spotlight on sn Ukhanyiselo e s n
Know your own local history
DALENA LE ROUX Quite a few definitions exist of the con- Heap, Peggy. The story of Hottentots Correspondent cept of local history. One or two are given Holland: a social history of Somerset West, here: the Strand, Gordon’s Bay and Sir Lowry’s Introduction Prof FA van Jaarsveld said: ‘. . . mense wil Pass over three centuries.- P. Heap, 1993. graag weet wie hulle is, hoe hulle op Historial Simon’s Town: vignettes, reminis- The history of any village, town, or city ’n plek gekom het en hoe dit ontstaan cences and illustrations of the harbour and is usually characterised by cold facts and en gegroei het. Daar is belangstelling community from the days of the D.E.I.C.- statements cast in stone, with little reference in die ontwikkeling, vooruitgang en Balkema, 1976. to the romance of the area, the ambience, modernisering van ’n gemeenskap vanaf Kalk Bay-Muizenberg Municipal 100.- Kalk the warmth, and the environment, (usually moeilike tot voorspoedige tye. Mense wil Bay Historical Group, 1995. only expressed in glowing travelogues or graag weet hoe plaaslike bestuur, landbou, Kirkaldy, A. The sea is in our blood: com- pamphlets aiming to attract tourists). handel, kerk en skool gegroei het’. munity and craft in Kalk Bay, C.1886-1939.- History should in actual fact focus on the JW Kew thought that ‘. . . local history Government Printer, 1996. entire population of single villages or com- can be defined as the history of a town, Rosenthal, Eric. A history of Fish Hoek, munities, revealing thereby all relationships district or any unity smaller than the 1818-1968.- Fish Hoek Chamber of Com- that contributed to the unique character and union-state, with clearly-defined territo- merce, 1968. atmosphere a specific village or town has rial limits in which inhabitants are so far Stibbe, George and Moss, Iain. A traditional developed over time. This kind of history united in thought and action as to feel a way of life: the story of the Kalk Bay fisher- has social, cultural as well as educational sense of belonging together’. men.- G.R. Stibbe, 1998. worth, because it is community directed and In the vicinity of Cape Town there are a thus engenders the identity, pride, loyalty, Tredgold, Arderne. Bay between the moun- few villages that have, through the efforts sense of belonging and historical conscious- tains: [a history of False Bay].- Human, 1985. of enthusiastic local historians, historical ness that binds any community together. Walker, Michael. Coastal memories: societies and community minded inhabit- Muizenberg, St James, Kalk Bay, 1870-1920.- ants, succeeded in bringing forth this unique M. Walker, 1999. and purposeful sense of belonging. And in Walker, Michael. The far south – where SN we are lucky to have copies of these oceans meet: Fish Hoek, Kommetjie, histories, written and illustrated beautifully Simon’s Town, Cape Point.- M. Walker, 2005. by people who knew what they were talking Walker, Michael. The golden years: a post- about. To browse through and read these card memoir of the Kalk Bay-Muizenberg interesting histories makes one proud to Municipality, 1895-1913.- M.Walker, 1997. belong to communities that have so much Walker, Michael. Kalk Bay: a place of char- pride in their chosen abodes. The villages’ acter.- M. Walker, 2002. histories mentioned here are the ones Walker, Michael. Muizenberg - a forgotten around the False Bay coast, from Hottentots story.- M. Walker, 2009. Holland through to Simon’s Town. Carse, Tommy. The blue dam is their Walker. Michael. Muizenberg: the golden harvest land: sketches from the lives of the years.- M. Walker, 2004. Kalk Bay fishermen.- Kalk Bay Historical Walker, Michael. St James: a century by the Association, c1999. sea, 1850-1950.- M. Walker, c2001. Greenland, Cyril. Before we forget: the Walker, Michael. Simon’s Town: a postcard story of Fish Hoek.- The Author, 1966. history, 1900-1913.- M. Walker, c1998.
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