Cape Malay tradition of Rampies continues to thrive
Zaakiyah Khan, from Plumstead, watches as cut lemon leaves, rampies, are smoked with incense.
Image: Fouzia Van Der Fort
Capetonian women adorned in gold-threaded garments and girls dressed in beautiful dresses gathered at Masjid Boorhanol Islam, in Bo-kaap, on Sunday, August 31, to celebrate the vibrant tradition of Rampies Sny - in preparation for Moulood un Nabie, the birth of the Prophet Muhammed.
It is a pre-celebration of Prophet Muhammed's birthday, on Rabi'al-Awwal 12, the third month of the Islamic Hijri (lunar) calendar. Songs of praise and prayers will ring across Cape Town on Thursday, September 4, after sunset.
Malikah Railoun, from Surrey Estate, Faldelah Arend, from Maitland, and her granddaughter Israh Bibi Rinquest cut lemon leaves, rampies.
Image: Fouzia Van Der Fort
This Cape Malay tradition of Rampies sny cutting ceremony includes lemon or citrus tree leaves being cut, dipped into sweet-smelling oils, like rose and citrus, and infused with miang (incense) smoke. It is then packaged in little sachets.
The word is believed to be derived from the Malay term rampai, which means to blend a variety of flowers and fragrant leaves. This is an Indonesian tradition.
For the ceremony, women are encouraged to dress up in their garments, glittering outfits, bought in Mecca and worn on return from hajj (pilgrimage). These adorned scarves and cloaks are known as milaiat, silk cloth with gold thread and medora, fine silk with gold thread. They are also pinned in a particular way to showcase their finery.
Pictured in front, from left, Wardah Hendricks, Fouzia Miller, Wahieba Kannemeyer and Shirene Taliep.
Image: Fouzia Van Der Fort
The gathering brings the women together and while they cut the leaves they recite.
On the eve of moulood the sachets are given to worshippers who attend the gathering of prayers and praises for the Prophet.
Sherene Taliep, 63, from Mitchell's Plain, led the women on Sunday in reciting (jika) praise songs of the Prophet and remembering God. She was born in District Six and was raised in Belgravia during the Group Areas Act.
She recalled attending rampies sny when she was three with her late grandmother Rachmat Khan, who also led women's gatherings of prayer.
"We would wear beautiful dresses, have curled hair, and have flowers, like an Alice band. We would take with oils, rose, lemon, and orange in baskets," she said.
Pictured right, is Ayra Shade, from Woodstock, dressed in a traditional Cape Malay cloak, known as a miliat. She is handing out lemon leaves to be cut to he mother Faika.
Image: Fouzia Van Der Fort
Ms Taliep said it was important for the children to attend the ceremony.
"At the time, when I was little, we didn't know that I would be the only one following in my grandmother's footsteps," she said, adding it was a tradition she had been raised in, filled with excitement and beauty.
"Beautiful tastes, sounds, sights, smells, and feels," she said.
Ms Taliep encouraged the tradition to continue, especially for the children.
"The children are the future of tomorrow. We have to inculcate it in them. So they can continue it," she said.
Cousins Zahraa Jacobs, from Bothasig, Zaakiyah Khan, from Plumstead and Safiyyah Jacobs, from Bothasig, hold their hands up in prayer.
Image: Fouzia Van Der Fort
Razaan Peters, from Brooklyn, and her daughter Atiya cut lemon leaves, rampies.
Image: Fouzia Van Der Fort