Beating a rhythm down memory lane with “Boeta Bek”
The minstrel fraternity is filled with many different characters, people and groups, who all share one common thing... The love of “klopse”.
Families have grown into it, friendships too and even a few big names but none were bigger than the legendary Faried Adams.
Famously known in the minstrel community as “Boeta Bek”, Mr Adams played his way up the minstrel ranks starting from a tea leaf box, broom stick and a string.
“My mom was the one who taught me to play the banjo and my dad taught me the guitar, but I taught myself how to play the box bass that was made with a proper tea leaf box, a broomstick and a piece of string,” he said, staring at some old pictures on his wall.
Mr Adams was born and raised on the corner of Batts and Begga roads in Wynberg, before moving to Westridge where he currently lives.
But it was in Wynberg where his passion and love for the minstrels started, as his father played the banjo for a team known as the “Gallypsos”.
His musical journey started at the age of 12, when he started playing with groups before moving to the minstrels.
"I belonged to two groups at the time, Florence and the Nightingale's and The Sonics from Claremont,“ he said.
His first minstrel experience arrived in 1962 when he joined the Meadows and the Gold Dollars, who were based opposite Oaklands High School.
During the same time, “Boeta Bek” then formed his own band in Wetton, named The Gunstones.
“At the time, it was apartheid, and we recorded a seven single called I won’t keep you waiting and that came in at no.13 on the charts and we stayed there for a week,” Mr Adams said.
"At the age of 18, The Gunstones were well on their way to becoming one of the top bands in Cape Town, as we started touring South Africa.“
Mr Adams met his late wife at the age of 19 and they married two years later. Married life made him take a backseat with the band.
"I had to find a job an could only play band at night and the only night we could play was Thursday night. When the band broke up, I went to play for The Zombies in Grassy Park,“ he explained.
A few years later The Zombies broke up as well but through an old friend, Mr Adams started playing for a band in Worcester, after getting the blessing from the family.
"That was the start of Bacaras as they were looking for a bass player an lead guitarist,“ he said.
During the late 60's, he became a member of Rosendales Malay Choir and in 1973 his comic career took off.
“I became a comic singer for seven years, but then the group arrears act came in and the team had to move out of District Six and we moved to Lentegeur in Mitchell’s Plain around the 1980s,” Mr Adams said.
"That’s when the real Lentegeur history began.“
During Rosendales 10th year anniversary celebration, Mr Adams won himself the famous nickname, “Boeta Bek”.
"That year I won the treble in the comic by winning the section, Top 8 and Champs of Champs in the Cape Malay Choir Board and became the Master of the Moppie. That is where I got the nickname Boeta Bak and I’m still undefeated up until today,“ he smiled.
Boeta Bek said he was proud to see people still rushing to Lentegeur to catch a glimpse of their favourite minstrel teams, but called on Cape Town to ”protect the legacy“.
“Does the youth know how, where and why we got here as a minstrel community? I really don’t think so,” he said.
"The youth has got no interest in our traditional instruments such as the ‘gammie’, ‘ tammarienjie’ and the banjo. Today everything just about jingles and brass. We must protect our legacy.“
Boeta Bek said the minstrel carnval has become one of the top tourist attractions in Cape Town, but added: ”The local man or the new members in this sport needs to be showed the proper way.“
