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Published by tasch, 2017-05-29 09:45:22

Khuluma June 2017

Keywords: Khuluma,Khuluma Magazine,Khuluma online,Khuluma online magazine,Khuluma flipbook

SEE THE MUSIC THE GUIDE

MICHAEL SAMA-nominated
songwriter
rockLEARNS TO Michael Lowman
talks about his
roots and his
recently released
album, PopRadio.

Interview: Keith Bain; Photograph: Glen Montgomery; Styled by Daisy May for 'RealLifeStyled' I’m a whisky-loving, Liverpool- I also listened to a lot of music. Michael Lowman
supporting, cigar-smoking, video I was always plugged in to some sort of performs at Rumours
game-playing Star Wars geek who is Walkman. Music was always there to save Rock City, Joburg, on
so far from finding out who I truly am in me, even if I only realised it later on in life. 1 June; The House of
this life that I now also ride motorbikes, I played violin when I was younger. Machines, Cape Town, on
play golf and listen to Joe Rogan podcasts I was eight years old and got really good at 10 June; and Café Roux,
while answering emails. I may or may it before giving it up, because it wasn’t cool Noordhoek, Cape Town
not also have a slight infatuation with like a guitar. Putting that instrument down
sneakers and the new Levi 501s. is one of my biggest regrets. on 1 July.
Pop music drives my desire to get I only picked up a guitar with the
better at everything – writing melodies, intention of making music my life
producing songs, understanding what during the early months of my last year
makes peoples’ heads bob and sing along in high school. Los Angeles was where it
at the top of their lungs behind the wheel all began for me. I went to LA to record
in traffic. It’s not as simple as you might the first songs I ever wrote as a singer-
think. It’s music for the masses by talented songwriter. LA taught me so much: how
artists, producers and labels that seem to to write a song, how to not fear a stage.
have their finger on the ‘what’s hip’ pulse. I found out a lot about what I’m capable of.
I wish I could fully claim ‘Durban I discovered that I could quite happily sleep
boytjie’ status, but although I was born on a diner bench after the busses stop
in Durbs, I grew up in Jozi. I feel more at running from Santa Monica to Echo Park.
home coughing up a lung than carving out It was my coming-of-age story.
a wave. That being said, I’ve definitely got My new album is about changing your
that Durbs-by-the-sea chilled thing about perception of who you might think I am
me. That kind of ‘screw it, I’ll do it later’ as an artist. Yes, I’m the guy who plays
talent can’t be taught. It’s probably why guitar in his apartment for hours on end,
I now live in Cape Town. drinking whisky, waxing melancholy … but
I grew up in Benoni, the East Rand. I’m also the guy sitting behind a console in
I played a lot of sport growing up. I hung a recording studio, calling the shots on a
out at malls for a while… I was a bit lost as hip-hop track. I never want to be boxed.
a kid, never sure where I belonged. Maybe I never want to be understood. PopRadio is
I’ll never find a place to fully belong? me exploring. It’s a pop record with a little
That’s okay. Maybe that’s the magic. bit of everything.

kulula.com JUNE 2017 49

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BRINJAL BILTONG
AND SUNSTROKE
MUSHROOMS? HERE’S
HOW ONE WOMAN HOPES
TO CHANGE EVERYTHING
YOU THINK YOU KNOW
ABOUT FOOD...

BIG WORDS
AND UNUSUAL
FLAVOURS AHEAD!

62 JUNE 2017 kulula.com

THE FOOD ACTIVIST LOCAL HERO

Words: Ishay Govender-Ypma
Photographs: Ishay Govender-Ypma,

Nic Grobler, and Zayaan Khan

‘ T ry this,’ says 32-year- Zayaan is standing behind the counter
old Capetonian Zayaan of her current laboratory, the Ethical
Khan, a headscarf Co-op’s packaging room at Oude Molen
draped loosely bandana-style over her Eco Village in Pinelands. Bottles of
cropped bob. It’s mushroom biltong, fermented vegetables such as probiotic-
intense with the umami-like flavours of rich kimchi and sauerkraut (‘powerkraut
soya sauce, chilli, ginger and garlic. ‘We because they give you superpowers’) are
call it “sunstroke mushroom”. A friend steeping. Wonky quince and squash sit
has done a study that shows the skin of a in large bowls. The sharp tang of vinegar
mushroom can take UV light and convert and the sweet musky scent of dehydrated
it to vitamin D,’ she explains. ‘I leave the mushrooms fill the air.
mushrooms in the sun for at least four
hours, maybe up to 12 hours, so that ‘I make brinjal biltong too,’ she adds
they’re vitamin D rich, and that vitamin D about the surplus and waste produce she
will hold for up to a year. Then I marinate works on with the aim of creating edibles
them and I dehydrate them.’ that don’t require any special ingredients,
like sugar or pectin, or complicated

