We're Back!

Our Cape Town adventure started at the infamous and now colorful District Six. Wendell, our South African guide, shared with us his strong personal connections to the District. His family, along with 60,000 other nonwhites, was displaced from the area during apartheid. Wendell explained the formation of residential districts which required black, white, colored and Indian people to live in separate areas.

The eclectic mix of residents who called District Six home, lived in constant fear, during apartheid, of the knock on their door when the officials would come to force them out. The homes were all destroyed after the residents left, and the land remained undeveloped due to political controversy.

Fast forward to today where we gaze on a bright display of color reclaiming the district. Though we only got a small glimpse into the colorful district, the area resonates with a feeling of cultural pride. New shops and artisan products line the street across from brightly colored houses. The struggle, however, continues for many former residents who, sadly, wait for governmental restitution so they too may return to their former neighborhood. Some fear it will not happen in their lifetime. In the meantime, the bright colorful homes and shops make a strong confident statement. We're back! The District Six community is back, and will not go unnoticed!