An Evening at Gold Restaurant: Food, Music, and Dance
- Jun 17
- 2 min read
One of the most enjoyable experiences of our first week in Cape Town was an evening at Gold Restaurant’s African Experience. While many of our activities have focused on museums and historical sites, this was an opportunity to experience culture in a much more immersive and celebratory way.
The evening began with a drumming session, where guests were handed djembes and encouraged to learn simple rhythms together. There is something wonderfully disarming about an entire room of strangers trying to keep the same beat. Within a few minutes, everyone was having a good time. I personally was struggling since I have no rhythm.
Dinner itself featured a tasting menu inspired by cuisines from across the African continent. Sampling dishes from different regions was a reminder of Africa’s immense diversity. Too often we speak of “African culture” as though it is singular, when in reality the continent is home to thousands of ethnic groups and traditions.
Between courses, performers presented three dance performances that celebrated different aspects of African cultural traditions.
The first drew from the rich traditions of Mali. A praise singer and puppet greeted guests with music and dance, featuring puppets inspired by the work of master puppeteer Yaya Coulibaly. In Bamana belief, puppets and masks serve as intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds. As someone interested in indigenous art, I was fascinated to see performance traditions brought to life.
The second performance was so energetic. Male and female dancers engaged in a spirited contest, their movements expressing strength, vitality, and admiration. The athleticism of the dancers and the rhythms gave dynamic energy to the performance.
The evening concluded with a tribute to African royalty. A Queen Mother of the Akan tradition entered adorned in gold, symbolizing wealth, power, and reverence. Her gold spectacles, traditionally worn to avoid direct eye contact with ordinary people, added a sense of majesty to the performance and a dramatic conclusion as she spread gold dust in the air - a blessing of sorts.
It was an evening filled with music, movement, storytelling, and great food, but what I appreciated most was how seamlessly art and movement came together. Dance, costume, and music were not presented as isolated objects in a museum but as living traditions meant to be experienced - even if in a tourist focused restaurant. It was a truly fun experience!
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