Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

To all the Robben Island Museum Spring School (RIM SS) past and present participants, especially the 2011 aplomb crew … have a special Christmas and a prosperous 2012.

Keep RIM SS informed of your schooling, development, achievements and challenges.

Journey to discover history

By: Nkcubeko Balani

Robben Island was declared a museum in the year 1997 and since then initiatives surrounding it have been developed. Isivivane Solwazi Spring School is a yearly initiative that requires learners from all the country to come together and learn more about the island. Living around people from different cultures was indeed overwhelming, especially on the iconic island. Each year has a different theme. 2010’s theme was xenophobia and this year’s theme was Conservation and Restoration of Tangible and Intangible Heritage.

Staring at a cell that once belonged to a man who became South Africa’s first black president was stunning.

We participated in knowledge hunt that was fun and informative. We got to learn more about the people who are associated with Robben Island. Visiting places like the maximum security prison meant that little things I never knew were learnt. For example, many believed that Presindent Jacob Zuma left school in Grade 7 but few know that he may have been part of the study office they had on the island and he may have graduated there.

What also stood out for me was the Kramat. A Krama is a burial shrine and the one on the island was created to remember a Muslim hero who was once a prisoner at the maximum security prison. Muslims pass there regularly to pay their tribute.

We had a cultural evening that showcased the beauty and diversity of South African cultures. It was an experience not to be forgotten. This experience taught me that some things aren’t what they seem and that at times we might look at the bigger elephant when there is a small more powerful ant. For example, people were agitated to see Mr Nelson Mandela’s cell when other people like Marcus Solomon were also prisoners there.  

It was an enjoyable trip that will be open to other Grade 10 learners next year.

Nkcubeko Balani is a Grade 10 learner at Mary Waters High School, Grahamstown. He was part of the group of learners representing Albany Museum.

Source: Upstart, November 2011

Spring School 2011 opens to public

By: Zongezile Matshoba

The rehearsals that went into the middle of the night the day before, as the 2011 Spring School participants were preparing for the Open Day on Friday on day seven (7) resulted into massive performances of dance, poetry, presentations and exhibition of the elective outputs.

The groups, representing the various provinces of South Africa, arrived for the 2011 programme on 30 September 2011, exactly when the Tourism and Heritage Month was ending. They were showcasing what skills have they acquired during the camp.

Nomatshayina Mfeketho addressed them after the opening by Luvuyo Ndzuzo.

“This opportunity has enabled us to explore, and begin to appreciate who we are, where we come from, and how do we move forward,” She said.

The participants were also addressed by Nozipho Madinda, one of the Museums Practitioners. She touched on what the Spring School meant to Museums Practitioners.

The address by the four media electives facilitators and the participants touched on how the skills imparted were going to benefit them and be utelised, was followed by a temporary exhibition at Number 40 that was showcasing the various groups’ work produced during the electives. Public Service Announcements, radio sound clips, printed copies of newsletters and framed photographs were all on display. 

Nomvuzo Maphumulo, the engine behind the whole camp, could not contain herself. She told the learners that Robben Island is a platform for life long learning.

“Coming to Robben Island means coming to sift that knowledge,” she said.

Every learner was awarded a valuable certificate as an indication of their contribution to the sustainability, conservation and preservation of tangible and intangible heritage both at Robben Island and from where each learner came from.

KwaZulu-Natal group, with Amanda Mnikathi as the chosen speaker, thanked the Spring School organizers by giving them an artistic flag and t-shirt symbolic of Mandela Day’s Making-A-Difference.   

Eastern Cape Spring School Participants already on the roll

The Makana Tourism is interested in inviting the 2011 Robben Island Spring School (Eastern Cape) participants to its belated Heritage and Tourism Month. This is going to take place from 19 October to 16 November 2011. This will enable the group to move around with the local tour guides, getting a better understanding of Grahamstown heritage sites and attractions.

Another idea that is being mooted is for the SS2011 and SS2010, as well as the 2010 and 2011 groups that Albany Museum sent to the Nelson Mandela Museum Youth Camp to meet and form a Club / Society / Guide / Junior Ambassadorship that will help in sustaining the Tourism and Heritage programme at Makana Municipality. 

Watch this space!

