Seeing Beyond the Cover: A Critical Analysis of the Missionary Periodical Thsupa Mabaka a Kereke 1931-1935 by Nkami Berniece Manyike Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Artium (Visual Studies) in the FACULTY OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA August 2019 Supervisor: Prof Lize Kriel Co-Supervisor: Dr Rory Du Plessis This study analyses a northern-Sotho publication of the Berlin Mission Church, namely, the Thsupa Mabaka a Kereke. It is particularly concerned with the similarities and differences in the approaches the German missionary producers of the publication have taken in the selection, reproduction and utilization of photographs of South Africans and Germans. The focus is on the 1930s, the decade during which the publication first came into existence; the decade during which National Socialism was implemented in Germany and a period in which black South Africans were negotiating the challenges of both the British colonial world and growing Afrikaner nationalism. The focus of the study is to investigate the history that shaped the perceptions of class and gender where different racial groups were concerned. It studies how inequality was communicated in missionary photography. The aim of this study is to gauge whether the representations of African people in the Thsupa Mabaka a Kereke bear any relation to those of German missionaries. It further explores how the depictions are connected to the context of the time and the perceptions of the people in the separate communities. It investigates the influence of the images in promoting imperialist activity, their influence in encouraging modernity and, essentially, their role and purpose as tool of communication with the congregations of the Berlin Mission Church. Certain stereotypes and inequality in the representation of the different races, classes and genders will be investigated and problematized where necessary. Title of dissertation: Seeing beyond the cover: A critical analysis of the missionary periodical Thsupa Mabaka a Kereke, 1931-1935 Name of student: Nkami Berniece Manyike Supervisor: Prof Lize Kriel Co-Supervisor: Dr Rory DuPlessis School of the Arts, Visual Arts Degree: Magister Artium (Visual Studies) KEY TERMS: Almanac, Berlin, Germany, Missionary Periodical, Photographs, South Africa, Thsupa Mabaka a Kereke DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA School of the Arts The Department of ……………………………………………………………………… places great emphasis upon integrity and ethical conduct in the preparation of all written work submitted for academic evaluation. While academic staff teach you about referencing techniques and how to avoid plagiarism, you too have a responsibility in this regard. If you are at any stage uncertain as to what is required, you should speak to your lecturer before any written work is submitted. You are guilty of plagiarism if you copy something from another author’s work (eg a book, an article or a website) without acknowledging the source and pass it off as your own. In effect you are stealing something that belongs to someone else. This is not only the case when you copy work word-for-word (verbatim), but also when you submit someone else’s work in a slightly altered form (paraphrase) or use a line of argument without acknowledging it. You are not allowed to use work previously produced by another student. You are also not allowed to let anybody copy your work with the intention of passing if off as his/her work. Students who commit plagiarism will not be given any credit for plagiarised work. The matter may also be referred to the Disciplinary Committee (Students) for a ruling. Plagiarism is regarded as a serious contravention of the University’s rules and can lead to expulsion from the University. The declaration which follows must accompany all written work submitted while you are a student of the School of the Arts Department of .......................................................................... No written work will be accepted unless the declaration has been completed and attached. Full names of student: .Nkami................................................................................................................................... Berniece Manyike Student number: .12102891.................................................................................................................................. Topic of work: .Seeing.............................................................................................................. beyond the cover: A Critical Analysis of the Missionary Periodical.................... Thsupa Mabaka a Kereke 1931-1935 Declaration 1. I understand what plagiarism is and am aware of the University’s policy in this regard. 2. I declare that this …………………………………dissertation …… (eg essay, report, project, assignment, dissertation, thesis, etc) is my own original work. Where other people’s work has been used (either from a printed source, Internet or any other source), this has been properly acknowledged and referenced in accordance with departmental requirements. 3. I have not used work previously produced by another student or any other person to hand in as my own. 4. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as his or her own work. SIGNATURE ................................................................................................................................... Acknowledgements I firstly want to give thanks to God who has carried me through this journey and now I see it to completion. I also give thanks to my wonderful supervisors who have been of great support and generous in sharing their constructive criticism, I could not have asked for better people to assist me during my study. I give thanks to Manuel and Phinikia Manyike for always being of great support, and for Phinikia’s listening ear that was there through every tear. I also want to add my siblings Nshalati, Kennedy, Naum and Matimu for being with me through thick and thin. Not forgetting to also mention my leaders in spiritual matters L. Mnisi, M. Ashfield and V. Ashfield for always being there for support in prayer and in guidance. I thank and appreciate all my friends who stood by me and encouraged me throughout the process; Shamiso Mlambo, Arnold Mathapa, Simbogile Njokwe and Seboke Sekgobela. Finally, I would like to acknowlegde the NRF- DAAD as well as Andrew. W Mellon Foundation for the sponsorship for my study without which this study would have not taken place. Thanks also to the NIHSS for funding two workshops in Pretoria and one in Polokwane, which I was able to participate in. NB Manyike December 2019 i Table of Contents List of Figures ........................................................................................................... v List of Tables ......................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................... 2 1.1.1 Berlin Missionary Society (BMS) .................................................................................2 1.1.2 Missions’ Communication Network .............................................................................3 1.2 Need ............................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Scope ............................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Aim of the Study ............................................................................................ 6 1.5 Research Question ......................................................................................... 7 1.6 Literature Review .......................................................................................... 7 1.6.1 Literature on Missionary Photography ........................................................................7 1.6.2 Literature on the Berlin Mission Society ......................................................................8 1.6.3 Literature on Missionaries and Knowledge; Missionaries Shaping a Way of Seeing the World ...............................................................................................................................9 1.7 Theoretical Approach of the Study ............................................................... 10 1.8 Research Methodology ................................................................................ 11 1.9 Brief Outline of Chapters ............................................................................. 12 Chapter 2: Historical Context of the Berlin Missionary Society and their Influence in the Transvaal ......................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 13 ii 2.2 History of the Berlin Mission Society in South Africa ................................... 15 2.2.1 Berlin Missionaries’ Arrival and Early Endeavours in the Sotho-speaking Areas in South Africa during the Nineteenth Century................................................................................. 15 2.2.2 The early Twentieth Century and the Berlin Mission in the Sotho-speaking Areas of South Africa ............................................................................................................................