pictures: xxxxxxx

kulula.com JUNE 2017 63

LOCAL HERO THE FOOD ACTIVIST

preserving techniques. Her ultimate goal food,’ Zayaan says. She’s also one of the playtime and engagement that others
is to share the recipes with communities founding members of the South African do. Beacon Valley is known for the drug
that can benefit from preserving food to Slow Food Youth Network. ‘I suppose I am lords; it’s not a safe environment.’ Zayaan
fend off hunger. Here, she says, referring a food activist,’ she says, cagey around starts the children off with the basics. ‘We
to the Ethical Co-op space, she often definitions and being pigeonholed. ‘I work make instruments out of kelp and seeds,
interacts with the farmers who drop off where the needs are for reform – food we make jewellery. In the vlei we look at
their produce. security, food sovereignty and hunger, the plants, we look at the birds – what do
issues around environmental degradation.’ they eat, why are they important? Soon
Zayaan lights up when we speak about we’ll make a birdseed feeder. And we try,
fermentation and bacteria, what she ‘My master’s [degree] rests around on a subconscious level, to say: “These
terms ‘fermentation verskrik’ (translated thinking about our seed culture beyond are the issues in the world” and “Let’s
as ‘fear’), and her delight at watching food farmers and gardeners,’ she says. ‘There look at possibilities”.’
change over time. Zayaan’s Instagram are huge trade agreements and trade
account (@zaykay1st) gives some clues laws that are forced upon Africa as a Zayaan’s journey started a decade ago
about her role in the food world – there’s continent, as if it were a single country. and was influenced by her grandmothers,
a close-up of 'scoby' bacteria in waxy If you follow the First Nation stories who were both community cooks. ‘I find
drips; she squats low, burning ash that about creation, seed is an imperative I work a lot from nostalgia,’ she adds.
will be used to preserve seeds (bugs are tool or instrument within these stories
repelled by the alkalinity); a selection about how life started.’
of herbs and seeds to be rolled as
‘smokables’; pottery she’s thrown that On an Instagram post, Zayaan writes:
resembles the cratered surface of the ‘Seed work is closest to my heart, it’s the
moon; seeds that look like mini hand reason (amongst many) I started working
grenades; and hundred-year eggs dipped through food and long to be a Seed
in tea and buried underground. Librarian…’ The aim of seed libraries is to
increase agrobiodiversity by distributing
Reading for a master’s degree in indigenous, usually resilient and hyper-
environmental humanities with a focus on local seeds to the community for free,
seed culture, Zayaan teaches food literacy or sometimes as an exchange.
around the subject of food security. Her
charges are toddlers and primary school Because of the intricacies and
kids at the Baitul Ansaar Child Care sociopolitical nature of seed and because
Centre in Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain. the food system can be alienating to the
‘They did several surveys, and one of the layperson, Zayaan says she prefers to
biggest issues [here] by far is hunger and work in ways that add joy. ‘The children
at Baitul Ansaar don’t have the sort of

64 JUNE 2017 kulula.com





THE FOOD ACTIVIST LOCAL HERO

Seven years ago, Zayaan met the owner why it’s politicised. I don’t think we were ‘Brother Rasta’, he says, ‘I regard Zayaan
of Cape Point's Good Hope Gardens accustomed to that.’ as a daughter of the soil. I see her as a
Nursery, Gael Gray, whom she considers catalyst, a pioneer.’ He adds that her
an instrumental influence. ‘Gael is a Locally it wasn’t difficult to find people gift for leadership has opened doors for
self-taught indigenous plant expert. She working in food who shared the same many young, underprivileged people
was working in a niche, doing it intuitively. values as Slow Food. ‘One of the biggest across the country.
She did it for the land, for preserving our challenges we faced was [finding] young
biodiversity. There’s a selflessness there,’ farmers,’ Zayaan says. ‘We started by ‘It’s lonely work sometimes. I often don’t
Zayaan says, referring to Gael as a ‘civil connecting within our own networks.’ know what the meaning is until I get to
scientist’. Gael is equally admiring: ‘Zayaan And thus, through friendships and sharing the end of the road, you know,’ Zayaan
is determined to improve the world and the contacts, the South African branch was says. The ultimate reason for her work has
way we live in it. She’s put her energy into born. ‘We became friends and we inspired always been the land. She explains: ‘When
researching seed and its uses in feeding one another, and that’s how we continued you see the landscape as a foodscape,
people in a healthy, sustainable way.’ to mobilise young people.’ it changes everything.’

