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Do black people disproportionately love fun, or is our idea of fun simply different from others?
If you live in Johannesburg, you will remember the recent to-do over the Fourways Farmers’ Market being degraded from what it once was and turned into a shebeen.
Longstanding patrons complained that it was no longer a family-friendly venue to which parents could bring their children and spend the afternoon.
This led to the owners of the market undertaking to review their entertainment offering (whatever that means).
Another place that offers good Sunday chillas vibes is the Kwa Mai Mai traditional market in downtown Jozi. Sipho Sithole has just written an informative book, Maye Maye, about its origins and who it served when it started.
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So, while others head to the botanical gardens for peace and fun, we people of Steve Biko descend on Mai Mai for some good inyama yentloko and then hang out with friends over a pint of beer, cider or Scottish water, if we can afford it.
And there is nothing wrong with all of this.
It seems that you cannot take black people away from their fun.
They might not have any discernible income and be dependent on social grants, but my people from the townships still congregate every weekend and consume copious amounts of alcohol at their favourite joints.
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No matter how often the SA Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago increases interest rates, the black middle class always packs places of entertainment.
I used to be struck by this phenomenon when attending the Cape Town jazz festival. It was remarkable that most of the attendees had hardly any interest in jazz, but were simply there for the vibe.
It was just a fun and fashionable outing.
The annual Durban July is another such event. Forget the horses – the money that is spent on attire, hotels, after-parties and countless related gigs is incredible.
We are indeed a nation of groovists.
