Roots of the Karoo house

Practicality doesn't have to be the only defence of an old object. A blanket could matter because it covered several generations. An enamel basin recalls a grandmother’s kitchen, while the creak of a riempie chair can bring back a childhood room.

Science can explain aromatic plants and cooking temperatures but it can't settle the debate over whether a proper lamb pot needs carrots, whether tomato belongs in a bredie or how ribs should be basted.

The church standing today is the grand successor to the modest building around which Calitzdorp first formed. The reason for the town’s emergence is wonderfully practical: people needed somewhere closer to gather, and Calitzdorp grew from that need, one returning wagon at a time.