The Cape Town Museum, in partnership with the Mamre Moravian Heritage Committee, celebrated National Heritage Day in 2019 at the Mamre Moravian Mission Station. As part of the event, several community members shared their stories and memories of Mamre.

Sara Elizabeth (Baby) Robberts-Adams

My ma se naam was Ruth en sy was Moslem. Haar Moslem naam was Galiema Davids en my pas was,‘n Christen gewees. Sy naam was John Adams en ons het in die Distrik Ses gewoon. My Pa was n boorling van Mamre.

Hoe ons in Mamre gekom het toe ons uit Distrik Ses moes uit trek. Ons het eers ‘n plek in Kensington gekry. My Ma het gesê sy wil Mamre toe trek, sy wou haar kinders grootmaak in Mamre. Ek was 16 jaar oud toe ons Mamre getrek het. My ma het gesê sy wil gaan waar haar skoonma bly en dit was eindelik die rede hoekom ons Mamre toe getrek het.

Toe my Ma met my Pa trou as Galiema Davids het sy oorgekom na die Christelike geloof en my Ouma gee toe haar naam Ruth.

My mother's name was Ruth and she was Muslim. Her Muslim name was Galiema Davids and my dad was a Christian. His name was John Adams and we lived in District Six. My Dad was a native of Mamre.

Before we came to Mamre and after we were forced to leave District Six, we could only find a place in Kensington. My Mom said she would move to Mamre and wanted to raise her children in Mamre. I was 16 years old when we went to Mamre. My mother said she would like to go where her mother-in-law lived and it was ultimately the reason why we moved to Mamre.

When my mother married my father as Galiema Davids she converted to the Christian faith and my Grandmother gave her the name Ruth.

Adriaan Jonker

My ma was of is ‘n Khoi af stammeling en ons kan haar familie terug verwys tot in die 1600’s dit nog voor Van Riebeeck in die Kaap geland het was ons familie se geskiedenis opgeteken.

My pa wie se naam Arthur Karel Jonker is, se familie was nogal ingewikkeld. Maar ek wil hulde bring vandag aan my pa, want hy het n groot impak op die dorp gehad. Hy was ‘n onderwyser, hy was betrokke by die kerk, basuinkoor, kerkkoor, die hengelklub, die tennisklub en het ook rugby gespeel in sy dae.

My pa is gebore in 1929 te Pella. My pa voltooi sy matriek en gaan studeer as onderwyser verder by die Wesley Training College. Hy kom toe terug en hou skool by Pella. My pa het die vakke wiskunde en musiek aangebied.

My Pa het verlief geraak op die Khoi Noi van Louwskloof terwyl hy op Pella gebly het (Pella is ’n klipgooi weg van die plaas af). Hulle trou in 1954 en het 5 kinders binne die huwelik gehad waarvan ek die jongste was. Hy het ook in 1975 ’n dogter aangeneem as hul eie wat ons ‘n familie van 6 gemaak het. My Pa sterf op 31 Maart 1984 op die ouderdom van 50 jaar oud.

My mother was or is a Khoekhoen or descendants of the Khoekhoen and we could trace her family back to the 1600s. Even before Van Riebeeck came to the Cape our family 's history was already recorded.

My father, whose name is Arthur Karel Jonker, had quite a complicated family. But I want to pay tribute to my father today because he had a huge impact on the town. He was a teacher, he was involved with the church, trumpet choir, church choir, the fishing club, the tennis club and also played rugby in his days.

My father was born in 1929 in Pella. My father completed his matric and he studied at the Wesley Training College to become a teacher. He came back and was a schoolteacher in Pella. My father taught Mathematics and Music.

My dad fell in love with a Khoekhoe girl from Louwskloof but stayed in Pella (Pella is very close to the farm). They married in 1954 and had 5 children. I was the youngest. He also adopted a girl in 1975, which gave us a family of six. My dad died on 31 March 1984 at the age of 50.

