Most photos of the Cape Town carnival troupes (including many of my own) show their exuberance and frenetic energy, their jolling and joy. There's nothing wrong with that. These things are, after all, a large part of what the Cape Town New Year’s Carnival is all about. And jolling and exuberance look great in a photograph. But there's a serious side to the Carnival, as well.
I tried to capture some of that seriousness in these portraits. I made them in January 2008. At the time, the Pennsylvanians were the reigning champions of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association. The members' pride and self confidence should be obvious.
Anvar Hendriks.
Achmat Young, left, and Sidek Hendricks, right.
Maredia Abrahams, left, and Lettie Toerein, right.
The late Henry van Aswyk with his wife and granddaughter.
BTW, the word “Pennsylvania” in the troupe's name reflects the influence, on the Carnival, of minstrels from the United States, who visited South Africa in the late nineteenth century and were wildly popular with Captonians of all colors. American popular culture continues to have a major impact. Add it all together and the result is troupes with names such as the Renegade Apaches, the Beach Boys, the Hollywood Superstars, and the New Orleans Crooning Minstrels.
Comments