DOCSLIB.ORG

Past Imperfect: the Contested Early History of the Mapungubwe Archive

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Past Imperfect: the Contested Early History of the Mapungubwe Archive PAST IMPERFECT: THE CONTESTED EARLY HISTORY OF THE MAPUNGUBWE ARCHIVE by SIAN L TILEY-NEL Submitted as partial requirement for the degree DOCTORE PHILOSOPHIAE (HISTORY) in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies FACULTY OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Pretoria Supervisor: Prof. K.L. Harris 2018 “Unlike the specialist who is said to know more and more about less and less until he knows everything about nothing, I find myself these days, with the additional responsibilities now devolving upon me, knowing less and less about more and more until one of these days I stand in danger of knowing nothing about everything.” E.H.D. Arndt, 1950 For my parents and my son, Quinn. Dedicated to Joseph William Kirby (1874-1932) and Edward Kirby (1915-1993) ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................. vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER I: A CONTESTED PAST AND ARCHIVE Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 Considering an archive .......................................................................................................... 2 Changing archival perspectives ............................................................................................. 6 Contextualizing the archive .................................................................................................. 12 Reconsidering the Mapungubwe Archive ............................................................................ 16 Chapter outline .................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER II: REVISITING MAPUNGUBWE LITERATURE Previous research ............................................................................................................... 22 Early literature: 1930s to 1940s ........................................................................................... 25 Post-War studies: 1950s to 1960s ...................................................................................... 31 Discipline years of Archaeology: 1970s to 1980s ............................................................... 35 Post democracy years: 1994 to the 21st century ................................................................. 43 CHAPTER III: THE TRANSVAAL TREASURE TROVE: A CONTESTED DISCOVERY ‘Finders Keepers’ ................................................................................................................ 54 Treasure trove: a brief history ............................................................................................. 56 Ignored indigenous histories ............................................................................................... 60 Legendary Lotrie: Francois Bernard Lotrie (1825-1917) ...................................................... 66 Back to the Battle of Dongola: 1922 .................................................................................... 74 ‘Forgetting Frobenius’: 1928-1929 ....................................................................................... 77 The famous five discoverers: 1932 and J.C.O. van Graan (1908-1987) .............................. 82 The Transvaal Treasure: 1933 ............................................................................................. 89 iii CHAPTER IV: THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMMITTEE Institutional control .............................................................................................................. 96 Formidable Fouché: a frontier of ‘his’ history ...................................................................... 98 Renaissance man and reformer: J. de Villiers Roos (1869-1940) ...................................... 101 Contesting personalities: Fouché vs Roos ......................................................................... 112 Scientific endeavours: the Archaeological Committee’s maiden years............................... 116 Collection endeavours: curatorship and co-operation with the Transvaal Museum .......... 126 CHAPTER V: HISTORICAL OWNERSHIP VS HERITAGE STEWARDSHIP Legal chartering ................................................................................................................ 134 Controlling history: framing the legal approach ................................................................. 138 A ‘reversionary right’: the ownership approach ................................................................. 150 A responsible right: the stewardship approach ................................................................. 155 CHAPTER VI: EPILOGUE An imperfect Mapungubwe Archive past ............................................................................ 158 BIBLIOGRAPHY: ...................................................................................................................... 