My Pride, Your Pride

By: Gladys Mulaudzi, Amanda Mnikathi and Zongezile Matshoba

Day 5 of the SS 2011 started with a tricky topic, climate change, by Vincent Diba. Well, that was in the evening as the last two days were dominated by the four media electives that were happening in various venues of the MPLC. The somber mood of being told of the sometimes man-made causes that affect weather changes, thereby affecting environment and heritage, seemed to be taming the spirits of some who were readying themselves for the cultural evening. To be told to turn off the taps properly all the time, save electricity, stop chopping trees was to these learners rather worrying and reminded them of the usual adult teaching, at school and at home.

Things quickly changed to high tempo as Sobantu Stofile started singing Joe ‘Sdumo’ Mafela’s “Shebeleza” that saw South Africans dancing and chanting in 1996 when they won the Confederation of African Football Cup of Nations in their first attempt. The hall was soon engulfed with cheers, participants circulating the centre stage in traditional attires of various indigenous South Africans.

From the Vendas in Limpopo, down to the amaZulu in KwaZulu Natal to the amaXhosa in the Eastern Cape participants young as they are, used songs, poetry, dance and acting skills to explain their cultural costumes and its importance. This was meant to familiarize other participants from other provinces about their culture and values.

The unity in the groups was exceptional, indeed the motto of the country’s coat of arms “IKE E: /XARRA //KE” was manifested for everyone to see. The overall performances were impressive.

At the end, the Western Cape took the honours after a great performance that managed to drag judges’ attention, followed by Limpopo and Northern Cape. There were several individual winners who obtained special awards for them standing out among their groups.  The judges were looking for groups that clearly touched on songs, dance, attire, synchronization and whether they have followed the brief. Such performance was led by the same entertainer who was making waves in the SS2011.

Yes, you guessed well, that’s Mandlenkosi Sixolo.

Rabul’ungafinci!

By: Amanda Mnikathi , Dominic Nkwana, Shaun Doch and Zongezile Matshoba

He was sharing their experiences as political prisoners during those tough apartheid days. Vuyisile Vincent Diba, another ex-political prisoner, briefly outlined how Robben Island has been behind slavery and imprisonment of innocent people since the arrival of the Dutch led by Jan van Riebeeck.

Diba said that it all started with the Dutch ruling that ended around the 1750. The British followed with their colonisation. This affected lots of people, especially African Chiefs, Khoisan people and women in general.

Diba reflected upon the nearly 400 years of Robben Island in which    indigenous South Africans and foreign legion who opposed and interfered with voyagers, traders and invaders were colonized, enslaved and imprisoned and subjected to harsh conditions.

Dede and Diba, when questioned if they are aggrieved, expressed that the struggle was above personal issues. It was about freedom, humanity and prosperity of each and every South African irrespective of race, colour, and religion.

They appealed to the present generation to continue where they have left. Their worry is that there is never going to be ex-political prisoners in the democratic South Africa to live and re-tell the stories when we are gone.

Robben Island was more than a political and educational intuition for them. It taught every political prisoner more than what was out there to learn.

“The sacrifice was worth dying for,” said Dede. “We paid human price with the understanding that racial discrimination has no place”.

The two appealed to the youth not to lose focus, and to continue the legacy as RIM is “a river that never dries”.

The funny Mandlankosi

By: Amanda Mnikathi and Zongezile Matshoba

The ever energetic Mandlankosi Sixolo laid the foundation for the intensive electives when he came up with games that made everyone run laughing, smiling and gasping for breath.

“There is a fire in the mountain!” he shouted to the groups which responded “RUN, RUN!” Thereafter, they have to grab each other, making a group of 3, 5, or whatever number Nkosi shouted.

That did not end with that game. He was at it again in the evening, as the participants were preparing for      Umrhabulo, where ex-political prisoners shared their experience.  He had them smiling too as they witness the fruits of democracy, seeing the youth so liberated.

The participants were clapping hands, stretching arms, body swinging, tongues out, and those that were not mastering it were eliminated from the game one by one.

“Nah, nah, nah …” was the rhythm that one would never be forgotten.

Sixolo is a performer, an entertainer, and surely the SS2011 participants will go back home remembering his antics, his face and joyfulness that made everyone not to miss home.