Family histories and mysteries?
In the year that Alexandra celebrates its Centenary, Jo-Anne Duggan asks who the township is named after.
My Grandmother is an Archive
Dineo Skosana ruminates on how her grandmother carries a wealth of knowledge.
Conversations We Do Not Have
Musa Hlatshwayo reviews an exhibition with the same title in Durban.
Grandmothers in the Archive?
Mbongiseni Buthelezi probes how two hypothetical grandmothers enter different kinds of archives.
'uZulu noQwabe': a trending debacle in KZN Newspapers? Part Two
Part Two of Musa Hlatshwayo's reflection on the debates about the past that have partly been sparked by his theatrical work 'uZulu noQwabe'.
What do we do about the colonial archive?
Mbongiseni Buthelezi thinks about why colonial archives fall into neglect in postcolonial societies.
'uZulu noQwabe': a trending debacle in KZN Newspapers? Part One
Part One of Musa Hlatshwayo’s reflection on the debates about the past that have partly been sparked by his theatrical work 'uZulu noQwabe'.
Place Names of Pre-colonial Origin and their Use Today
Bradley van Sitters looks at the transmission of KhoiSan names and their place today.
The USA: A Nation of Archived Immigrants
Mbongiseni Buthelezi tells of his visit to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and trying out a search at the American Family Immigration History Center on a trip to New York.
Qwabe and Zulu - True Story or Crafted Myth?
Musa Hlatshwayo writes about deploying a diversity of archival material in his recent production on the story of two brothers that probes the foundational myth of Zulu identity.
The Silence of Being: Queer Archiving
Lucy Campbell suggests a way of diversifying the archive by entering stories of gay people and their struggles against prejudice.
On the 'border': Namibian memories of the liberation war
Heike Becker considers stories of the local populations in whose midst the ‘border war’ was fought and wonders why South Africans are excruciatingly silent about the pain of others.
24 Years of Stories: Growing up with the Border War in Namibia
Nicola Lazenby reports on an interview with Ndinomolo Ndilula, one of the actors in Anthony Akerman’s play, Somewhere on the Border.
The age and sexual division of food among the Matlala of Limpopo
Dineo Skosana’s account of a meal associated with the unveiling of a family tombstone continues our focus on food and heritage.
Rights enshrined yet rights denied
Nokhanyo Mhlana considers the meaning of Human Rights Day for people whose livelihoods and lives are cut short to protect forests, hotel owners and tourists.
Fantastic Feasts
C. A. Michael shares her recollections of the cooking and eating of wedding biryani.
Beyond white bread, tea & KFC: can healthy foods be promoted through heritage discourse?
Harriet Deacon discusses her new project on food, heritage and public health
Nhlangakazi- the Nazareth Baptist Church’s ‘Mecca’
Musa Hlatshwayo’ covers the Nazareth Baptist Church’s most celebrated annual pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Nhlangakazi - the pinnacle of the congregation’s quest to spiritual upliftment.
Coloured is not an Identity: Learning to Speak my Ancestors' Tongue again
Bradley van Sitters takes us with him on his journey of working out his self-identity.
My Father, My Monster - MacIntosh Polela
Busi Mnguni's encounters the painful honesty of Hawks' spokesperson McIntosh Polela's memoir.
Heeding the Ancestors' Call, Part II
Musa Hlatshwayo continues his account of learning about sangoma Mehlwemamba Ntuli's relationship with the ancestors.
'Heeding the Ancestors' Call, Part 1
Musa Hlatshwayo learns about sangoma Mehlwemamba Ntuli's relationship with the ancestors.
Turning the Gaze: Displaying San Culture at !Khwa ttu
Bradley van Sitters ponders what it means for the San to take charge of the display of their cultures.
I think I'm angry with my ancestors
In this provocative piece, Mbongiseni Buthelezi wonders what to think of his ancestors - whoever they may be.
Becoming Worthy Ancestors: Archive, Public Deliberation and Identity in South Africa
Busi Mnguni reviews this collection of essays that deals with the repurcussions of what is included in or excluded from the archive.
Remembering Raw Family Life in Lwandle
Mbongiseni Buthelezi writes about a visit he and Jo-Anne Duggan made to the Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum.
An act against Forgetting: Celebrating Emancipation Day in Cape Town
Busi Mnguni writes, consciousness seemed to be the overarching theme of the Emancipation Day celebration which took place on 1 December in an inconspicuous church on Long Street, Cape Town.
'Unpopular War: From Afkak to Bosbefok: Voices of South African National Servicemen'
Busi Mnguni poses some tough questions about how we think about army conscription in the present, provoked by her reading of J. H. Thompson's 'Unpopular War: From Afkak to Bosbefok.'
'Battle Scarred: The Hidden Costs of the Border War'
Nicola Lazenby reviews psychiatrist Anthony Feinstein's narrative about treating soldiers.
'On the Run from the Army: How one Man Evaded Conscription'
Mbongiseni Buthelezi sheds light on how one man escaped military service.
'Troepie: From Call-up to Camps'
Megan Greenwood grapples with what former conscripts say about being in the army in Cameron Blake's 'Troepie: From Call-up to Camps'.
More Lives of Colour
A follow-up to Emile Maurice's previous post which explores the family photo album as a rich resource for writing about the history, social life, culture, politics and outlook of communities.
When Boxes and Suitcases Become Books
Xolelwa Kashe-Katiya describes how two people’s inherited archives journey from suitcases and boxes into books
Family History and Heritage Day in KwaZulu-Natal
Musa Hlatshwayo tells of two family history celebrations of different kinds on Heritage Day in KwaZulu-Natal.
In the Darkroom: Family Albums, Injury and Freedom
Siona O’Connell discusses her engagement with a photographic archive of District Six that she has convened from family and friends.
Lives of Colour: The Cape Photo Album
Emile Maurice explores the family photo album as a rich resource for writing about the history, social life, culture, politics and outlook of communities.