174 iv ABSTRACT The focus of this study is on the contested early history of the Mapungubwe Archive held and curated at the University of Pretoria. The Archive preserves materials of enduring historical value associated with the internationally declared site known as Mapungubwe in South Africa, and consequently the Archive forms an integral part of the University of Pretoria’s institutional memory. This study interrogates the context as well as the many gaps in the Mapungubwe Archive, by examining specific aspects such as the multiple narratives of Mapungubwe discoveries prior to the traditionally viewed discovery in 1933. Furthermore, it elucidates the University of Pretoria’s control of the Mapungubwe gold “treasure trove” during the maiden years of the early 1930s through the lens of the institutional instrument known as the Archaeological Committee (1933-1947) that was governed by the University of Pretoria Council who reported all progress to the State. The context of the Mapungubwe Archive is considered in lieu of content, particularly through decisions by the University that moved away from its foundations as the English Transvaal University College in 1908 towards the decidedly partisan Afrikaner nationalist University of Pretoria in 1932. Research further delves into those individuals linked with the University of Pretoria Archaeological Committee that reported directly to the University Council and the Minister of the Interior, J.H. Hofmeyr. It is argued that the unsung hero in Mapungubwe history is not necessarily the well-known historian Leo Fouché, but rather the unknown but highly influential figure of Jacob de Villiers Roos, an affluent member closely associated to influential politicians such as J.C. Smuts and J.B.M. Hertzog. Smuts as a founding member of the TUC, and his friend J. de Villiers Roos, played a critical financial and legal role in securing rights to Mapungubwe for the University Council within the milieu of the 1933 general elections and at a time when the University was attempting to buttress the ideals of national unity. Beyond the excavation history which is not covered in this thesis, is a subaltern history lying within the Mapungubwe Archive that fuelled the contestation debate, expounded by a Committee that controlled much of Mapungubwe on behalf of the University of Pretoria. Whilst the archaeology of Mapungubwe’s past was of great scientific consequence to South Africa, it generated the controversy between the physical biological anthropologists and the cultural anthropologists, including the controversy between archaeologists and anatomists, whilst those same scholar’s marginalised local knowledge histories. v This thesis later focuses on the greater ethical and moral consequence of the questions of legal title, treasure trove, rights of discovery and other legitimate legislative matters that required delicate manoeuvring by the University of Pretoria from the onset of Mapungubwe’s gold discovery. In addition were the changes in historical legislation overtime into heritage legislation which contribute to the debates of ownership and stewardship. It is in this historical and political context, that this study seeks to explore the University’s perceived status and power over Mapungubwe, questioning how, why and within which political and social settings, critical decisions were made such as securing a national treasure on behalf of the Union of South Africa. Although Mapungubwe’s archaeological past has been researched progressively in academia over eight decades, little scholarly attention has been paid to any historical interest in the Mapungubwe Archive. By interrogating the Mapungubwe Archive, a wealth of untapped historical sources could illuminate the origins of some controversies of Mapungubwe’s colonial past and how they mirror present heritage debates and disputes in forming the contemporary history and governance of the Mapungubwe Archive by the University of Pretoria. The central argument is how the Mapungubwe Archive needs to be questioned not only as a historical source, but rather as a discourse within global trends of “reading against the grain”. This study focuses on the conceptual notion of history as an imperfect past. The underlying moral of this thesis is that research argues that Mapungubwe’s
Load more

Recommended publications
  • APPLICATION for PERMIT: Excavation, Collection
    APPLICATION FOR PERMIT: Excavation, collection Project: Geoarchaeology in the middle Limpopo Applicant: Professor Innocent Pikirayi Professor in Archaeology and Head of Department Anthropology and Archaeology University of Pretoria Email: [email protected] Tel.: 012 420 4661 Date of submission: 7 November 2012 Contents: Research proposal Map of the study area Letter of support and bilateral agreement with SANParks Collapse of Ancient Societies: Crisis and resilience in three spheres - Mapungubwe, Great Zimbabwe, and Aksum Geoarchaeology in the middle Limpopo Professor Innocent Pikirayi Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Pretoria RESEARCH PROPOSAL This proposal is for conducting geoarchaeological investigations, including archaeological excavations and geomorphological survey, in the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape and its hinterland as part of a cross-disciplinary research programme on 'Collapse of Ancient Societies: Crisis and resilience in three spheres - Mapungubwe, Great Zimbabwe, and Aksum’ led by the applicant and supported by the NRF Blue Skies initiative. The research programme (2012–2015) seeks to understand the relationship between landscape history and settlement development, with a particular focus on the role that water (rainfall, rivers, and groundwater) played in the rise and demise of early urban societies in South Africa (Mapungubwe), Zimbabwe (Great Zimbabwe), and Ethiopia (Aksum). The study primarily employs geoarchaeological approaches, field research and laboratory analyses of soils to reconstruct the history of the environment of the three study areas. This proposal provides an outline of the fieldwork which we are planning to do at the Limpopo-Shashe Confluence. By eliciting environmental and archaeological records, the proposed research will investigate local landscape sequences and will compare and contrast them with each other in order to assess the local impact of, and responses to, environmental and, in particular hydrological, and cultural changes over time in the middle Limpopo basin.