In 2012, while working on land reform Zayaan adds that she admires the bold
and food-security issues with the Surplus approach of Phrang Roy of the North East
People’s Project, Zayaan was approached Slow Food & Agrobiodiveristy Network, an
by Slow Food South Africa to get involved autonomous association that lobbies for
in the then 1 000 Gardens in Africa indigenous rights, and Mariam Mayet who
project (now it’s called 10 000 Gardens heads the African Centre for Biodiversity.
in Africa). This led to Zayaan attending ‘When what you’re dealing with is so
her first Terra Madre in Italy (a gathering deeply political that it seems a conspiracy
of international Slow Food networks) and theory but you have the proof, you know
subsequently founding the local Slow Food it’s real…’ Zayaan trails. ‘My job is to
Youth Network. ‘Terra Madre was a grand translate this knowledge and make
celebration of diversity, of indigenous it accessible.’
people,’ she says. ‘There was sharing of
politicised knowledge and delving into Xolisa Bangani is the founder of Ikhaya
Garden in Khayelitsha, a community farm
used to revive food culture. Known as

‘I suppose I am a food activist. I work where Support the
the needs are for reform – food security, Baitul Ansaar
food sovereignty and hunger, issues around Child Care Centre
environmental degradation.’ – Zayaan Khan at baitlansaar.org; and
contribute to Zayaan’s work
pictures: xxxxxxx at foodcivic.com. You can
also follow her on
Twitter @ZayKay.

kulula.com JUNE 2017 67







ONE FEARLESS ADVENTURER TRAVEL

K ingsley Holgate arrived a little late. Having just
returned from Africa’s largest voodoo festival in Benin,
he was already getting ready to set off on another
of his regular humanitarian expeditions to deliver mosquito
nets, reading glasses and water-purifying LifeStraws through
the Kingsley Holgate Foundation. ‘Sorry my friend!’ he roared
from deep within his forest-like beard, crushing my dainty,
moisturised hand in a mighty handshake, ‘we were packing
the Landies.’

I didn’t mind. Here I was, about to set off on my very own
adventure with Africa's foremost adventurer...

pictures: xxxxxxx AfricaKINGSLEY'S
At 71, he’s travelled across every country in
Africa, following in the footsteps of the great
explorers and blazing new trails of his own.
But for Kingsley Holgate, adventure is as much
about improving lives as exploring new frontiers.
By Anthony Sharpe

kulula.com JUNE 2017 71

This I’d planned everything: a trip around a ‘Not yet, my friend,’ Kingsley responded
page, left to right: massive, remote lake in northern KwaZulu- cheerfully. ‘You’ve got an interview to
Kingsley Holgate has for Natal in a boat with an outboard motor; do first.’
years had a solid and successful an assortment of moist and exotic biltong
relationship with Land Rover; patience cuts; a six-pack of unpretentious lagers. I suppose if there were anyone with
is part of the art of successful exploration; Surely Kingsley would be impressed? whom to be stuck on an island, you could
Kingsley wades through precarious forest do worse than ‘Africa’s most travelled
swamps; kindness and friendship, says For an hour, everything went according man’. ‘Oops!’ I said, scanning the horizon
Kingsley, are everywhere in Africa. to plan. for the lake shore. ‘And I planned this all
Next page, top to bottom: Troubled waters so well.’
and encounters with armed insurgents And then the storm hit. Torrents of rain
are the scarier parts of an African poured down from roiling clouds, lightning ‘I always warn people not to overplan,’
adventure; Kingsley administers split the afternoon gloom, gale-force said Kingsley, rustling up a fire.
an eye test in remote, winds swept across the water, and our
little boat was capsized. My head thunked ‘Don’t overplan?’ I gasped. ‘That sounds
rural Africa. against the motor, and in a moment it all like terrible advice.’
flashed before me – first my career as a
72 JUNE 2017 journalist, then my life. I was just getting ‘Take a good first-aid kit, have a clear
to my first kiss, feeling the warm embrace purpose, let your friends and family
of death, when a hand clasped me by the know where you’re going, send regular
shoulder and dragged me, spluttering and dispatches back to people at home so
confused, onto a little beach. Just as the they know you’re safe, but go at the pace
storm abated, a great bearded face stared of Africa, and enjoy the rhythm and the
down at me. ‘God?’ I whispered. ‘Is that freedom of the journey. Now sit tight; I’m
you? I’m sorry. For everything.’ going to find us something to eat.’

