The Bo-Kaap District

As time went by the Bo-Kaap was variously known as the Malay Quarter, Signal Hill and Slamse Buurt (Slams is a corruption from the word Islam and is regarded by the Muslims as an insult to their faith), or Schotsche Kloof. Today the area is called either Bo-Kaap, Schotsche Kloof or the Malay Quarter. Initially this was not a predominantly Muslim area, and other European settlers and freed slaves, called Free Blacks, many of them adherents to Islam, lived here.

The first section of the Bo-Kaap area, known as Waalendorp, was developed in the 1760's. Waalendorp is not an extension of Wale Street, but of Dorp Street, covering the mountainous portion from the Buitengracht corner up to Signal Hill. The origin of the name is unknown, but it is certain that Waalendorp has nothing to do with Wale Street, which received its official name in 1790. The name 'Wale' has nothing to do with Wales either, but reputedly comes from Wallon.

It is known that by the middle of the 18th century some Wallon families had settled in this area. It is possible that they hailed from the French-speaking part of Belgium known as Wallon, or it could be an indication of their religion as Huguenots. Because many of them belonged to the so-called 'Eglise Wallon', a church organisation established for them in the Netherlands as a kind of independent Dutch Reformed Church.

The first mosque in the Bo-Kaap, the Auwal Mosque in Dorp Street, dates from 1794 and although much altered, is still in use. A so-called Free Black, the Coridon of Ceylon, bought two properties on 26 September 1794, one of which is known today as the Auwal Mosque. Other mosques were built, and after the emancipation of slaves in 1834, many Muslims moved to the Bo-Kaap to be close to their places of worship.

At the turn of the century more than half of the inhabitants of the Bo-Kaap were Muslim. The entire Bo-Kaap (excluding a region known as Schoone Kloof, which was redeclared a coloured area), was declared a residential area for Muslim Malays in 1952 in terms of the Group Areas Act. The largest part of the area was inhabited by Muslims and people belonging to other creeds had to leave. But this changed in the 1990s and today it is possible for anybody, irrespective of religion, to own property here. In 1962 a section of this area was declared a National Monument.

Worth Visiting in Bo-Kaap 

Biesmielah Restaurant
Contact: Mr Osram
Tel: +27 (0) 21 423 0850
Fax: +27 (0) 21 424 9765

The Biesmielah Restaurant specializes in Indian and traditional Malay dishes. All meals are strictly Halaal. Biesmielah is a restaurant established around Muslim beliefs, religion, morals and habits, which is central to their cuisine. Alcohol is strictly forbidden.

Bo Kaap Museum
Contact: Nazeem Lowe
Tel: +27 (0) 21 424 3846
Fax: +27 (0) 21 461 9592
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bo-Kaap, with its cobbled streets lined with terraced houses, is situated above the central business district of Cape Town. The Bo-Kaap Museum is a satellite of the South African Cultural Museum. It demonstrates the influence and intermingling of cultures of the East and the West, as a result of political exiles and slaves being sent to the Cape from the East during the early years of the European settlement at the Cape.

The house is furnished to represent a mid- to late 19th century home inhabited by a Muslim family. The furniture on display reveals a combination of English and Cape styles, a few Eastern objects and religious items relating to Islam.

The Bo-Kaap Museum was officially opened on Saturday, 22 April 1978 by Mr Julius Tahija from Jakarta, Indonesia. The building itself was declared a National Monument in 1965.

Tour of the Bo- Kaap Museum house:
Although the building housing the Museum was erected in the 1760s, the furnishing is of English, Dutch or local origin as used in the Cape in the mid- to late 19th century. Notable by their absence are paintings and photographs in the living rooms because Islam does not allow images of humans and animals to be displayed in such areas. Photographs of family members are, however, allowed in the bedrooms.

Copyright: South African Tourism