On Sunday September 15, women and children from Al-Masjidur Rawbie in Portland gathered for the annual rampies sny event in preparation of the celebration of Mawlid an-Nabi. Portland elder Nazeema Samsodien, 71, shares the significance of this tradition.
Tell us about rampies sny, what does it entail? Rampies sny is an old tradition where women gathered for hundreds of years to cut and scent lemon or orange tree leaves, then fold them in wrapping paper or small pieces of fabric before giving them to men on Mawlid an-Nabi, which is the celebration of the birth, life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
The women gather at the mosque in the afternoon, dressed in their most colourful clothes. While cutting the leaves, they recite Arabic praises to the Prophet Muhammad and remember Allah. After the leaves are cut, they are placed in a basket and prayed over, asking for Allah’s blessings.
What does rampies mean? The word rampies originates from the Malay word rampai, which means “to cut”.
Where does the tradition come from? Since the early days of Islam in the Cape, traditions from our Muslim forefathers from the Far East have been passed on from generation to generation and is still very much a part of the Cape Malay community. Rampies sny is one of these traditions and stems from the Indonesian and Malaysian community that arrived in the Cape with the Dutch colonisers from the mid 1600s.
Tell us about the significance of rampies sny to Mawlid and the Islamic faith. Rampies sny is an expression linked to Islam, and not a religious obligation or global practice. Mawlid an-Nabi is not celebrated by all Muslims because the Prophet did not celebrate his birthday but cutting rampies bring people together, even to this day.
Many people don’t uphold the traditions of rampies and Mawlid. It is important that we don’t keep the knowledge of it to ourselves but share it with others. If you want a good community, we have have to share this knowledge with the ladies and girls around us. This is the beauty of it. Imagine coming together at this time celebrating the praises of Allah and putting salutations on the Prophet Muhammad?
What makes the coming together of women and girls for rampies sny so special? There is no better way as a mother to share something like this with your daughter. It brings closeness and togetherness. One day, she will realise that she will get married and have kids of her own and pass it down to them. That is how we get to set examples and pass down our knowledge and traditions from generation to generation.
