The making of a princess

THE Floating Princess has long been in our collective imagination, a spiritual presence reminding us of the complexity of history and story that lives through Princess Vlei.
     But she began to take material form in May 2024, when we decided to make this the focus of our annual celebration at Princess Vlei.
      We were fortunate in locating funds from the City of Cape Town’s Grant in Aid fund. We began drawing, talking, and circulating ideas. We wanted to make something durable but from materials that would cause minimal harm if, through some catastrophe, they landed up in Princess Vlei. So we chose wood and hessian.

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We ordered the materials: pliable center cane and coir stuffing and hessian. Drawings were done, discussed and  circulated, and we created a small maquette out of paper rolled sticks to guide our construction. The arms were initially going to be outstretched, but we didn’t want her to resemble a scarecrow so we decided to go with pliable hessian and wood arms, holding arum lilies in one hand and a stave with the other.

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Building began in earnest at the end of September, when Lotus High learners came to the Peter Clarke Art Centre for a two day workshop. Here, we discussed the message of the Princess,  reflecting on how our waterways are all linked, how caring for them is critical for the health of our planet and humanity. We identified threats such as plastic pollution and climate change.
     The learners assisted with constructing the base for the Princess, making stencils and stenciling flower patterns on her skirts, and creating her braided hair. They also worked on creating flying fish windsocks to carry on the procession in her honour.

n a few days, she took shape. Working flat out in the week before the launch, we created the torso, head and arms. Then it was decorative touches. The headdress was created in consultation with Shihaam Domingo, and made with ostrich shells donated by  Shihaam and porcupine quills and a shell from Emma. The seashell connects her to the ocean, the quills and the ostrich shells to the land, and to the first nations who walked this land and used these for adornment.

Friday 11 October was launch day. The Princess was to stand on a floating platform created by Neil Major, who specialises in creating these for natural pools. The hexagonal raft was attached to empty plastic drums for flotation, and one filled with sand to act as a counter weight. The platform was planted out with restios, arums, wild garlic and other plants that form part of the Cape Lowlands freshwater ecosystem.
     A group of fishermen recognised that their day’s fishing would be interrupted, and kindly gave up on fishing and provided extra hands where needed. This included digging a hole for the sign which would explain the message of the floating princess.
     The platform was towed out by boat about thirty metres from shore, and anchored on three corners to stop it drifting or spinning. A central mast was raised and secured to a counter weight beneath. Then it was the turn of the Princess in the boat. The figure was taken out in two sections, which were lifted over the central mast and secured to the platform.

By late afternoon, the work was done. The Floating Princess was ready, and waiting for the ceremony to launch her on the following day.

The team: Design & project management: Fabian Hartzenberg, Bridget Pitt.
The Lotus Team: Tracy Daniels, Mushfeeq Bedford, Hafza Bester, Zia Booysen,  Miekaaiel Buekes, Paige Eden, Enrich Hendricks, Zea Hope, Mickah Jacobs, Skylar Leeman, Erin Leo, Diedre Louw, Lisa Leevan     
Construction and installation: Fabian Hartzenberg, Bridget Pitt, Emma Oliver; Denisha Anand; Andrew Jacobs; Peter Mitchell, Neil Major, Sidney Jacobs, Hanleck Kustom
Platform: Neil Major and Ivan, guided by Sidney Jacobs

Thanks to the City of Cape Town Grant in Aid fund for sponsorship.