The role of the liberation movements’ archives in shaping history writing in a post-apartheid South Africa
- Authors: Maamoe, Mosoabuli
- Date: 2017-07
- Subjects: Archives , Apartheid , National liberation movements--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23045 , vital:55287
- Description: This study offers a comprehensive examination of the Role of the Liberation Movements’ Archives in Shaping History Writing in a Post-Apartheid South Africa. It is based on the Liberation Archives housed at the National Heritage and Cultural Studies (NAHECS) at the University of Fort Hare, near the town of Alice in the Eastern Cape Province. A new narrative, grounded in the exploration and advantages of the use of these materials in their totality, given the new environment of research created under the new dispensation, has now become possible. The first chapter begins with an overview of the nature of archives in general and proceeds from there to consider the unique circumstances under which the different liberation movements of South Africa constructed their archives, and how these circumstances affected the nature of the materials preserved therein. One key point made here is that the liberation movement, as it spearheaded the struggle against apartheid, had already positioned itself as a “Government in Waiting,” convinced of the justness of its cause, and of the ultimate defeat of apartheid leading to he political seizure of power by the people. Hence, it created struggle materials seen as vehicles for the realisation and attainment of this objective. For this purpose, the appropriate housekeeping, viewing, consultation and access is absolutely relevant. The second chapter looks at the changing environment in which the repatriation of the struggle archives was implemented, and the decision to place them specifically at the University of Fort Hare and challenges. The third chapter narrates the difficulties encountered following the location of documents at Fort Hare, contestations, and contradictions between the stakeholders and the ultimate resolutions. The fourth and longest chapter goes to the heart of this thesis which dispel the myths created by the colonists and their historians intended to obscure the oppressed into embracing a historiography of South Africa that crossly flawed and distorted, silent and ignorant of reflecting early African societal developments which were evolving undisturbed at their own rate under socio-cultural and geographical conditions prior the advent of colonialism and the consequences. Therefore, based on these circumstances one can see that the installation of the new dispensation was not the end of the struggle, but the opening of a new chapter, the struggle against the conceptual legacy of apartheid and its vestiges. An evaluation of the consultation and exploitation of the archival collections comprises this subject in the last chapter of this study. Perusing them, one learns and realizes that the objective of the liberation movements was immense, to reconnect the marginalised of their once trampled and vilified history in order to inspire and empower them to reclaim their lost sense of belonging, identity, pride and to restore their humanity. This has been vindicated by the wide range of researchers and viewers from home and afar who have turned out to consult the archives in order to unpack the complexities of the South African history and that of the struggle. The information they contain serve as guides of addressing such complexities to arrest current transitional challenges, and offer solutions for some in articulating a need of building a new cohesive nation in a post-apartheid era. This is precisely what the liberation movement had in mind when it took a decision to gather together the struggle materials and have them repatriated for preservation and access purposes. It was not just generosity on its part, but also a display of the patriotic and passionate responsibility to the oppressed in particular and humanity in general to fathom and unpack the complexities of the South African historiography. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Science and Humanities,2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017-07
- Authors: Maamoe, Mosoabuli
- Date: 2017-07
- Subjects: Archives , Apartheid , National liberation movements--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23045 , vital:55287
- Description: This study offers a comprehensive examination of the Role of the Liberation Movements’ Archives in Shaping History Writing in a Post-Apartheid South Africa. It is based on the Liberation Archives housed at the National Heritage and Cultural Studies (NAHECS) at the University of Fort Hare, near the town of Alice in the Eastern Cape Province. A new narrative, grounded in the exploration and advantages of the use of these materials in their totality, given the new environment of research created under the new dispensation, has now become possible. The first chapter begins with an overview of the nature of archives in general and proceeds from there to consider the unique circumstances under which the different liberation movements of South Africa constructed their archives, and how these circumstances affected the nature of the materials preserved therein. One key point made here is that the liberation movement, as it spearheaded the struggle against apartheid, had already positioned itself as a “Government in Waiting,” convinced of the justness of its cause, and of the ultimate defeat of apartheid leading to he political seizure of power by the people. Hence, it created struggle materials seen as vehicles for the realisation and attainment of this objective. For this purpose, the appropriate housekeeping, viewing, consultation and access is absolutely relevant. The second chapter looks at the changing environment in which the repatriation of the struggle archives was implemented, and the decision to place them specifically at the University of Fort Hare and challenges. The third chapter narrates the difficulties encountered following the location of documents at Fort Hare, contestations, and contradictions between the stakeholders and the ultimate resolutions. The fourth and longest chapter goes to the heart of this thesis which dispel the myths created by the colonists and their historians intended to obscure the oppressed into embracing a historiography of South Africa that crossly flawed and distorted, silent and ignorant of reflecting early African societal developments which were evolving undisturbed at their own rate under socio-cultural and geographical conditions prior the advent of colonialism and the consequences. Therefore, based on these circumstances one can see that the installation of the new dispensation was not the end of the struggle, but the opening of a new chapter, the struggle against the conceptual legacy