Maria (Rietie) Arnold

My pa en ma het al die jare op Mamre gebly. Ons was die enigste De Kock’s in Mamre en nou is ek die enigste Arnold.

My father and mother lived in Mamre all these years. We were the only De Kock's in Mamre and now I'm the only Arnold.

Johanna (Joan) Favilli

Ek is van Mamre, gebore in Mamre. My familie is ook meer as 61 jaar in Mamre. My ouers, my voogouers en ek ken ook 3 geslagte voor my wat hier in Mamre gewoon het.

My pa het by die City Council gewerk dan het hy elke tweede week huis toe gekom. Vroeër die jare het my pa ook by die see gewerk en my ma was al die jare n huisvrou. My pa was 60 toe hy af getree het. Daarna het hy in die tuin gewerk by sy huis. Hy het sy eie groente geplant en blomme geplant.

Vandag werk die meeste mense in die stad en Atlantis. Ek het ook vir jare by ‘n klerewinkel in die stad gewerk.

I am from Mamre, born in Mamre. My family has also been in Mamre for over 61 years. My parents and my foster parents lived in Mamre and I am also aware of three generations before me that lived here in Mamre.

My father worked for the City Council and would come home every second week. In the past, my father also worked at the sea and my mother was a housewife all those years. My father retried at the age of 60. After that, he worked in the garden at his home. He planted his own vegetables and planted flowers.

Today, most people work in the city and Atlantis. I also worked at a clothing store in the city for years.

Davina Facolyn

Ek is n boorling van Mamre, groot geword in Mamre en woon nogsteeds in Mamre.

My oupa was die oudste man op ‘n sekere tyd in Mamre. Hy was toe 98 jaar oud. So hy was al die jare hier in my Mamre en my ouers het ook hier gewoon. Hy het ook tuine gemaak en heuning gemaak asook koejawels gehad.

Ek het by die Mamre Morawiese Primêre Skool my laerskool loopbaan voltooi. Ons het altyd kaalvoet skool toe gegaan - winter en somer. Die enigste tyd wat ons ons skoene kon dra was op jou verjaarsdag en Sondagoggende kerk toe.

I am a native of Mamre, grew up in Mamre and still live in Mamre.

At one stage my grandfather was the oldest man in Mamre. He was then 98 years old. He lived in Mamre all his life and my parents have also previously lived in Mamre. He has a garden and produces honey and guavas.

I attended the Mamre Moravian Primary School. We always went to school barefoot - winter and summer. The only time we could wear our shoes was on your birthday and Sunday mornings to church.

Childhood in Mamre

In daardie dae was jou huis in die voorkant en jou tuin in die agterkant. Maar in Louwskloofstraat was die huis in die agterkant en jou tuin in die voorkant en dan elkeen soos pruime, pere, koejawels en groente gekweek. As kind moes ek lampolie gaan koop het by die winkel, want daar was nie eletrisiteit gewees nie. Dan het ek eers in die boorde gaan koejawels steel of as dit pruime tyd is het ek pruime gesteel voor ek by die winkel aangekom het vir die lampolie. - Davina Facolyn

In those days your house was in the front and your garden in the back. But in Louwskloof Street the house was in the back and your garden in the front. We grew plums, pears, guavas and vegetables. As a kid, I used to buy lamp oil at the store because there was no electricity. Then I first went to steal guavas in the orchards or if it was plum time I stole plums before I arrived at the shop for the lamp oil.

Ek onthou in die ou dae moes ons ‘n emmer vat en water gaan haal het ver van die huis af. By ‘n tenk het ons dit gedoen in die oggend voor ons skool toe gegaan het. In die somer moes ons ook in die middae hout gaan haal vir ons ouers. - Maria (Rietie) Arnold

I remember in the olden days we had to take a bucket and fetch water far from home. We fetched the water from a tank in the morning before we went to school. In the summer we also had to fetch wood for our parents in the afternoons.

