For the Khoisan Revivalists of Cape Town
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For the Khoisan revivalists of Cape Town Cover picture: Rafael Verbuyst 2018 (original design: Rizah Potgieter) Supervisors Prof. dr. Berber Bevernage Vakgroep Geschiedenis (Universiteit Gent) Dr. William Ellis Department of Anthropology and Sociology (University of the Western Cape) Co-supervisor Dr. Hanne Cottyn Department of History (University of York) Khoisan Consciousness Articulating Indigeneity in Post-apartheid Cape Town Rafael Verbuyst Proefschrift voorgelegd tot het behalen van de graad van Doctor in de Geschiedenis 2021 Claiming Roots “Claiming roots is an arduous enterprise not assigned to the faint of heart its calling comes only to those who can risk ridicule, scorn, quarantine When I set out to look, to find the pieces of myself, parts of my architecture buried below the foundations, narratives excised, ancestral tongues cut brutally from my mouth When I followed the four winds, to search for scattered histories, deliberately lost purposefully distorted, inexplicably strayed beyond the grasp, beyond my tactile reach When I went into caves to discern the messages of the grand-great ones who went before the diligent custodians of paradise where the eland roamed and fynbos flourished When I touched the earth of Robben Island bathed in the streams of Hoerikwaggo followed the shaman’s trail on !Gam //Naka or sat in the darkness of the torture room yes, it was here, at the Castle of Good Hope where they brought the treaties that would never be honoured where decrees buttressed manifest destiny […] It is this blood root, this perverted crucible that consigned entire peoples to the boundaries v to the very edges of banishment, into a dangerous twilight where strip-mined, they were broken, divested of agency Yet, the white man did not know there’s a stubborn resistance in feigned surrender there’s still currency in fragments of tongues and the genetic block No decree, no false deed of sale or transfer can carry the memories, preserved for posterity in blood-bound masterpieces on the rocks in one word, one salutation in a banished tongue Seeking after roots, clamouring for banished pieces of the me I was never allowed to be of the heroes that were never heralded if the chronicles buried under other stories it is to this place that I came, risking the laughter where I suffered, the indignity of imposed labels where I was flung into the raging turbulence of a people re-birthing under pressure […] Tomorrow our children will dance the riel with sweet abandon, and sing in revived tongues they will walk along the rivers and seas and they will know, like sunrise, that they belong.” - Zenzile Khoisan¸ There are no more Words: a collection of poems (2018), 58-59. vi Preface Right then and there I knew it was preface material. As I was browsing my social media feed on a lazy afternoon in early February 2019, I came across a dance performance, “COLOURED SWANS I: KhoiSwan”, that was going to take place in two weeks’ time at the arts centre Vooruit, located a stone’s throw from my desk at Ghent University. The show was part of a two-week festival, “Same Same But Different”, organized by Vooruit and partners. With a packed program of performances, the festival sought to reflect on the decolonization debate in Belgium and beyond, with a particular focus on the role of the arts and African artists. I booked my ticket in a flash, then proceeded to read a bit more about the performance itself. On the website of Vooruit, I was intrigued to read the following: In ‘COLOURED SWANS’, dancer, performer and choreographer Moya Michael wonders how the various different identities that are imposed on us might influence our body and how we move, speak and sing […] In ‘COLOURED SWANS I: KhoiSwan’ Michael teams up with visual- and performance artist Tracey Rose to explore their African roots and heritage. They investigate where they stand today as women of colour and as descendants of the Khoi peoples of southern Africa1 I am still trying to wrap my head around the stunning coincidence of encountering this performance that shared the theme of my PhD project, not in South Africa, but back at home in Belgium. It had been clear to me for some time that Khoisan identity was 1 “Same same but different: Moya Michael – Coloured Swan 1: Khoiswan.” https://www.vooruit.be/en/agenda/656/Coloured_Swans_1_amp_2/Moya_Michael/, accessed 17 March 2021. vii permeating South African society at an exponential rate, but I would have never thought Khoisan revivalism extended beyond its borders. At the time of the recital, I had just come back from fieldwork in South Africa, but I was brought back straight to Cape Town as Michael moved across the stage through expressive dancing against a background flashing images and eerie music. She embodied the central theme