Kingsley returned carrying what
looked like a dead mongoose. It turned

kulula.com

ONE FEARLESS ADVENTURER TRAVEL

out to be a dead mongoose. As he next thing you come shooting out of your are uncommon. The biggest dangers are
skinned it and skewered it, I wrinkled dream as a swarm of red soldier ants human. We’ve seen our fair share. When
my nose. ‘I hope that braaied mongoose makes its way up into your nethers.’ we were sailing an Arab dhow to Somalia
agrees with my delicate constitution. and back, one of our expedition members
And if it all goes south? How does one The thought of anything nipping at my was knifed and nearly killed by pirates.
answer the call of the wild out here in nethers made me squirm. And in Angola, Unita [the National Union
the wild?’ for the Total Independence of Angola]
‘But toilet breaks in the wild are rebels only spared my life because –
Kingsley guffawed. ‘Adventurous the least of your worries. Once, while according to them – I was “so friendly”!’
toilet stops are part of any adventure. circumnavigating Lake Turkana in
It’s happened – and not just to me – where northern Kenya, the back end of one of I gulped.
you venture off into the bush in search our inflatable boats was torn apart by ‘Most of our human encounters are
of a suitable place to answer the call of a crocodile! I think it was our fault: we’d positive, though. We see and experience
the wild, and you’ve still got your khaki caught a large Nile perch for supper, and the wonderful Ubuntu of Mama Africa,
shorts around your knees when out there had been a bit of blood left in the the accepting nature of people with very
of the bush right next to you comes a back of the boat.’ little to share who still open their homes
trumpeting elephant! And there’s you, to you.’
hot-footing it down to the river in quite ‘What did you do?’ I asked.
the most ungainly fashion.’ ‘We managed to beat the crocodile
off, then took that section of the
I pictured it, thankful that the island was pontoon, tied it up with bicycle tubing,
too small for elephants. and completed the journey by taking
turns to keep pumping the inflatable all
‘Or you’ll be dreaming away as one the way. If anyone slacked off, the boat
does when having such an outdoor would start to sink!’ My jaw hung open.
moment,' Kinglsey continued, 'and the ‘But these escapades with wild animals

kulula.com JUNE 2017 73

TRAVEL ONE FEARLESS ADVENTURER

‘How do you do it?’ I asked him. ‘To be them down his throat, and we had to ‘It does. It’s driven by the absolute Pictures: Supplied
an explorer, in this age of Google Maps give him an epinephrine pen and really need we've encountered out in the field.
and GPS, how much is there really left look after him. I myself almost didn’t I’ve had malaria more than 50 times, so
to explore?’ make it. So, yeah, Africa still has many I know what it feels like, the suffering
a challenge.’ that these kids go through. We’ve got
‘The joy of this continent is that it to do something about it. I think it’s
constantly has the feel of being one of Huddled close to the flames in my unacceptable that in this day and age we
the last great frontiers of adventure,’ cheap knock-off fleece, my thoughts still have a child dying every minute from
he replied. ‘For example, we recently turned to the practicalities of being an the silent killer that is malaria. This work
completed the Heart of Africa journey adventurer. How did one pay for these gives our journeys a really good energy.’
to discover the geographic centre of the trips, after all?
continent. We trekked into the very heart The following morning, I awoke to find
of the continent and discovered 200 000 Kingsley stroked at his beard. ‘We’re Kingsley tending to our little boat.
square kilometres of forest.’ very fortunate that some really good
people have supported the work we ‘The motor is flooded,’ I kvetched.
I shook my head, wide-eyed, and took do for a long time. Land Rover has ‘This is nothing,’ he scoffed, poking
another bite of mongoose. been with us for well over a decade, at the engine. It seemed to me that
supporting us with vehicles, but also Kingsley Holgate could power up our
‘The area has over 100 000 lowland with the ability to purchase humanitarian lifeless little boat purely on his positive
gorillas and forest elephants, and to items. Part of the success is making your energy. So I tugged at the cord and
our knowledge no one had ever set sponsors your partners. Let them visit the motor sprang to life. ‘We’re saved!’
foot there before,’ he continued. ‘That you in the field. Report back to them I cried.
journey nearly killed us. For days regularly. Follow up with good pictures Kingsley laughed and slapped me on
we waded up to our necks in forest and stories. Make it a collective affair.’ the back. ‘Remember,’ he said. ‘Go at
swamps, getting pulled apart by vines. the pace of Africa. The Swiss may have
One of the expedition members, ‘So does your humanitarian work form developed the clock, but it’s good old
Mike Nixon, got 86 bee stings, some of part of every expedition now?’ I ventured. Mama Africa who owns the time. So
get into the rhythm of Africa, and you’ll
be constantly amazed by what a lovely
continent she is.’

