Chippas Place, a Kasi experience
2012-11-08 09:24
I recently went on a Drakenstein Media Tour and I must
say it was quite an interesting trip. The first thing that caught my attention
on the itinerary was the lunch we would be having at Chippas Place at the
Mbekweni Township in the Western Cape – The Kasi Experience that serves up
braai meat, drinks and supposedly a local cultural spectacle.
For most people this would probably be the most exciting
item on the itinerary as it means a chance of having a township experience. As
somebody who grew up in a township the visit to Chippas Place would be
different this time around because I was visiting as a member of a tour not as
a resident.
See, the thing is the difference was what I was most looking forward to.
As we arrived at Chippas place it was lunchtime on a
Thursday, the last time I was there was on a Sunday
afternoon. The atmosphere was so tranquil, compared to the big crowd that is
usually there on weekend afternoons. We were welcomed by the owner
personally and he made sure we got our order in time and that we were
happy. The 30-minute wait I’m used to was suddenly 5-minutes. The
building was pretty much all there was to see; with less than 20 people,
there was no vibe.
This made me question whether tourists really get the ‘Kasi’
Experience?
Tours usually take place during the week and during working
hours. The treatment is different, ordinary visitors hardly get to meet the
owners of the kasi spots, never mind an official welcome. Pretty much figuring
your way around is part of the experience. The best of which, for me, happens on
weekends.
The hotspots are filled with people from different
backgrounds, music, dancing and fashion. It’s the ultimate time to see the
cultural interaction that takes place, not forgetting the township spirit. I pointed out my
observation to the fellow media people on the tourwith me. They also felt
they didn’t get enough of the ‘kasi’ experience: a big crowd and all that goes
along with it - even waiting over 30minutes to get an order.
So when to get the real ‘Kasi’ experience is up for debate
as tour visits to the townships spots definitely miss the gist of what the
experience is about in my opinion.
One would question why these tours take place on weekdays? Is it a matter of trying to have a relaxed or controlled
environment? Well that defeats the purpose of having a kasi experience as the
crowd is part and parcel of it. Someone pointed out the issue of safety, but safety
precautions should be taken no matter where you are touring, the same caution
should be applied with township tours.
Chippas Place is a happening township spot, that’s off the
touristy, mainstream track and I’d say a must for your itinerary – but it’s up
to you how much of Kasi experience you’d like to get out of it.
