Thursday, January 8, 2009

SS Course 2009: Lost Voices: South Africa's History through the Words of its People

Course 132
Date: 19–23 January
Time: 3.30 pm
Full Price: R270,00 Staff: R135,00 Reduced: R70,00

"Lost Voices": South Africa's History through the Words of its People
Co-ordinated by Dr Elizabeth van Heyningen, Honorary Research Associate, Department of History, UCT

This course aims to bring to life some of South Africa’s vibrant history through the words of selected historical figures, many of whom have been unknown until recently. It will draw attention to the voices of slaves; to Le Vaillant, a man of the Enlightenment; to Wauchope, a Xhosa poet; to Jane Waterston, South Africa’s first acknowledged woman doctor; and to a Canadian soldier in the South African War. These intriguing perspectives, drawn from original historical sources and published by the Van Riebeeck Society, will help to illuminate South Africa’s complex society.

From its inception 90 years ago, the Van Riebeeck Society has published readable primary documents on a wide range of topics including those in discussion in this course. As far back as 1919, the historian W.M. Macmillan reflected that these publications provided an ‘atmosphere’ lacking in official documents. In the 21st century the Society aims to broaden its focus to embrace many more once silent and silenced voices.

LECTURE TITLES
  1. Slave voices. Gerald Groenewald, University of Johannesburg
  2. A Frenchman of the Enlightenment explores the Cape: Le Vaillant’s travels. Prof I Glenn, Centre for Film and Media Studies, UCT
  3. Isaac Williams Wauchope, Xhosa linguist and poet. Dr A Nyamende, School of Languages and Literatures, UCT
  4. Jane Elizabeth Waterston, missionary, teacher and pioneering doctor. Dr E van Heyningen
  5. A Canadian horseman in the South African War. Prof A Morris, Department of Human Biology, UCT

    Recommended reading
  • Worden, N. & Groenewald, G. (Eds). Trials of Slavery. VRS, 2005.
  • Glenn, I. (Ed) Francois Le Vaillant. Travels into the Interior of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. VRS,2005.
  • Opland, J. & Nyamende, A. (Eds). Isaac Williams Wauchope. Selected writings. VRS, 2008.
  • Bean, L. & Van Heyningen, E. The Letters of Jane Elizabeth Waterston, 1866–1905. VRS, Cape Town, 1995.
  • Morris, A.G. A Canadian Mounted Rifleman at War, 1899–1902. The Reminiscences of A.E Hilder. VRS, 2000.

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