74 JUNE 2017 kulula.com





















GIN TALES TRAVEL

Jungle fever

cocFkrtoamilinceouxlnpotlnsaotmirraeeelredestxsAipnfolrfotichrtaheeertfsoecroonccioreutse jungle,
gin has come full circle as the

on-trend drink of choice. Babalwa Shota goes
on a tipsy tour.

P icture this: it’s sometime in the
mid-1800s and explorers from
the British Empire are out at
sea looking for the next ‘wild’ region
to colonise. Among their arsenals of
bayonets and gun powder are barrels of
gin – their favourite tipsy tonic.

Yes, ‘tonic’. As in something you’d
drink like medicine.

kulula.com JUNE 2017 85

TRAVEL GIN TALES

There’s the pink gin, a mix of the spirit ‘Previously considered created a preserved
and bitters that seamen – and the Royal a “shameful” spirit, lime-juice cordial that
Navy – swore by because they believed gin’s perceived health captured the vitamin
it helped with their nausea, while gin benefits made it C and was used to prevent
mixed with lime cordial was considered more popular among scurvy. Sir Thomas Gimlette – the name
the best antidote for scurvy. the emerging middle behind the famous gimlet cocktail – was
classes.’ – Nicolas a surgeon in the Royal Navy and made
On land, hacking their way through the lime cordial part of a sailor’s regular
lush untamed forests in India, the British Kou m barak is ration, effectively citing gin as an anti-
colonisers indulged in gin and tonic as a scurvy measure.
way of warding off malaria, because the bestowing upon gin the unflattering
quinine in the tonic acted as an anti- moniker, ‘Mother’s Ruin’. ‘This association with health helped
malarial agent. The trend also applied popularise gin in “polite society”
to the hunting set here in Africa, and has While Hogarth’s infamous etching back in England,’ says Koumbarakis.
endured to this day as the ultimate way helped the establishment of the so- ‘Previously considered a “shameful”
to end a day on safari. called Gin Laws, aimed at curbing the spirit, gin’s perceived health benefits
nation’s ruination by alcohol, gin would made it more popular among
But gin hadn’t always found such eventually regain respectability under the emerging middle classes.’
favour among ‘decent’ folks. Back on unexpected circumstances. ‘Getting
the roaring streets of 18th-century vitamin C into the diet of 19th-century Fast forward a hundred-odd
London, the tipple had threatened to ruin sailors was a never-ending problem,’ years and the ruinous image
the British Empire because it literally explains award-winning South African is well and truly history,
consumed the population. Gin became bartender Nicolas Koumbarakis. ‘A and has been going through
such a part of the city’s make-up that gentleman named Lauchlin Rose what Koumbarakis calls
in 1750 artist William Hogarth etched a renaissance.
his notorious depiction of London life
centred on a mother letting her infant Other than Britain, Spain
fall to the ground while she indulges is the only other country
in the booze. Entitled Gin Lane, the in which gin is practically
artwork came to immortalise the era, a national drink, and yet
the global drinking industry
is catching up fast, especially
when it comes to boutique
production. ‘Gin is currently
evolving at the speed of
light,’ says Joburg distiller
Jacqueline Grobler, whose Angel
Heart Distillery in Frankenwald is
at the forefront of the artisanal gin
revolution currently sweeping the
country. ‘As distillers, we’re using insanely
innovative ingredients because suddenly
everything is acceptable.’

