“New Ground.” What does that conjure for you? We’re standing at the Tana Baru Cemetery. This is no ordinary burial ground. It’s a place of profound historical and spiritual significance for Cape Town’s Muslim community.
The Tana Baru Cemetery is one of the oldest Muslim cemeteries in South Africa. Its story begins in the early 19th century. Muslims in the Cape were granted religious freedom in 1804. The Batavian government allocated land for a Muslim cemetery. This was in 1805. That plot became known as Tana Baru. “Tana Baru” comes from Malay. “Tana” means ground. “Baru” means new. Hence, “New Ground.”
Before 1804, Muslims had been unofficially burying their dead here. The official land grant was made to Frans of Bengal. This aimed to retain Muslim loyalty amid a possible British invasion. Imaum Abdullah Kadi Abdus Salaam, a pioneer of the Cape Ulema, was buried here in 1807.
The Tana Baru Cemetery holds the remains of Cape Town’s earliest Muslim settlers. They include respected leaders. Among them are Tuan Nuruman, Tuan Sayeed Alawse, and Tuan Guru. Shrines honor these figures. They attract religious pilgrims.
Tuan Nuruman was banished from Batavia. He was enslaved. He was known for his good deeds. People saw him as a protector. By his grave, there is a well for animals. People say he could predict the future and made talismans.
Tuan Sayeed Alawse was a prisoner from Yemen. He was meant to be imprisoned for life on Robben Island. After eleven years, he was released. He chose to stay and promote Islam. He became the first official imam for the Cape Muslim community.
Tuan Guru was a banished prince from Indonesia. He was imprisoned in the Cape in the 1780s. He was suspected of trying to overthrow the Dutch. In prison, he wrote a key book on Islamic law. He also recreated the Quran from memory. Upon release, he founded the Auwal Mosque.
In 1886, the government officially closed the cemetery. They cited sanitary reasons. The community was outraged. Abdol Burns led three thousand Muslims in protest. They buried a child in defiance. Burns and twelve others were arrested.
Despite its official closure, burials still occurred. An eighteen-month-old girl was buried here in 1916. The Tana Baru has always been considered sacred.
In 1978, the Committee for the Preservation of the Tana Baru formed. In 1998, the Tana Baru Trust became a legal entity. The Trust aims to preserve and restore this oldest Muslim cemetery.
The Tana Baru Uprising is commemorated. It is an important part of Cape Town’s Muslim heritage. This act of civil disobedience defended their cemetery.
The Tana Baru Cemetery remains a testament. It shows the resilience of the Muslim community in Cape Town. It reflects their deep roots in this land. It is a place of remembrance. It is a place of respect. It is a place of history.