UCT at the Basel Tattoo

Tattoo UCT: Students and staff who attended the Basel Tattoo were (from left) Matthew Marshall, Bradley Springer, Prof Mike Inggs, Mandy Freeman, Drewan Sanders, Dave Durret, Emlyn T Hamudiwamwe and David Springer.

A number of UCT staff and students represented the Drums and Pipes of the Regimental Association of the Cape Town Highlanders at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland in July.

Their experience in performing in four Edinburgh Tattoos, as well as at the Jubilee for the Queen Mother in 2000, earned the display team an invite to the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland. It is the second largest open-air tattoo in the world.

UCT student David Springer was the lone piper on the tower every night during the tattoo's finale.

"Basel was very intense, as there were double performances every day," says Professor Mike Inggs of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. "Our presence created a very good showcase of South Africa to the 64 000 odd people that saw the show. And as half the band is Black and coloured, we provided a contrast with the other ten bands from Scotland and other parts of Europe."