Living history – the story of Adderley Street’s fl ower sellers

Abstract

Cape Town is probably synonymous with Table Mountain. But one of the colourful scenes at the foot of the mountain may also be described as synonymous with the city: Adderley Street’s “famous” flower market. Yet, although the flower sellers are part of Cape Town’s living history, a beacon for tourists, and literally contributes to the Mother City’s vibrant and colourful life, they represent a dying breed. Where do they come from, and more importantly, what is their future? This descriptive article within the paradigm of microhistory is, thus far known, a first social scientific exploration of the history of this unique group of Capetonians, the origins of the flower market,
and its flower legacy.

Key words: Adderley Street; Cape Town; cultural history; cut flowers; flower market; flower sellers; microhistory; wild flowers; tourism.