KWALANGA - ZWAKALA

Creativity in Cape Town: the Art Scene of Langa

AFRICA

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SOUTH AFRICA

Guga S’thebe Arts & Cultural Centre in Langa has space for people to come and experiment with their art. It also hosts occasional exhibitions of local artists' work | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

Josephine Platt

Commissioning Editor14 May 2020

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Just east of Table Mountain in Cape Town sits one of South Africa’s oldest townships. Langa came into existence in 1919, and its history is rooted in anti-apartheid activism and artistic expression. Photographer Alessandro Iovino visited with his camera to capture what he calls its “sunny disposition and vibrant energy”.

16 on Lerotholi art gallery aims to promote South African artists and bring tourists to Langa | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

Langa is a place that’s centred on community, where art serves a purpose. Its name means “sun” in Xhosa – one of the official languages of South Africa and Zimbabwe – which is fitting. However, it is actually after Langalibalele, a 19th-century king of the AmaHlubi, a Bantu tribe in what is modern-day KwaZulu-Natal.

This Superette shop is located near Guga S’thebe cummunity centre | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

Kids hang out near the community centre | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

Ladies who lunch: at Jordan Ways of Cooking in Langa | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

Over the years, Langa has bred plenty of artistic talent, including Brenda Fassie, the Queen of African Pop (who sadly died in 2004). Meanwhile, galleries such as 16 on Lerotholi have popped up to serve as hubs for young, local artists in the same way Guga S’thebe has been the community’s cultural focal point for three decades.

Guga S’thebe is where communities can come together and enjoy art, design and performance | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

A local woman makes and decorates a wooden goat’s head for the Langa market | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

A group of kids play in front of an old house | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

The streets are lined with art and murals, and you’ll be greeted by saxophones and keyboards from jazz artists such as Mandisi Dyantyis. “A palpable creative spirit flows through the avenues of Langa,” says Iovino. As do the smells of the local cuisine. “The smells of succulent rump steak and buttermilk chicken burgers circulate, alongside dishes such ulusu, or tripe, and umngqusho, or samp, for those with adventurous palettes.’’

Kids play on a pile of old mattresses in a field in Langa | © Alessandro Iovino / Culture Trip

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel – and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Epic Trips, Mini Trips and Sailing Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travellers and friends who want to explore the world together.

Epic Trips are deeply immersive 8 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and enough down time to really relax and soak it all in. Our Mini Trips are small and mighty - they squeeze all the excitement and authenticity of our longer Epic Trips into a manageable 3-5 day window. Our Sailing Trips invite you to spend a week experiencing the best of the sea and land in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm – and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.