17
13 - 26 February 2018
Drift away on a healing African experience With FC’s help, these young women were able to realise their potential and fulfil their dreams – something that is of as much importance to FC as the success of his business. “For me, it’s all about contributing to skills development and creating job opportunities for youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds,” he says.
Hedda Mittner
W
hat does a fast-paced, cutting-edge business in drone photography have to do with the healing and relaxing experience of an expert body massage using natural African botanicals? Well, for starters, these two businesses are both based in Hermanus, occupying side-by-side premises in the Village Square in the heart of town, and both were founded by FC Hamman. A veteran of the South African film industry, FC has worked as a director of photography and film director on local and international productions for more than four decades. Since opening his own film, video and events production house, FC Hamman Films, he has filmed features, documentaries and commercials throughout Africa, the USA, Europe and the rest of the world. His company is currently South Africa’s number one licensed drone operator, with high-profile clients such as Budweiser, Porsche, Lexus, BMW, Isuzu, MTN, Outsurance, Vodacom, Santam and Nivea. FC’s migration to Hermanus was prompted by his old friend, Theo Krynauw, when he asked FC to produce a video for Sparkle Kids, the youth upliftment and skills development initiative founded by Theo and his wife Angie in 2011. Charmed by the natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle of Hermanus, FC returned to Johannesburg and told his artist wife
The Driftwood team offers clients a truly unique African experience. From left are: FC Hamman, Carmen Gayline, Angie Dube, Faith Guvava, and Katherine Coetzer. Annie: “Let’s pack our bags and go and live in Hermanus.” Having found the ideal premises on the first level of the Village Square, FC realised that there was enough space to also open a massage salon in partnership with a therapist the Hammans had come to know in Hermanus. “Annie and I enjoy the therapeutic experience of a good massage and we often made use of the services of a local massage therapist, Yolandi Hannekom, who provided a mobile service. I wanted to give
her the opportunity to establish her own business by providing financial and start-up support,” says FC. Inspired by the Sparkle Kids initiative, he wanted to do his bit by sharing his knowledge and mentoring young adults. Having launched The Driftwood Experience, a second therapist was soon needed. FC tells the story of Thandiwe Kuka, whom he first noticed sitting on an empty crate in front of one of the trading stalls on Market Square. By striking up a conversation he learnt that she was working at the
stall for a pittance and had no future plans. Taking Thandiwe under his wing, FC enrolled her for training and employed her as a second massage therapist at The Driftwood Experience. Since those early days, Yolandi has gone on to work at the Arabella Hotel & Spa, while Thandiwe is currently employed as a massage therapist on an ocean liner travelling to exotic locations all over the world. A third therapist trained and employed by Driftwood, Nomie Mpambeni, is now working at Sorbet in the Whale Coast Mall.
Today, The Driftwood Experience is being expertly managed by Katherine Coetzer, who relocated to Hermanus last year with FC’s son, Timothy (the youngest of his four children with Sonja Herholdt, the iconic Afrikaans singer to whom he was married for more than 20 years). Timothy has joined his father’s crew as an expert drone pilot, while Katherine takes care of the production logistics and manages Driftwood’s staff, accounts, social media and marketing. Driftwood’s three therapists, Faith Guvava, Carmen Gayline and Angie Dube, underwent extensive theoretical and practical training and are considered partners in the business. A testament to their skill as therapists is the way in which the business has blossomed, mainly through wordof-mouth. “We recently had a call from a woman in America who was planning a trip to Hermanus and wanted to make a booking,” says Katherine. “She said her family had used our ser-vices while on a visit to Hermanus and had highly recommended us!”
The Driftwood Experience has been further enhanced by the introduction of the TheraNaka™ range of unique products based on Africa’s natural medicinal botanicals and essential oils. As a proudly South African enterprise, TheraNaka™ captures the essence of Africa by combining exclusive blends of plant energies and traditional African rituals to give clients a truly unique and healing experience. Every treatment starts with a welcoming ritual and concludes with a greeting ritual, while the range of body oils and massage butters offer the ultimate experience in healing, soothing, relaxation and upliftment for mind, body and soul. Only the finest natural ingredients are used in TheraNaka products, including the oil from the Marula fruit and the Boabab tree, Mongongo nut oil, Shea and Mafura butter, Rooibos, the Kalahari melon and Cape Aloe. Only credible plant extract manufacturers, whose services support organic certification, sustainability and Fair Trade, are used; the products do not contain harmful alcohols, artificial fragrances, colourants, harmful petrochemicals or mineral oils, and they have not been tested on animals. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, The Driftwood Experience is offering a special Couples Massage on 14 February. Call 060 518 4981 to book. They are open from Monday to Saturday from 09:00 – 18:00; Sunday by appointment only.