    [Show full text]
  • DC34 Vhembe Annual Report 2006-07
    - 1 - EXECUTIVE MAYOR’S FOREWARD It is indeed a pleasant occassion to present the annual report of Vhembe District Municipality for the financial year 2005/6. The annual report is a comprehensive accumulation of achievements and progress made during the 2005/6 financial year by Vhembe District Municipality. It also provides an opportunity to present current challenges the municipality face in its mammoth task in the coming years. The constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) requires of the municipality to promote good governance in the municipality as a sphere of government. It thus implies that in its implementation of democratic developmental municipal governance, it adheres to the principles of Batho Pele. Fundamental to these is that municipal governance be transparent, accountable, people – centred and people – driven. The ultimate and desired vision and objective remains: contributing to fast tracking the realization of our people’s hope of a qualitative, better life of our people. This annual report is to indeed confirm that 2005/6 financial year has indeed been a year of hope for our people and communities. The financial year 2005/6 which is a subject of this annual report has been a testimony to this. The year saw the celebrations and re dedication to the noble of freedom, human rights and dignity: 50 years celebrations of the 1956 Women’s March against passes, Remembrance of the 1976 Youth uprising which change the balance of faces in favour liberation and democracy and 10 years of the adoption of the democratic constitution of the new Republic of South Africa in 1996.
    [Show full text]
  • Africa and the International Criminal Court: Behind the Backlash and Toward Future Solutions
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Bowdoin College Bowdoin College Bowdoin Digital Commons Honors Projects Student Scholarship and Creative Work 2017 Africa and the International Criminal Court: Behind the Backlash and Toward Future Solutions Marisa O'Toole Bowdoin College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/honorsprojects Part of the African Studies Commons, International Law Commons, International Relations Commons, and the Law and Politics Commons Recommended Citation O'Toole, Marisa, "Africa and the International Criminal Court: Behind the Backlash and Toward Future Solutions" (2017). Honors Projects. 64. https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/honorsprojects/64 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship and Creative Work at Bowdoin Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Projects by an authorized administrator of Bowdoin Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AFRICA AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT Behind the Backlash and Toward Future Solutions An Honors Paper for the Department of Government and Legal Studies By Marisa O’Toole Bowdoin College, 2017 ©2017 Marisa O’Toole Introduction Marisa O’Toole Introduction Following the end of World War II, members of international society acknowledged its obligation to address international crimes of mass barbarity. Determined to prevent the recurrence of such atrocities, members took action to create a system of international individual criminal legal accountability. Beginning with the Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes trials in 19451 and continuing with the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 19932 and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in 19943, the international community commenced its ad hoc prosecution of individuals for the commission of international crimes.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report for the YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2009 Acknowledgements
    SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY Annual Report FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2009 Acknowledgements It would have been impossible for the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) to achieve what has been reported in the proceeding pages without the cooperation of various State Departments, associations, organizations and many interested individuals. This continued support and guidelines are appreciated by the Council of SAHRA and its staff. Finally, the Council would like to thank its dedicated staff at the Head Office and Provincial offices for their enthusiasm and initiative during the year. Contents COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP 4 APPLICABLE ACTS & OTHER INFORMATION 4 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRPERSON 5 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S MESSAGE 6 CORPORATE AFFAIRS 10 • Information and Auxilliary Services Unit 11 • Information Communication Technology Unit 14 • Human Resources Management 18 HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 26 HEAD OFFICE UNITS 26 • Archaeology, Palaeontology and Meteorite Unit 26 • Maritime Unit 34 • Architectural Heritage Landscape Unit 40 • Grading & Declarations Unit 42 • Heritage Objects Unit 46 • Burial Grounds & Graves Unit 54 PROVINCIAL OFFICES 60 • Eastern Cape 60 • Free State 66 • Gauteng 74 • KwaZulu Natal 78 • Limpopo 80 • Mpumalanga 84 • Northern Cape 88 • North West 96 • Western Cape 100 LEGAL UNIT 114 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 118 Council Membership NAME STATUS 1. MR PHILL MASHABANE Chairperson 2. MS LAURA ROBINSON National 3. TBA National 4. DR AMANDA BETH ESTERHUYSEN National 5. MR EDGAR NELUVHALANI National 6. MR HENK SMITH National PHRAs 7. DR MTHOBELI PHILLIP GUMA Western Cape 8. ADV. JUSTICE BEKEBEKE Northern Cape 9. TBA Eastern Cape 10. TBA Free State 11. TBA KwaZulu-Natal 12. TBA Gauteng 13.
