DESCRIPTION:
The Cape Town Military Tattoo is the largest military tattoo in Africa. Its venue is the Castle of Good Hope, completed in April 1679 and with a continuous military presence since then, makes the Cape Town Military Tattoo unique among tattoos around the world.
In traditional fashion, the 2014 Cape Town Military Tattoo opened with a bang - the firing of a 17th century signal cannon by members of the South African Cannon Association. This heart-stopping detonation introduced another ancient military custom: each evening, as night fell on the Castle of Good Hope, soldiers of the Castle Ceremonial Guard re-enacted part of the historic Castle key ceremony, dating back to the days when Cape Town was run by the Dutch East India Company, locking the Castle gates and returning the key to the Castle Adjutant. The Military Fanfare Group then flooded the arena with colour and sound. South Africa plays a critical role in fostering regional stability and democratic governance on the African continent, and flagbearers carried on the national flag of the Republic of South Africa and the flags of the countries that we are currently assisting in peacekeeping operations.
The birth of the SANDF itself, which this year also celebrates its 20th birthday, was dramatically depicted in an act by the SA Army Special Infantry Capability Unit.
SA Army Special Infantry Capability Unit and their motorcycles made another spectacular appearance later in the show.
Another popular act was the display of silent drill by the cadets of TS Woltemade, learners involved in the SA Navy cadet programme. Their meticulous display, which took over 100 hours to perfect, was over in 6 ½ minutes but the audience was riveted to their seats for every second. We saw the cadets again in a tribute to the men of the SS Mendi.
7 pipe bands participated in the 2014 Cape Town Military Tattoo, in a sensational display of pageantry and sound. The military bands were represented by the South African Army Band Western Cape, the SA Army Band Kroonstad, the SA Navy Band from Simonstown, and the SA Military Health Service Band from Pretoria. The pipe bands included the Drums and Pipes of Cape Town Highlanders, the Pipes and Drums of Cape Field Artillery, the Pipes and Drums of Cape Garrison Artillery, the Pipes and Drums SA Military Health Services, The Pipe Band of 1 Medical Battalion, and participating for the first time, Knysna & Districts and the Algoa Caledonian Pipe Bands. Each solo act had been constructed to complement the tattoo theme, including numerous traditional South African references honouring the spirit of ubuntu and the reconciliation that defines South Africa in a joyous celebration of twenty years of democracy.