The District Six community celebrated Heritage Day last Saturday September 24 by unveiling a new mural in the Rutger Street park.

The mural is a collaboration between the District Six Civic Association (D6CA) and District Six Museum.

The City of Cape Town gave approval for the painting of a 30-metre long mural.

D6CA chairperson, Asa Salie says the idea of the mural was conceptualised in February. Old pictures shared by the community and the District Six Museum were used as inspiration.

“We worked in partnership with the museum. The community was included where we sat through workshops and looked at how the old pictures could help in the design of the mural,” she says.

On Heritage Day, members of the community could place paint on their hands and add their handprints on the mural. Ms Salie says this mural will represent the past, present and the future generation of District Six.

Acting director of the District Six Museum Chrischene Julies says that they worked in partnership with D6CA to ensure that the mural could be realised.

“We applied for funding from the City of Cape Town’s Grant-in-Aid programme to help in this mural process,” she says.

Ms Julies says mural artist Ayesha Price was the facilitator. She worked with current and former residents of District Six who shared their ideas.

She says the City of Cape Town’s Grant-in-Aid programme helped fund the workshop process, the painting materials and help with the public arts commission.

“We are excited that this mural is completed as it was quite a long process and we are happy the mural is living and alive in District Six,” she says.

Ward 77 Councillor Francine Higham says it was special spending Heritage Day in District Six. “They unveiled this mural which they have been working on for a long time. It’s a multi-generational mural where the whole community has come together to share their ideas of what District Six means to them.”

The community also held a market day and had entertainment from singer Mujahid George and the Pensylvanians Minstrels from Hanover Park.

A section of the mural reflecting the history of District Six.