Izak David du Plessis

DU PLESSIS, Izak David (I.D.) (1900-1981.) Scholar and poet who researched and wrote extensively about the Cape Malays. There are those who claim that he actually invented the concept of the “Cape Malay” and the cultural traditions of that group (ref??**). He was Commisioner of Coloured Affairs (1950-63). His importance for the stage is the way in which the cultural traditions have produced the “stage Malay”, based on the traditions he recorded and/or invented. In a way the re-succitation of the Cape Coon Carnival is one of his projects. ??**(De Beer, 1995;**)

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