On Heritage Day, 24 September 2026, the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum in Cape Town hosted a special event to celebrate the cultural significance of the Kaaps language with the spotlight on the Kaaps Woriboek, the first-ever dictionary dedicated to this vibrant dialect. Award-winning poet and author Gaireyah Fredericks, known for her advocacy and translation work in Kaaps, spoke to attendees about the importance of language in shaping identity.
Fredericks highlighted the critical role of the Kaaps Woriboek in defining and preserving Kaaps, saying, “One cannot complete one’s identity without language.” She emphasised that formalising Kaaps through this dictionary is “a necessary act for us as a country, as a people, as a community, so that the youngsters that are born now, they are truly born free.” The dictionary adopts a standardised spelling system, with Fredericks noting, “Now we have one spelling system.”
The Kaaps Woriboek, released earlier in 2026, is a trilingual resource featuring entries in Kaaps, Afrikaans, and English. The project was led by University of the Western Cape linguist Professor Quentin Williams and aims to serve as a historic reference for the development and spelling of Kaaps words. This milestone helps formalise a language variety that holds deep cultural significance within Cape Town’s communities.
Heritage Day celebrations at Iziko also included free entry to all its museums, including the Bo-Kaap Museum located at 71 Wale Street, Schotsche Kloof. The museum, open Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00, formed a focal point for recognising South Africa’s rich and diverse heritage through cultural events.
The release of the Kaaps Woriboek marks a significant step towards recognition and preservation of Kaaps within South Africa’s linguistic landscape. Official initiatives like this dictionary contribute to safeguarding cultural identity and supporting language diversity, enabling communities to connect with their heritage more meaningfully.
While details about the dictionary’s full publication and comprehensive contents remain limited, the event confirmed the growing momentum around Kaaps language advocacy. Cape Flats News journalists will continue to monitor developments related to the dictionary and its impact on local communities.