox, mule and horse drawn vehicles.

Today we are founding a new industry in the valley. The heritage industry! It is no secret that bringing the past back to life is entertaining and fascinating but it can also be used to bring the tourist economy to our valley, to train and employ people, to help educate our children, enjoy time with family and friends. With this in mind, people began to float the idea that is now becoming a reality - De Poort Heritage Village.

People crossed the community barriers of the past and began organising real heritage events. Cart rides, fitting a rim to a carriage wheel, shoeing horses, games that our grandmothers used to play, others brought their lacework or showed us how they weave baskets, play traditional instruments, or use an old box camera.

Soon it was unstoppable... everyone had something to show us or to take part in. People wanted to find a home for this energy and enthusiasm, a place where they could come and enjoy a day out, interact with crafters and artisans, have class in a period school-room, take a ride in a Kapkar, eat a traditional meal, go home with a gift for a friend.

De Poort Heritage Village will host visitors from 2009. As the village grows, more and more activities will be added to the list.

Behind the scenes there is much work to be done. For this we rely greatly on our Friends of De Poort. These are people and organisations who donate their time, artefacts and money to help make De Poort Village a reality.

Like the famous District 6 museum, we encourage people to bring and donate artefacts linked to the themes at De Poort - old photographs, tools and handicrafts to help bring the past to life. All donations are recorded and will be incorporated in our living museum - a wonderful way to celebrate the heritage of our people!

De Poort is designed to help grow the local economy and complement the local tourist industry. Five phases of construction are envisaged - each paying for the next. In phase 1 and 2 artesan crafters are enabled to use our workshops to showcase traditional skills linked to the themes at De Poort, supply gifts and sell their wares at the craft and produce markets.

Doctor's buggy at Paarl Mall 2008.

A track record of success. To date we have organised three Heritage day festivals ( 2002-4) which attracted thousands from all communities. At these festivals we catered for all ages and interests around the theme of heritage from puppet shows to steam trains, from crafters to foods.

We have also participated in many other events such as the Horse and Wine Festival. This regional event grew out of our earlier events.

In 2005-6 we organised for hawkers carts or “smouswa” with drivers in costume to follow designated routes into the townships and informal settlements. Their motto was “if you cannot come to us we come to you”. At each stop along the way they organised heritage games for children and handed out leaflets.

Three 'Kapkars' arrive for restoration and display.

De Poort is purpose built to house and restore a unique collection.

Crafters, young people, homeworkers and volunteers come for hands-on training in artesan & heritage crafts: restoration; forge; farrier; carpentry; painting; upholstery; catering; gift-making; leatherwork; harnessmaking; basket weaving; traditional music; cart driving; grooming; stall management; event organisation; setting up a craft business and more.

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