Come discover and explore one of South Africa’s best kept secrets in a collaboration between two universities. This Heritage Month, experience the language, history, natural beauty, activism and culture of the Northern Cape like it has never been showcased before.
The Inaugural Dit is ‘n Noord-Kaap ding (It’s a Northern Cape Thing) colloquium is a collaboration between the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) and the Northern Cape Provincial Government. It takes place from 20–22 September 2021 at SPU.
The colloquium was initiated and spearheaded by UWC lecturer Dr Lorato Mokwena, a lecturer in UWC’s Linguistics Department.
“The Northern Cape province has a deep-rooted history, an evolving present state, and it is blessed with amazing natural aesthetics and resources. It is home to a diverse population of people and languages. This is what inspired the idea of initiating a colloquium about the Northern Cape,” she says.
“The inaugural launch of the colloquium kicks-off on Monday, 20 September 2021, at which time the Rector of UWC, Prof Tyrone Pretorius, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of SPU, Prof Andrew Crouch, as well as the Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul, will address the audience. All three are alumni of UWC.”
On 21 September, the colloquium focuses on language, activism and culture. The day commences with the screening of Aboxan Dommi (Ancestor’s Voice), as well as the first episode of |Hom!gan di Namdi (Tongues of Angels) by Bradley van Sitters and Memory Biwa.
The day’s presentations will focus on the |khâba ra (Rieldans), Orality and Place-naming in Northern Cape towns, the preservation of Khoekhoegowab, and the Bushman (San) culture. The programme will include a presentation by the Eyethu Pop-up Library.
The final day of the colloquium explores History, Nature and Conservation. Topics to be explored on this day include the legacies of copper mining in Namaqualand, the deeper pasts in the Northern Cape, agrisyncretic knowledge and Namaqualand herders, and Sol T. Plaatje's Northern Cape and Black civilians and combatants who hailed from the Kimberley Region during the South African War.
Be part of the journey that begins on 20 September 2021 by clicking on the following Microsoft Teams link: https://shorturl.at/ghtzD
EVENT PROGRAMME
