Ghoema and Glitter: New Year Carnival

Iziko Social History Collections department presents a peek into Cape Malay culture

The Ghoema and Glitter exhibition opens at the Iziko Good Hope Gallery at the Castle of Good Hope on 5 June 2010 and showcases a unique part of Cape Town and South Africa's history and culture - content that has never before been the subject of a museum exhibition.

The legacy of Cape Town's New Year Carnival is rooted in the history of slavery and the development of early working class communities in the City

‘Tweede Nuwe Jaar' Carnival is a significant aspect of the social history of Cape Town and continues today to form part of the City's cultural landscape.

Ghoema and Glitter: New Year Carnival in Cape Town reveals how Carnival participation has been passed on from generation to generation, while at the same tracing the changes to the Carnival over time.

The exhibition details the histories and performances of the Nagtroepe (Malay Choirs); Christmas Bands and Klopse, who together make up what we understand as the ‘Tweede Nuwe Jaar' celebrations.

The narratives and memories of Carnival participants provide a major part of the content of the exhibition and this that must also be acknowledged as the exhibition's inspiration.

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