    [Show full text]
  • THE HISTORY of the PIETERSBURG [POLOKWANE] JEWISH COMMUNITY by CHARLOTTE WIENER Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements
    THE HISTORY OF THE PIETERSBURG [POLOKWANE] JEWISH COMMUNITY by CHARLOTTE WIENER Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject JUDAICA at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: MR CEDRIC GINSBERG NOVEMBER 2006 SUMMARY Jews were present in Pietersburg [Polokwane] from the time of its establishment in 1868. They came from Lithuania, England and Germany. They were attracted by the discovery of gold, land and work opportunities. The first Jewish cemetery was established on land granted by President Paul Kruger in 1895. The Zoutpansberg Hebrew Congregation, which included Pietersburg and Louis Trichardt was established around 1897. In 1912, Pietersburg founded its own congregation, the Pietersburg Hebrew Congregation. A Jewish burial society, a benevolent society and the Pietersburg-Zoutpansberg Zionist Society was formed. A communal hall was built in 1921 and a synagogue in 1953. Jews contributed to the development of Pietersburg and held high office. There was little anti-Semitism. From the 1960s, Jews began moving to the cities. The communal hall and minister’s house were sold in 1994 and the synagogue in 2003. Only the Jewish cemetery remains in Pietersburg. 10 key words: 1] Pietersburg [Polokwane] 2] Zoutpansberg 3] Anglo-Boer War 4] Jew 5] Synagogue 6] Cemetery 7] Rabbi 8] Hebrew 9] Zionist 10] Anti-Semitism ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following: Mr Cedric Ginsberg, my supervisor, for his invaluable assistance, patience and meticulous corrections The late Mr Wally Levy for his information concerning families and events in the Northern Transvaal. His prodigious memory was extremely helpful to me My husband Dennis and children Janine, Elian and Mandy, for their patience with my obsession to finish this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Gayre-The Origin of the Zimbabwean Civilisation
    THE ORIGIN OF THE ZIMBABWEAN CIVILISATION R.GAYRE OF GAYRE Appendices on some of the Principal Ruins of Rhodesia E. LAYLAND GALAXIE PRESS © Galaxie Press, 1972 All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review P.O. Box 3041, Salisbury Maps and Ground Plans: Len Curling Jacket Design: Joan van der Merwe Set in Monotype Century by Typeset (Pvt.) Ltd., Salisbury Printed by Litho Services (Pvt.) Ltd., Salisbury PREFACE This book arose out of a discussion I had with Major Layland and the publisher, during a visit to Rhodesia. I had worked on the subject for a number of years, frequently visited the ruins, and knew well many of the Bantu peoples involved. I am indebted to Major Layland for his assistance, where I have been able to make use of it. This book has been undertaken to present what I consider to be the most rational and scientific interpretation of the evidence produced by the phenomena associated with the megalithic ruins of Rhodesia of which Great Zimbabwe, Khami, Naletale, Dhlo-Dhlo, and the terraces of Inyanga, with Mapungubwe in the Transvaal, are the best known examples. I have not thought it necessary to set out a detailed description of these sites in the body of the text as there is ample literature dealing with them. There are some short descriptions written by Major Layland in an appendix for the benefit of those who have not ready access to the existing literature on the subject.
