The second leg of Gqeberha funnyman and musician Gino Fabbri’s Heritage Month tour proved to be both entertaining and educational for the performer and people of the Karoo.
The talented performer made his way through Robert Sobukwe Town (Graaff-Reinet), Nxuba (Cradock) and Komani (Queenstown) recently where he received a warm welcome from the residents in the Gem of the Karoo.
En route to the Eastern Cape’s fourth-oldest town, Robert Sobukwe Town, the fun already hit first gear when a motorist pulled him over so that he and his wife could snap some photos with him.
At My SPAR Spandau, their designated stop for the day, the braai fires were already lit and he had to assemble his drum kit before letting loose with his popular medley titled Evolution of Afro House.
Several classic-rock favourites and beats from yesteryear were added to the mix while the parking area transformed into an ad hoc concert venue alive with song and dance.
Fabbri also met with Chief Daantjie Japhta, leader of the Koikoi’s Inqua tribe, who explained the significance of his cheetah-pattern cloak.
“You need to wear the skin of the animal in your area,” Japhta said.
“But, because there are so few cheetahs around, we improvise [by wearing a replica].”
Afterwards, Spandau owner Frikkie Coetzee said Fabbri, played a big role in bringing people from different backgrounds together.
The tour, supported by SPAR Eastern Cape and hosted by various of its retailers across the province, has also unearthed a number of talented individuals in local communities.
In Nxuba, Fabbri’s speed-cop character met a young rapper at SUPERSPAR Tams seamlessly joined in, delivering a rhythmic duo.
At SUPERSPAR Protea in Komani, scores of women dressed in traditional attire matched him leap for leap.
Fabbri said the tour, which started on the Sunshine Coast before visiting the Karoo and culminating on the Garden Route, had achieved more than he could ever have hoped for.
“I expected people to enjoy it, but I didn’t expect the crowds," Fabbri said.
“Music just brings people together.
“When people see someone dressed up as a boertjie and respond, it means they are willing to try new things.”
Fabbri has been collecting ingredients synonymous with the areas he visited for his post-tour heritage dish.
The latest additions included smoked wors from Robert Sobukwe Town, Karoo lamb from Nxuba and beef burger patties from Komani.
“The wave of beautiful comments I have received has blown me away," he said.
"We’ve really struck a chord with [the] people [of the Eastern Cape].”