Baking Soetsuurdeegbrood in the Western Cape of South Africa

The Cederberg communities descendants in the Western Cape of South Africa have preserved the tradition of baking Soetsuurdeegbrood —Afrikaans for sweet sourdough bread— for many generations. This distinctive bread, made without commercial yeast, relies on a starter culture derived from local vegetables or rumen. Baked in outdoor ovens, which have evolved from termite heaps to natural clay structures, the heritage reflects a deep connection between the people and their land. The bread is baked on hot coals, a method passed down through generations, blending local and European cultural influences.

This documentary, co-created with local community members from the Agter Parkhuis, offers an intimate exploration of the Cederberg bread-making tradition. The contributors are Anna Hein, Elzaan Hein, Marcelino Oktober, Jerome Jantjies, Siena van der Ross, Andries Koopman, Maria Oktober,, Annalise van der Ross, Dora van der Ross, Eva Ross, and Tracy Du Plessis played vital roles in bringing this rich culinary heritage to life. Produced by Sascha Jaeger of SHJ Productions, with funding and support from People Plants International, the documentary beautifully captures the essence of a tradition that continues to thrive in the Cederberg today.

The Traditional Foodways Program supports traditional food systems in their entirety – the sustainable harvesting, management, cultivation, processing, and preparation of a wide range and astonishing number of food species. Learn more at www.peopleandplants.org/what-we-do/traditional-foodways

People and Plants, through the Traditional Foodways Program, has produced a recipe video series that documents and celebrates delicious and healthy traditional cuisines interwoven with the forests and environments from which they grow. We invite you to watch the recipe series and learn more about dishes from Ecuador, Mexico, The Philippines, Indonesia and Cameroon, at www.peopleandplants.org/recipe-series

Traditional Foodways is a People and Plants International collaboration with local organizations and media teams from around the world. We are committed to ethical story telling and true partnership. www.peopleandplants.org/ethics-in-filmmaking