of apartheid and its vestiges. An evaluation of the consultation and exploitation of the archival collections comprises this subject in the last chapter of this study. Perusing them, one learns and realizes that the objective of the liberation movements was immense, to reconnect the marginalised of their once trampled and vilified history in order to inspire and empower them to reclaim their lost sense of belonging, identity, pride and to restore their humanity. This has been vindicated by the wide range of researchers and viewers from home and afar who have turned out to consult the archives in order to unpack the complexities of the South African history and that of the struggle. The information they contain serve as guides of addressing such complexities to arrest current transitional challenges, and offer solutions for some in articulating a need of building a new cohesive nation in a post-apartheid era. This is precisely what the liberation movement had in mind when it took a decision to gather together the struggle materials and have them repatriated for preservation and access purposes. It was not just generosity on its part, but also a display of the patriotic and passionate responsibility to the oppressed in particular and humanity in general to fathom and unpack the complexities of the South African historiography. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Science and Humanities,2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017-07
A political history of the Bhacas from earliest times to 1910
- Authors: Makaula, Anderson Mhlauli
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Bhaca (African people) , South Africa -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2548 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002400 , Bhaca (African people) , South Africa -- History
- Description: The Bhacas are people whose history has not yet been clearly written. Unlike the Mpondo, Xhosa and Thempu chiefdoms, the Bhacas are comparatively recent immigrants into the Cape area. The first chapter deals with origins of the Bhacas and introduces the reader to Bhaca affairs. The chiefdom is said to have been a victim of the disruptive Tshakan wars of the early 19th century, and Madzikane, who later on assumed the reputation of being the architect of the Bhaca nation, left Natal seeking a place where to establish his independence. He collected a large number of fugitives scattered in the southern part of Natal and migrated to the Embondzeni Great Place in Mount Frere. The second chapter concentrates on the habits and customs of the Bhacas. The Bhacas of Mount Frere district are divided into two autonomous chiefdoms according to the descendants of Sonyangwe and Ncapayi, sons of the renowned Great Bhaca chief, Madzikane. Bhaca customs are characterised by their First Fruit Festival dialect.(ingcubhe) and their distinctive Thsefula Then comes the era of Ncapayi who had been renowned for his warlike propensities, and the controversial Voortrekker attack of 1840. It was however, during his reign that mission work started amongst the Bhacas. This left an indelible impression among the Bhacas because Osborn Mission Station was established in 1858 during Mamjucu's reign, the widow of Ncapayi, many years after his death . The influence of missionaries coupled with the problems encountered by Makaula, Ncapayi's son from the surrounding chiefdoms, led to the acceptance of colonial rule. This leads us to chapters 6, 7 and 8 where the colonial government interfers in the Bhaca traditional administrative system especially in matters relating to the allocation of land, appointment of headmen, relations between Makaula and Nomtsheketshe and relations between the Bhacas and the Mpondo. It was during Makaula's regime that many denominations were established in the Mount Frere district. A great measure of credit should be given to these churches for placing systematically before the Bhacas the higher standards of belief and conduct. The history of Bhacas from the 1860's was characterised by change and modification due to the increasing contact with the white man's culture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1989
- Authors: Makaula, Anderson Mhlauli
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Bhaca (African people) , South Africa -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2548 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002400 , Bhaca (African people) , South Africa -- History
- Description: The Bhacas are people whose history has not yet been clearly written. Unlike the Mpondo, Xhosa and Thempu chiefdoms, the Bhacas are comparatively recent immigrants into the Cape area. The first chapter deals with origins of the Bhacas and introduces the reader to Bhaca affairs. The chiefdom is said to have been a victim of the disruptive Tshakan wars of the early 19th century, and Madzikane, who later on assumed the reputation of being the architect of the Bhaca nation, left Natal seeking a place where to establish his independence. He collected a large number of fugitives scattered in the southern part of Natal and migrated to the Embondzeni Great Place in Mount Frere. The second chapter concentrates on the habits and customs of the Bhacas. The Bhacas of Mount Frere district are divided into two autonomous chiefdoms according to the descendants of Sonyangwe and Ncapayi, sons of the renowned Great Bhaca chief, Madzikane. Bhaca customs are characterised by their First Fruit Festival dialect.(ingcubhe) and their distinctive Thsefula Then comes the era of Ncapayi who had been renowned for his warlike propensities, and the controversial Voortrekker attack of 1840. It was however, during his reign that mission work started amongst the Bhacas. This left an indelible impression among the Bhacas because Osborn Mission Station was established in 1858 during Mamjucu's reign, the widow of Ncapayi, many years after his death . The influence of missionaries coupled with the problems encountered by Makaula, Ncapayi's son from the surrounding chiefdoms, led to the acceptance of colonial rule. This leads us to chapters 6, 7 and 8 where the colonial government interfers in the Bhaca traditional administrative system especially in matters relating to the allocation of land, appointment of headmen, relations between Makaula and Nomtsheketshe and relations between the Bhacas and the Mpondo. It was during Makaula's regime that many denominations were established in the Mount Frere district. A great measure of credit should be given to these churches for placing systematically before the Bhacas the higher standards of belief and conduct. The history of Bhacas from the 1860's was characterised by change and modification due to the increasing contact with the white man's culture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1989
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »