Meet Hout Bay’s famous Soap Girls
Earlier this year, I visited South Africa’s Hout Bay. Twice, in fact.
It’s a lovely little fishing village on the west side of the Cape peninsula. I love the gorgeous bay with all the mountains behind it, serving as a backdrop as I eat fish and chips at the wharfside restaurant.
When I went there first — on Aug. 29, with Peter Ong — I noticed these two blonde women. They appeared to be selling something. In the U.S., they’d probably be handing out leaflets for time-share condos. So I avoided approaching them.
A week later, I went back out to Hout Bay, aboard a tour bus. And again, I spotted the blonde chicks.
I have no idea what these two young ladies are selling. Whatever it is, though, I want some.
So Sunday — with the internet here in the hotel not working and the rain unrelenting — I faced a rather lonely, bleak afternoon. Until I decided to hell with the rain, I’d drive back down to Hout Bay for another helping of fish n’ chips.
Imagine my surprise when I found these two, huddling in the cold, damp salt air behind the wharf:
On a good day, they’re surrounded by customers. This day, however, they didn’t appear to be quite so busy. So I decided I’d chat them up a bit.
And I was so glad I did. Turns out, they’re local celebrities. And if I had my way, they’d be world-famous.
They’re Camille and Noemie DeBray, better known as the Soap Girls.
On the left is Noemie (noYAMee), or “Mie.” She’s 17. On the right is Camille (CAMmee), or “Mille.” She’s 18. They were born in France, but raised here in South Africa.
They’re extremely talented singers, actors and mimics of dialects and speech patterns. And they’re a lot of fun to talk to. They don’t complete each others’ sentences as much as they speak in unison. A lot.
This, of course, is the downside of having only a still camera. I wish I had video to show you.
Oh, wait. I do…
You can find a few more presentations on their own video channel.
You can also find their web page here. However, the Flash used by their web designer can only be read by Internet Explorer, sadly enough.
Naturally, I’ve found a work-around. Try clicking here.
So why have these talented teens hung out at the Hout Bay wharf nearly every day for the past six years? To sell decorative soaps, made by their mother. For charity.
They told me all about their various causes. For the most part, the money they raise goes to hospitals. Their favorite project was an effort to fund new neo-natal equipment for Groote Schuur hospital in Cape Town. On their video channel, they talk about buying an incubator for the World of Birds, an aviary located just a couple of miles away.
Well, naturally, I was impressed. Not only by the girls’ comedy routines and the way they spoke in harmony, but also by their sense of community and philanthropy.
So, of course, I bought some soap.
At the bottom of this picture is soap with two dolphins embedded in it. My daughter loves dolphins. To the left is one with a butterfly on it. My wife loves butterflies.
Up top is something the Soap Girls recommended for Sharon. They said it was “honey oat” soap. I take it this means it’ll make Sharon smell like breakfast.
On the right — the little foot — is specially-formulated foot soap. It contains special abrasives for the heel and sole. It’s not to be used on the face, the girls warned me.
And because they weren’t exactly overrun with potential customers Sunday afternoon…
…I chatted with them for a couple of hours. They told me about their lives and the CD they’re hoping to finish. They sang a little for me and, when I asked, admitted they can speak at least a little of 66 separate languages. Just astounding.
And they peppered me with questions about life in America. I hope I represented us well.
In the end, I picked up a couple of souvenirs for my wife and daughter and I made two new young friends.
Perhaps I’d be better off if my internet service would go on the blink more often.
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Homina-homina-homina!