For generations, the women of Weaam Williams' family have kept a secret woven with pure gold thread. On Saturday, the acclaimed filmmaker and performance artist unveiled that hidden history to the public at the Castle of Good Hope.
Her performance, "The Miedoura," anchors the 2026 Institute for Creative Arts Live Art Festival and explores the legacy of her great grandmother, Hadji Gadija Shadley Awaldien.
A Miedoura is a traditional Cape Malay headpiece crafted from soft fabrics like silk or chiffon and embroidered with gold or silver.
Historically, brides wore them on their wedding day, newborns were named upon them, and women donned them to celebrate Moulood and to mark their return from pilgrimage.
In the 1920s, Gadija traveled to Mecca, where she learned the intricate weaving technique from Indonesian women living in Saudi Arabia.
She stopped off to visit the Queen of England on her return to District Six, holding knowledge that made her the only person in Cape Town able to weave the sacred cloth.
"It was at the Kaaba where she swore she'd keep the craft secret for her whole life, and she did," Williams told IOL.
"My great grandmother was not allowed to pass down her knowledge," Williams said. "I think as a creator, it gives me a sense of pride with my work as a writer, performer and filmmaker, knowing that I have deep, refined artistic roots."
Gadija's heirloom pieces passed to Williams grand aunts, her mother, and ultimately to her.
"I feel a deep connection to this story, as I understand what it means to be an artist and what it takes to dedicate oneself to an art form," Williams said.
Williams noted that she identifies with her great-grandmother's deep spirituality. "I try to work in a God-conscious way in a space where my religion is not the dominant culture, and so have to tread delicately," Williams said.
The performance also honours the legacy of her great-great-grandfather, Imam Shadley Awaldien. He served at the Chiappini Street Mosque (Auwal Mosque), which was built in 1794 and houses South Africa's oldest handwritten Quran.
The event, curated by Themba Steward, will also feature a performance by the Proteas Malay Choir.
"This work embodies a layer of alchemy which is transcendental, a mixture of narration, smell, sound, and visuality which will transport everyone who watches it as well as energetically alter the space," Williams told IOL.
The ICA Live Art Festival facilitates multidisciplinary creative research oriented toward social justice, tackling themes of equality, restitution, and agency through public interventions.
Williams, an international Emmy juror whose documentary work spans District Six and Bo Kaap, applied independently to participate in this year's festival.
"This work embodies a feminine historical narrative which has not been documented or academically recorded," Williams said.
IOL