Grobler should know all about innovation
– her Ginifer artisanal Joburg Dry Gin

86 JUNE 2017 kulula.com



fairtrade • handmade • eco friendly • recycled • locally produced in Swaziland

GIN TALES TRAVEL

is a mad cauldron mix of hand-foraged of African ginger, granadilla and THE 5 STYLES
botanicals straight from the Faraday vanilla. She also does a version of Ginifer OF GIN
Muthi Market in the middle of the infused with chilli essence that’s been
concrete jungle. The idea was to create aged in oak barrels. ‘The chilli adds a LONDON DRY is what most
a gin that’s a true reflection of the city in kick of heat – perfect with pineapple and people think of when they think
which it’s made, she says. fresh coriander leaves,’ she says.  of gin. It’s very dry but light
bodied. It makes good G&Ts
‘We went to the market on Eloff The stalwart of the local artisanal gin and dry martinis.
Street and asked the sellers to show movement is Roger Jorgensen, who has GENEVER is the original
us the stuff that has interesting smells been making incredible potions at his granddaddy of gin from the
and tastes – the stuff that they keep boutique-size distillery out in Wellington, Dutch. Not a lot of botanicals,
underneath the table. We bought about where he combines the flavour of which makes it an easy drink to
50 little bags of botanicals, and I then Macedonian juniper berries with the zest have neat or on the rocks.
distilled them all individually to see what from a handful of citrus fruits, including PLYMOUTH is made only in
would happen, because not all plants naartjies, for that unique taste of home. Plymouth, England, and is close
can be distilled. That’s how we decided And there’s Africa’s first female craft in taste and body to a London
what to include or exclude in the gin.’ distiller, Lorna Scott, at Inverroche in dry. It makes great cocktails
Stilbaai. Both of these groundbreakers because of its easy versatility.
Grobler’s Westcliff gin, meanwhile, have for years been coaxing the unique OLD TOM is ‘London
celebrates the suburban forest with flavour properties of indigenous dry’s sweeter, fuller-bodied
delicate green and floral notes, hints botanicals into their stills to produce parent,’ says saveur.com, and
distinctly African gins. has ‘recently come back on
the market a er decades in
In Clarens in the eastern Free State, suspended animation’.
at the Red Stone Gin and Cider Bar, you
can sample a unique and delicious gin NEW AGE/
distilled from apples. KWV’s small- INTERNATIONAL
batch Cruxland-branded London Dry Innovative, bold and daring,
Gin is infused with Kalahari truffles, and this is the ‘crazy’ new gin that
Grundheim Craft Distillery in Outdshoorn experiments with an interesting
recently launched Black Mountain array of botanicals. It’s good
served with a combination of
herb-and-fruit with tonic water.

kulula.com JUNE 2017 89

TRAVEL GIN TALES

Karoo Dry Gin – a triple-distilled, classic, with rooibos and spekboom, and they gins needn’t all taste only
dry-style gin with a smooth finish and offer monthly workshops during which of juniper,’ says Beard.
the subtle aroma of liquorice, citrus, participants can craft their own bottle ‘Distillers have grown more
rose petals and fynbos. True to form, it’s of gin. Musgrave Gin, meanwhile, is a creative with the botanicals
distilled using a traditional wood-fired fairly new arrival, adding character to its used, so you have a far wider
Cape pot still. studiously distilled gins with the flavours range of flavours. Experimenting is
imparted by cardamom, African ginger, precisely what we think gin should
The movement has really taken off in and grains of paradise. be all about.’
urban centres, with distillers like Andrew
Rall at Durban’s 031 Distillery creating Gin-loving distiller Lucy Beard Among those
his Durban Dry Gin using indigenous (pictured below) not only helped get ‘experiments’ is a recently
botanicals such as African rosehip. Rall Musgrave off the ground, but also years released Cab Sauv blush
has also developed an all-natural tonic- ago founded the Mother City’s very first gin made by adding pressed
cordial syrup infused with spices, citrus gin distillery when she and her partner, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
flavours like lime, lemon and orange, Leigh Lisk, refurbished a rundown post-distillation. And last
and lavender. warehouse in Salt River to create Hope year Hope on Hopkins
on Hopkins. ‘People are realising that produced a gin containing
At the Woodstock Gin Company, a mopane worm in the
Simon von Witt started experimenting ‘Gin is currently bottom of the bottle. Still,
with a variety of botanicals back in 2012 evolving at the it’s their preference for making
to produce small-batch, high-quality speed of light. As everything from scratch
South African gins, the first of which distillers, we’re using that really sets her gins
is called Inception. Also in Woodstock, insanely innovative apart, explains Beard. ‘Our
New Harbour Distillery does gins infused ingredients because London Dry and Salt River
suddenly everything gins are made from a malted
is acceptable.’ – barley base that we cook Additional research and interviews: Keith Bain; Pictures: Supplied
Jacqueline Grobler and ferment on-site, and then
triple distil before distilling it
one more time
with the botanicals, which is
when it becomes gin.’