“Ons het altyd speletjies gespeel wat die kinders nie meer speel nie. Ek het altyd met bakstene gespeel en het vir die bakstene skool gehou. Vandag se kinders speel nie meer nie - hulle sit meer voor die TV. Ons het gespeel, mekaar gejaag, wegkruipertjie gespeel en ek was die enigste meisiekind tussen my broers. Ek dink ons kinders mis baie uit vandag, veral die wat in die stad groot geword het.” - Davina Facolyn

We have always played games that the children no longer play. I always played with bricks and taught to the bricks. Today's children no longer play – they prefer sitting in front of the TV. We played, chased each other, played hide and seek and I was the only girl among my brothers. I think our children miss out a lot today, especially those who grew up in the city.

Boxing Day

Op Boxing day was Mamre baie stil want almal het na die see toe gegaan. En die wat die karre gehad het nie, het altyd hulle goedtjies gepak en na die sandduine toe gegaan, dit was waar Atlantis se Duine nou is. Dit was wat my Ma vir ons laat doen elke Boxing Day, want ons het ook nie n kar gehad nie. Dan speel ons op die Duine, seil op kaartborde. Sodra die son gaan sak, kom ons weer huis toe ook net wanneer die ander mense van die see af kom. So ons het nie eintlik geken van see toe gaan nie. - Davina Facolyn

On Boxing Day Mamre was very quiet because everyone went to the beach. And those with cars packed their things and went to the sand dunes. It was where the Atlantis Dunes now are. My mother made us do this every Boxing Day, because we also did not have a car. Then we went to play on the Dunes. We sailed on carton boxes. When the sun went down, we went back home with the other people who also came from the beach. We did not really know about going to the beach.

Growing up in the 80s

Dit was omtrent in die 80’s wat ons krag gekry het. Ek het opgegroei om 6uur in die huis te wees. Dan het ek my kom was in die groot sinkbaddens. Na dit het ons die radio geluister, was altyd die program Boekevat. Sodra dit klaar was, moes ons gaan lê sodat my ouers verder hulle radio kan luister. - Davina Facolyn

It was around the '80s that we got electricity. When I was growing up, we had to be home before 18:00. Then I went and washed myself in one of the big zinc baths. After that we listened to the radio, the programme was always the Daily Devotion. After the Daily Devotion we had to go and sleep so my parents could continue listening to the radio.

Memories of resistance against apartheid

In the 1960s, Pieter Daniel Johannes, provided shelter to ANC members for 10 days on a farm in Mamre.

Voor die Rivonia-verhoor het die ANC kom wegkruip op die plaas [Louwskloof], want hulle het gemobiliseer en mense gekry in die Wes-Kaap om met hulle te begin gesels. So het my Oupa vir hulle plek gegee om te bly. My Oupa het veewagte gehad wat hulle dopgehou het en kom sê as dinge anders gewees het of as dinge deurmekaar geraak het. Hulle moes die plek verlaat het. Die polisie het toe opgedaag en ‘n paar van hulle gevang en agter in die wa’s gelaai. Destyds was daar ‘n Raadskantoor en hulle was daarna toe geneem en was almal uitgestal voor die Raadskantoor en verkondig dat hierdie mense in die bos weggekruip het. - Adrian Jonker

Before the Rivonia trial, the ANC came hiding on the farm [Louw Valley], because they have mobilized themselves and found people in the Western Cape they wanted to talk to. My grandfather gave them a place to stay. He had cattle herders who monitored them and reported to my Grandfather when things changed or became complicated. They must have left the place. The police then arrived and caught some of them and loaded them into the back of the wagons. At that time there was a council office and they were then taken and all of them paraded in front of the council office. Everyone was told that these people had been hiding in the woods.

