Nabuweya Hector – Fresh Batches, Pure Passion, and a Love for Tradition

For Nabuweya Hector, koesisters aren’t just about syrup and spice — they’re about passion, freshness, and keeping a tradition alive. Though she has been selling koesisters only for a few months, her journey with them stretches back many years. Friends and family often encouraged her to sell, but she would only make koesisters for loved ones, for Eid, or special gatherings. It wasn’t until she stopped working last year that she finally turned her hand to selling them.

Baking has always been close to her heart. She has taught her daughter to bake, but koesisters remain her specialty. “Koesisters are my thing,” she says proudly. Her recipe comes from her favourite recipe book, one she once lost but quickly replaced after realising no other recipe could capture the taste she loved. Today, she still follows that same recipe — though tweaked with her own touches — ensuring every batch reflects the flavour she grew up with.

Raised in a family that embraced the Cape Malay tradition of Koesister Sundays, Nabuweya remembers buying them from different households and tasting the variations. But when she couldn’t find anyone who made them exactly the way she liked, she decided to perfect them herself. Now, her children don’t go out to buy koesisters anymore — they simply wait for hers.

What sets Nabuweya apart, she explains, is freshness. She never freezes her koesisters or her other baked goods. Even if there are leftovers, she insists on making a fresh batch every time. “It must always be fresh,” she says. For her, baking is not about chasing profit. It’s about love — love for the craft, for her family, and for her customers.

She believes koesisters carry a heritage that must be honoured. “Cape Malay koesisters are made with passion,” she explains, “so that people can taste the spice and the care that goes into them.” Though she admits that the tradition doesn’t hold the same weight for the younger generation, including her own children, Nabuweya continues to nurture it in her kitchen.

For her, each koesister is more than a treat — it’s a gift of heritage, freshness, and devotion.