    [Show full text]
  • SAHRA AR Repro.P65
    SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Reflecting on CONTENTS “ where the organisation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS came from and LETTER OF THE CHAIRPERSON ...... 4 where it is now, SAHRA’S VISION & MISSION ...... 5 there is an FOREWORD AND INTRODUCTION BY THE CEO ...... 6 It would have been impossible for the South African Heritage element of COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP ...... 9 REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ...... 10 Resources Agency to achieve what has been reported in jubilation and the proceeding pages without the cooperation of various STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY ...... 11 optimism. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ...... 12 State Departments, associations, organizations and many interested individuals. HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: ...... 13 ” • Archaeology, Palaeontology and Meteorite Unit ........ 13 Courtesy is extended and appreciated, for the use • Maritime Archaeology Unit ........ 18 of photographs, to SATOUR, B Rubidge, UCT, UCT Kirby • Architectural Heritage Landscape Unit ........ 21 • Living Heritage Unit ........ 24 Collection, University of Pretoria, Unesco, • Heritage Objects Unit ........ 26 Kagiso Publications, KVT Pieterse and • Burial Grounds & Graves Unit ........ 31 L F Townsend. • Inventory of the National Estate Unit ........ 36 PROVINCIAL OFFICES ...... 37 This continued support and guidelines are appreciated • Eastern Cape ........ 38 by the Council
    [Show full text]
  • Afrikaans FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY" SALTLAKECITY, UTAH TMECHURCHOF JESUS CHRISTOF Latl'er-Qt.Y SAINTS
    GENEALOGICAL WORD LIST ~ Afrikaans FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY" SALTLAKECITY, UTAH TMECHURCHOF JESUS CHRISTOF LATl'ER-Qt.y SAINTS This list contains Afrikaans words with their English these compound words are included in this list. You translations. The words included here are those that will need to look up each part of the word separately. you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the For example, Geboortedag is a combination of two word you are looking for is not on this list, please words, Geboorte (birth) and Dag (day). consult a Afrikaans-English dictionary. (See the "Additional Resources" section below.) Alphabetical Order Afrikaans is a Germanic language derived from Written Afrikaans uses a basic English alphabet several European languages, primarily Dutch. Many order. Most Afrikaans dictionaries and indexes as of the words resemble Dutch, Flemish, and German well as the Family History Library Catalog..... use the words. Consequently, the German Genealogical following alphabetical order: Word List (34067) and Dutch Genealogical Word List (31030) may also be useful to you. Some a b c* d e f g h i j k l m n Afrikaans records contain Latin words. See the opqrstuvwxyz Latin Genealogical Word List (34077). *The letter c was used in place-names and personal Afrikaans is spoken in South Africa and Namibia and names but not in general Afrikaans words until 1985. by many families who live in other countries in eastern and southern Africa, especially in Zimbabwe. Most The letters e, e, and 0 are also used in some early South African records are written in Dutch, while Afrikaans words.
    [Show full text]
  • The Distribution of Malaria in South Africa and a Mosquito Survey Of
    344 THE DISTRIBUTION OP MALARIA IN SOUTH AFRICA AND A MOSQUITO SURVEY OF MILITARY HOS- PITAL AREAS. BY MAJOE J. PRATT-JOHNSON, M.C., D.A.D.M.S. (PATHOLOGY), S.A.M.C. THE following information in regard to the distribution of malaria in South Africa has been compiled chiefly from the reports of Government Medical Officers and Health Officials who were circularised by courtesy of the Union Public Health Department in March, 1918, in regard to the following points: (1) The areas affected in each district. (2) The type or types of malaria existing. (3) The incidence of the disease, whether endemic or epidemic; and (4) The types of anopheline mosquitoes identified. The information available from these sources indicates the necessity for a considerable amount of further work to provide a more complete and accurate knowledge of the incidence of malaria in South Africa. I. CAPE PROVINCE. Malaria is practically unknown in the Cape Province. A severe epidemic of malaria occurred in the Northern districts of the Cape Colony, especially along the course of the Orange River in the districts of Gordonia and Kenhardt during 1909, following a period of unusually heavy rainfall. At the same time the disease was reported to be prevalent in Namaqualand and even in the Kalahari, and to a less extent the districts of Vryburg, Mafeking, Taungs, Hay and Barkly West. This constitutes the only serious recognised epidemic of malaria which has been reported in the Cape Province, cases of Malaria in this Province usually being recorded as being imported from other districts.