Religious Festivals

Die spesiale dae op die kerk se kalender in ons kerk begin alyd die week voor Paasfees. Dit is lydensweek soos ons dit noem en dit is ’n week waar ons elke aand in die kerk moes wees. Ons het ‘n spesifieke boek wat ons gebruik om uit te lees tot en met Sondag.

Sondag is dit Palm Sondag en op hierdie Sondag is dit waar die jong en ouer mense aangeneem word. Ons noem hulle konfirmant wat gekonfimeer word. Die volgende Sondag is dit Paasfees en op die Saterdag gaan ons begrafplaas toe en maak die grafte skoon. Maak dit mooi met blomme en op die Sondag-oggend vroeg, gewoonlik so 6uur gaan ons weer begrafplaas toe om n kort diens te hou. Daarna kom ons almal na hierdie saal [Lobensaal] toe en word bedien met ‘n koppie koffie en koeksisters. Dan gaan ons huis toe om ons reg te maak vir die kerk diens om 10uur. - Johanna (Joan) Favilli

The special days on the church's calendar in our church always start the week before Easter. We called it Holy Week and it was a week during which all of us had to attend church every evening. We have a specific book that we read from every day until Sunday.

Sunday is Palm Sunday and on this Sunday young and older people confirm their faith. We call them confirmants who are confirmed. The next Sunday is Easter and on Saturday we go to the cemetery and clean the graves. Make decorate it with flowers and on Sunday morning, usually around 6:00 in the morning we go to the cemetery for a short service. Afterwards all of us go to this hall [Loben Hall] and are served with a cup of coffee and koeksisters. Then we go home to get ready for church service at 10:00.

Ons gaan Saterdae begraafplaas toe om grafte skoon te maak en dit is so uniek om elke jaar dit te doen. Dan kry ons ook weer al ons ou skool vriende . As ons hier begraafplaas toe gaan, het ons altyd ons eetgoeitjies en drinkgoeitjies en ons sit en gesels waar ons weer nuwe herinnering opbou. Op sondagoggend kom ons weer van die begraafplaas af vroeg die oggend en dan kom ons na hierdie saal [Lobensaal] toe waar almal n koppie koffie en koeksisters kry. Daarna gaan ons huis toe en berei ons voor vir die erediens.

As kind het ons gehelp hierdie saal te bou en die werf was vir ons as kinders geleer dat dit ‘n heilige grond is. Sodra ons by die skool se hek kom is dit ons laaste woordtjie wat ons praat en as ons verby die winkel kom dan kan ons weer aan gaan en praat. - Davina Facolyn

We go to the cemetery on Saturdays to clean graves and it is so unique to do that every year. It is also a chance to see all our friends from school. When we go to the cemetery, we always have our food and drinks and we sit and talk and create new memories. On Sunday morning we come back from the cemetery early in the morning and then we come to this hall [Loben Hall] where everyone gets a cup of coffee and koeksisters. After that we go home and prepare for the worship service.

All the children helped to build this hall and we were taught that it was holy ground. As soon as we get to the school gate, we stop speaking and as soon as we pass the shop, we may continue talking.

Kinderfees

During the month of August, "Kinderfees" (Children's Festival) is celebrated. Kinderfees celebrates the religious conversion of Susannah Kühnel in Germany almost 300 years ago. This heroin’s commitment to Christ, which touched many children during her time, is annually celebrated (on the Sunday closest to 17th of August) in many Moravian Churches. The day is marked with a special service for children, choir singing and wild flower decorations in church.

Kinderfees was een van die lieflikste tye, jou ma het jou nuwe klere gekoop en jou hare was gedoen. By die skool het elke klaskamer se onderwyser vir ons n lied geleer wat ons moet sing as ‘n klas en dan het ons n brood rol gekry wat ons altyd baie na uit gesien het.