of a woman struggling to find her way out of an identity crisis with verve. As did Michael, increasing numbers of South Africans are seeking meaning and comfort in Khoisan identity and for the past six years I have been attempting to make sense of this phenomenon. Perhaps because it was so unexpected, both in terms of timing and location, attending KhoiSwan caused me to reflect on the trajectory of Khoisan revivalism, but even more so on my time in Cape Town. I found myself in the most diverging of spaces and meeting the most fascinating range of people. I visited government buildings and universities. I attended book launches, protests, poetry recitals and everything in-between. Yet more than anything else, ‘Cape Town’ conjures up fond memories of the countless hours I spent with interlocutors in the city’s townships and suburbs, chatting about all things Khoisan over coffee or rooibos tea. The more I look back, the more I realize it is a privilege and a humbling experience to write about something so close to people’s hearts, yet so poorly understood in the society that they are part of. It is primarily because of their generosity and trust that this research was possible. There are too many people to thank individually for their contributions. I would, however, like to mention some specific people, many of whom I met in the name of research, but now know as friends. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to two of the most committed Khoisan revivalists I came across: Chantal Revell and her husband Julian. You made sure a clueless Belgian somehow ended up meeting the right people and attending the relevant events. I could not have come as close to an understanding of Khoisan identity had it not been for your guidance. I have never met a community activist as determined as Basil Coetzee. Spending time with you gave me an invaluable perspective on life in the Cape Flats. Rochey Walters: you combine a unique affection for Khoisan heritage with an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit; I appreciate you taking the time to share your insights with me. I thank the fiery Tania Kleinhans-Cedras for explaining what drives her and countless other activists like her. To Mackie: thank you viii for our philosophical discussions about the meaning of Khoisan identity. I also acknowledge the help I have received from Joseph Little and Aaron Messelaar; it is a privilege to have met people that are so driven. On that note, I salute Zenzile Khoisan and thank him for the many conversations. Your unrivalled passion and gifted mind have in large part made Khoisan revivalism what it is today. Finally, I mention Desmond Sampson, who generously shared copies of Eland Nuus. I can think of no greater compliment than to have these people find value in the pages that follow. As Khoisan revivalism expanded, so did a sense of analytical modesty on my part. I could not give attention to every individual who has made their mark on Khoisan revivalism. I trust that the reader will find this to be no act of deliberate omission. I undoubtedly failed to detect important cues and misunderstood various issues. I take full responsibility for my choices and for any mistakes. I welcome any criticism of my work with great enthusiasm. In fact, as Khoisan revivalism grows more prominent, it will benefit from commentary from diverse perspectives. Such contributions are all the more important in light of the fact that, despite being subjected to decades of deconstruction in academia, ‘identity’ is firmly at the core of various phenomena globally. Understanding the passion that drives ever greater numbers of people towards Khoisan identity is certainly the first step of any attempt to productively deal with their grievances. I have tried to provide such a critical understanding to the best of my abilities. I could not have done so alone. I was a historian in training when I started my MA at Leiden University, but I graduated a fieldworker. I could not have wished for a better guide than Harry Wels. Your continuous support and encouragement bear witness not only to your fine qualities as a human being, but also to your talents as an educator and academic. Generous grants and scholarships from VLIR-UOS, FWO and the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy made it possible for me to carry out my PhD research at Ghent University. Here I was blessed once again with great supervisors and wonderful colleagues, all of whom provided tremendously useful feedback. To my supervisor, Berber Bevernage: your confidence in my academic potential means a great deal. Your razor-sharp comments and eye for detail improved my texts drastically. I thank Hanne Cottyn for her co-supervision and unwavering support, despite changing institutional homes. More than anyone else, ix you reminded me that my case is embedded in a global context.