    [Show full text]
  • History Workshop
    UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG HISTORY WORKSHOP STRUCTURE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKING OFAPARTHEID 6-10 February 1990 AUTHOR: Iain Edwards and Tim Nuttall TITLE: Seizing the moment : the January 1949 riots, proletarian populism and the structures of African urban life in Durban during the late 1940's 1 INTRODUCTION In January 1949 Durban experienced a weekend of public violence in which 142 people died and at least 1 087 were injured. Mobs of Africans rampaged through areas within the city attacking Indians and looting and destroying Indian-owned property. During the conflict 87 Africans, SO Indians, one white and four 'unidentified' people died. One factory, 58 stores and 247 dwellings were destroyed; two factories, 652 stores and 1 285 dwellings were damaged.1 What caused the violence? Why did it take an apparently racial form? What was the role of the state? There were those who made political mileage from the riots. Others grappled with the tragedy. The government commission of enquiry appointed to examine the causes of the violence concluded that there had been 'race riots'. A contradictory argument was made. The riots arose from primordial antagonism between Africans and Indians. Yet the state could not bear responsibility as the outbreak of the riots was 'unforeseen.' It was believed that a neutral state had intervened to restore control and keep the combatants apart.2 The apartheid state drew ideological ammunition from the riots. The 1950 Group Areas Act, in particular, was justified as necessary to prevent future endemic conflict between 'races'. For municipal officials the riots justified the future destruction of African shantytowns and the rezoning of Indian residential and trading property for use by whites.
    [Show full text]
  • THE RUINS of VENDA LAND by Pieter W. Van Heerden & the LEGEND of NGOMA LUNGUNDU by E. Mudau
    188 4.4.11 Appendix 11 – Tshiendeulu the Grave of Dambanyika Tshiendeulu the Grave of Dambanyika THE RUINS OF VENDA LAND By Pieter W. Van Heerden & THE LEGEND OF NGOMA LUNGUNDU By E. Mudau Annotated and translated by Richard Peter Wade 189 THE RUINS OF VENDA LAND The subjoined article was specially written for the readers of “Bantu” by Mr P.W. van Heerden, Inspector of Bantu Education for the Soutpansberg-Sibasa circuit. Mr Van Heerden is particularly well acquainted with the Bantu of his environment and the facts provided by him follow the popular parlance of the Bantu. Readers must not expect a scholarly argument confirming or denying one or the other scientific view on these ruins, but should accept them in the light that the Bantu see them, as expounded Mr Van Heerden. THE RUINS OF DAMBANYIKA To the north of the capital of the Venda chief, Mphephu, the much discussed ruins of Dzata, the almost legendary capital of the first Vhavenda, who settled in this well- watered and fertile Nzhelele valley, w ithin the Soutpansberg range, are situated. Here in the silence of the secluded countryside, w here the calls of the herdboys yonder behind their herds can be heard, lie the Zimbabwe- like ruins, mainly toppled over and neglected. One afternoon I visited the ruins in the company of the uncle of Mphephu. Although the ruins have been dec lared a National Mo nument and fenced in, they are in a critical condition. If help is not forthcoming to conserve this historical monument from an earlier era of the history of our country, they will disappear and only piles of stones will mark the site where once stood a flourishing capital of the Vhavenda.
    [Show full text]
  • Black South African History Pdf
    Black south african history pdf Continue In South African history, this article may require cleaning up in accordance with Wikipedia quality standards. The specific problem is to reduce the overall quality, especially the lead section. Please help improve this article if you can. (June 2019) (Find out how and when to remove this message template) Part of the series on the history of the weapons of the South African Precolonial Middle Stone Age Late Stone Age Bantu expansion kingdom mapungubwe Mutapa Kaditshwene Dutch colonization of the Dutch Cape Colony zulu Kingdom of Shaka kaSenzangakhona Dingane kaSenzangakhona Mpande kaSenzangakhona Cetshwayo kaMpande Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo 1887 Annexation (British) British Colonization Cape Colony Colonia Natal Transvaal Colony Orange River Colony Bur Republic South African Orange Free Republic Natalia Republic Bur War First Storm War Jameson Reid Second World War Union of South Africa First World War of apartheid Legislation South African Border War Angolan Civil War Bantustans Internal Resistance to apartheid referendum after apartheid Mandela Presidency Motlante Presidency of the Presidency of the President zuma The theme of economic history of invention and the opening of the Military History Political History Religious History Slavery Timeline South Africa portalv Part series on Culture History of South Africa People Languages Afrikaans English Ndebele North Soto Sowazi Swazi Tswana Tsonga Venda Xhosa Zulus Kitchens Festivals Public Holidays Religion Literature Writers Music And Performing Arts
    [Show full text]