Mense van ander plekke het ook kom kyk hoe ons as kinders op getree het. Kinderfees is op die 17de Augustus. Dit is vir die kinders en op die 13de Augustus is dit ons grootmens fees (liefdemaal fees). Ons het tot op hierdie tyd ook nog kindersfees wat gereël word deur die sondagskool. - Rietie Arnold

The Children's Festival was one of the most wonderful times. Your mother bought you new clothes and your hair was done. At school, every class teacher taught us a song that we had to sing as a class and then we got a hotdog roll that we always looked forward to.

People from other places also came to see the children perform. Children's Festival takes place on 17 August. It is for the children and on 13 August it is the festival for the adults (love meal festival). There is also a children’s festival organised by the Sunday school.

Kinderfees tye was vir my ook mooi gewees want die Saterdag aand het almal kerk toe gekom en die kerk was mooi op gedoen en ons het die Saterdae middae in die veld, veld blomme gaan pluk vir die Sondag oggend. Kinderfees is op 17 Augustus die dag toe Susanna Kienal haar hart vir die Here gegee het as kind. Op daardie dag het jy nuwe klere aan en jou ma het jou hare gedoen en ons het liedere gesing in die kerk. - Davina Facolyn

Children's Festival time was very beautiful for me. Saturday evening the whole church come and we spent the afternoon in the field, picking flowers for the Sunday morning. Children's Festival on 17 August, the day when Susanna Kienal gave her heart to the Lord was really special. On that day you wore new clothes and your mother did your hair and we also sang in church.

Helping the less fortunate of Mamre

Kerkbasaar

Ons het elke jaar ‘n kerkbasaar die eerste Saterdag in November. Dit is waar ons as gemeente in ‘n gemeenskap saam werk. In die kerk word ons opgedeel in ons kerkwyk en ons werk van Januarie to November met woekerpogings vir die kerkbasaar. Daar is baie armoede in die gemeenskap en ons almal werk om ‘n sukses te maak van ons kerk en kerkbasaar. - Joan Favilli

Every year we have a church bazaar on the first Saturday in November. This is where we as a congregation work together in a community. In the church we are divided into our church ward and we work from January to November to try and collect money for the church bazaar. There is a lot of poverty in the community and we all work together to make a success of our church and church bazaar.

The Mamre Committee

My ouma en nog drie vroue het die vereniging gestig. Die Vereniging is hierdie jaar 68 jaar oud. Almal het begin deel word aan die Vereniging en hierdie Vereniging doen so baie in ons gemeenskap. Hy doen die welsyn, weldade by mense waar daar nood is. Elke jaar gee ons vir ongeveer 300 mense ‘n kersete in die saal net om vir mense dankie te sê. - Baby Roberts

My grandmother and three other women founded the association. The Association is 68 years old this year. Everyone has started to join the Association and this Association does so much in our community. Welfare and kindness is poured onto those in need. Every year we give about 300 people a Christmas dinner in the hall just to say thank you to people.

Memories of herbs and healing

My Ouma was die stigterslid van die Mamre Morawiese Sondagskool in die kerk - sy was ‘n dokter in die gemeenskap, sy was die verpleegster, het die lyke versorg, die raadgewer . Almal kon na Ouma Serra toe kom vir enige iets.

Ouma het die mense gesond gemaak met als (wilde als). Dit was die beste kruie wat sy gebruik het om mense gesond te maak. Ons het altyd gevra “Hoekom als” dan het sy gesê “sy naam is als want dit is vir als goed. Ons was altyd te bang om te sê dat jou kop is seer of iets is seer, want dan het sy vir jou als gegee. - Baby Roberts

My grandmother was the founding member of the Mamre Moravian Sunday School in the church – she was a doctor in the community, she was the nurse, she took care of the bodies, the counselor. Anyone could come to Grandma Serra for anything.

Grandma healed the people with wild African wormwood. These were the best herbs she used to heal people. We were always too afraid to say that your head hurts or something is hurting, because then she would give you African wormwood.

If you have stories or photographs of Mamre to share, we would love to hear from you! You can contact us through this website, or through the Cape Town Museum Facebook Page.