Pap isn’t just food… it’s heritage, it’s home, and now, thanks to Nara Smith and Tyla, it’s going global.
Global (19 March 2025) – Food has a way of bringing people together, no matter where in the world we are. And when a dish as proudly South African as pap starts making waves on global platforms, you know something special is happening!
Pap, also known as mielie meal porridge, is a staple in many South African households. Made from maize meal, it can be soft and smooth or firm and crumbly, often paired with chakalaka, stews, or a good old-fashioned braai. It’s more than just a dish… it’s comfort, culture, and home on a plate.
Now, thanks to the power of social media, pap has found its way onto millions of screens worldwide, this time, through the hands of Nara Smith.
Who is Nara Smith?
If you’ve scrolled through TikTok, you’ve probably come across Nara Smith’s beautifully aesthetic, old-school cooking videos. With over 11.5 million followers, she’s gained a massive fanbase by making everything from scratch. Think homemade fast food, pastries, and now, South African pap!
But here’s the really cool part… Nara’s roots run deep in Mzansi. She was born in Bloemfontein to a South African mom and a German dad. When she was just three months old, her family moved to Frankfurt, Germany, where she grew up until she turned 18. So while she’s been living abroad for most of her life, there’s a little bit of South Africa running through everything she does. And now, that connection is making waves in the kitchen!
In her latest video, Nara took to the kitchen to prepare pap, sharing the experience with her followers.
@naraazizasmith haven’t made this since I moved out🥹 #easyrecipe #homecooking #fypシ #momtok #southafricanfood ♬ Autumn Leaves – Timothy Cole
The reaction? A mix of excitement, pride and a little bit of surprise:
“Nara Smith making and eating pap was not on my 2025 bingo card 😭”
“Tyla made pap, now everyone’s making pap 😂”
“Am I the only one who thinks she did good? 🥹 Go Nara 🫶”
“Eating the pap with your hand is SO Southa 💯”
“Meatless pap and relish feels like a crime 😭”
Her take on the dish has sparked conversations around South African food culture, showing just how far a simple plate of pap can go in connecting people across continents.
Tyla Did It First!
Just a month before Nara’s video, South African music sensation Tyla had her own viral pap moment. In a special episode of Vogue’s “Cooking with Stars,” she casually pulled a bag of maize meal out of her handbag (as one does!) and made pap and boerewors.
South Africans LOVED it:
“My daughter doesn’t like to cook but likes Tyla. After seeing this, guess who offered to help prepare lunch? 😂”
“Her casually taking out the maize meal out her handbag is so funny 😭”
“I never thought I’d hear pap and boerewors in Vogue ❤”
“Tyla is eating pap with her hands on British Vogue. The South African girlies won. 😂❤”
From TikTok to Vogue, from Nara to Tyla, pap is having a moment, and it’s absolutely beautiful to see. It’s more than just food… it’s culture, nostalgia and a delicious piece of South Africa making its way across the world.
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