And it’s this potential for enhancing
the flavour of a gin to ensure its
uniqueness and character that makes it
so much more today than when it was
considered a diabolical liquor on the
streets of 18th-century London.

‘Gin is going to evolve even more in
the next few years,’ promises Grobler.
‘It’ll go much larger and madder. Global
trends are showing a return from all
those insane cocktails back to simple
G&Ts with a twist of lime. The move is
towards a simple, clean drink in which
you can actually taste the gin.’

90 JUNE 2017 kulula.com



TRAVEL SHIPWRECKED

surTRUvE ivors
Think we have it tough today with airport queues and
security checks? It could be worse. Five-hundred years
ago, exploring the world was life altering for very
different reasons, writes Tony Mills.

92 JUNE 2017 kulula.com

SHIPWRECKED TRAVEL

I magine the terror of hearing the the sea in a badly rusted and unidentifiable numerous diseases ran rampant. The ships
grinding of steel on rocks early in the state, leading to much speculation as to they set out on left much to be desired.
morning, your trawler coming to an which shipwreck they belonged. Porcelain As cargo vessels, they were broad in the
abrupt halt, crew and loose items being shards of Ming pottery and carnelian beam and reliant on the prevailing winds,
tossed mercilessly about, and fearing beads still wash up today, suggesting which varied in strength, leading to the
for your life. These thoughts occurred to a wealth of treasure lost at sea. ship being unable to avert disaster due
me while listening to a couple I visited in to lack of speed or manoeuvrability.
Cannon Rocks, a village along the Eastern It is well documented that Portugal
Cape’s Sunshine Coast. They told a heart- sacrificed 10% of its population in the Charts, if available, were usually
warming story of how they had taken in 15th and 16th centuries through maritime inaccurate, and the navigational equipment
a complete crew of survivors, a veritable pursuits aimed at gaining control of the was of the most basic kind. If that was not
league of nations who had staggered vast riches that could be shipped back enough, ships sailing in tropical waters
ashore one misty, cold and windy morning. home. Gold, ivory, slaves and diamonds were attacked by naval shipworms (Teredo
Their ship had run aground at Kite Beach. were the driving factors behind the navalis) that bore into wood – at the rate
avarice and greed of the countries and of reproduction of this saltwater clam, a
This conversation stoked my curiosity their captains who embarked on these vessel would be doomed in short order.
about the many ships that have sunk treacherous voyages. The crews who Often holds were so overloaded that
along our shores, some of which are still manned these ships were largely poorly the crew would be unable to attend to
visible at low tide off the coast between trained and many were press-ganged to general maintenance such as caulking
the Great Fish River and Woody Cape. fill crew quotas. They must have viewed or fixing leaks, sails or rigging. Often
This stretch is littered with wrecks the voyage with mixed feelings, ranging these necessary chores were overlooked
– strong winds, unpredictable weather, from superstition to fear, but were buoyed because of the downtime it would cost the
freak waves, hidden reefs and strong by the hope that on their return, the riches captain, so chances were taken. Another
currents took their toll on ships totally they were promised – should they survive major hazard was fire, which could be
unprepared for such conditions. the journey – would be shared. caused by careless cooking accidents or
by flammable materials such as jute being
The village of Cannon Rocks derives its Conditions aboard were abysmal. Poor transported. Given the right conditions,
name from two cannons recovered from rations, cramped quarters, scurvy and

kulula.com JUNE 2017 93










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