TSWELOPELE MAKOE
Johannesburg - April 18 marked two years since the Jagger Library at UCT devastatingly burned down. The iconic library housed invaluable collections, galleries and, most importantly, the African Studies collection that had been built over decades, beginning in 1953.
In the blink of an eye, all of this pertinent history was eradicated. In the digital age, the loss of a library means more than just losing books, but the loss of immeasurable discoveries and community histories, with a wealth of information, cultures, knowledge and histories. The archival and published print collections that were also consumed by the flames are irretrievable and priceless, and will never again be returned.
What is truly lost in this instance is a piece of our identity as African people. Human history has proved that the eradication of one’s history is truly debilitating to one’s identity. This is especially pertinent in the African context, where scores of histories were eradicated by the abhorrent Western colonial enterprise.
In the modern African context, where identity is increasingly fractured by globalisation, African people must contend with the eradication of their history. Most young people have grown up speaking English, many of whom sadly speak exclusively English today. Scores of citizens know only the bare minimum when it comes to their own cultures, histories and practices. Others contend with their cultures only when they interact with the elderly or during familial processes that involve cultural practices.
Despite the dawn of the new South Africa, there’s an intentional dismissal of African history, especially in our educational institutions and our school curriculum. It is truly tragic that, as time progresses, more and more people understand their African identity less. The ignorance of history in high schools, colleges and universities is dangerous to the future of a free society.
In the modern era, identity may seem like an individualistic practice that is solely dependent on who one wants to be in this world. However, identity is ingrained in our DNA and deeply connected to our past generations. Identity is the embodiment of one’s character in the world and our society. It derives from a sense of belonging, well-being and understanding of who we are in the world.
Furthermore, identity shapes how we are perceived in the world – how we choose to present ourselves, how we speak and act, what our beliefs and passions are, and how we ultimately view our position in the world. It largely shapes one’s trajectory in life. It deeply influences who we attract and how we grapple with others in the world.
Furthermore, identity is vital to the consolidation of a nation. It’s not only valuable in ensuring that individuals are empowered, but that they also understand and practise their rights and responsibilities in society. Ultimately, it sets the standards for a fair and equitable society, one that is derived from a common good and the common empowerment of its people. It fosters a nation and gives a sense of collective identity in our deeply stratified, multiracial and multicultural society.
It is an antidote to a lot of negative individualistic human traits such as self-importance and self-pity. Not knowing our history will likely lead to an indifferent view of our constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and the struggles that are ingrained within them.
Although the internet age has rendered libraries somewhat irrelevant to modern scholars, they house pertinent knowledge about extremely intelligent and sophisticated African civilisations that existed before our latter-day generations. They house proof of these extensive and powerful societies through various archaeological, historical, anthropological and ethnological depictions. They are much more than storage for books.
They also house vital primary resources such as letters, diaries, oral histories, photography, government documents, newspaper articles, poems and notations. Additionally, they show us the trends of human history, the disasters and wars that repeatedly occur, the extensive track record of worldwide exploitation and genocides, as well as environmental catastrophes such as plagues, famines, earthquakes and devastating tidal waves.
History shows how much human societies across the world have in common. Although there are a myriad differences between people and localities globally, the experiences and challenges that are faced by us all are eerily consistent.
It is for this reason that we must protect our libraries and our institutions that seek to preserve human history. Modern societies most definitely have a sense of superiority, often referring to the past as the time of “cavemen”. However, humans rarely utilise the records of the past to actualise and better their present and future. Societies such as the Egyptians have been persistently proven to be far more developed than most modern societies.
The Egyptians were pioneers in mathematics, medicine, surveying, irrigation, agriculture, archaeology, geometry, astrology and architecture. They were led by extremely notable and powerful queens. More importantly, they developed extremely steadfast and monumental structures such as temples and the more popular pyramids.
This is not a prediction of history. It is proof. It was their way of life. It is labelled ancient, but in fact is highly sophisticated and years ahead of its time. Another notable kingdom was that of Mansa Musa, who ruled the ancient kingdom of Mali while it was one of the richest empires in human history. One wonders why these pieces of history, which are so close to home, are dismissed when it comes to our education system.
Development on the African continent is also derived from and constructed as a result of the colonial conquest. However, the colonial conquest entailed the eradication of African civilisations, wealth, knowledge and cultures. It involved the eradication of societies, histories and elements of progressive societies. As a result of colonialism, we are left with only a fraction of this knowledge, and we remain vulnerable to its obliteration.
With technology, it should be a continental mission to capture and preserve African history, advancements, knowledge and structures. Unfortunately, it is still dismissed. In the technological age that we are living in, people of all generations must impart and preserve history, not only as it exists, but also as it occurs. Young people should at least make the effort to encapsulate and record their culture and knowledge. It is as simple as a voice note, a video of your grandmother telling her story, and pictures of your home village.
Everything can be recorded, and everything can be preserved. We do, however, need to make a conscious effort to do this, and we cannot depend on our institutions and our government to enact this mission.
Standing up for visibility in our institutions is of the utmost importance. We need to ensure that our history is being shaped by us, is publicised by us, and is not left in the hands of those who only seek to exploit us.
As citizens, we need to make efforts to visit our galleries, our libraries, and our historical sites, and to utilise that knowledge to build on our own identity and history, to understand it better and to enact it in our lived realities. We must learn our lineages and the connections that we have throughout the continent, but also throughout time. Forgetting only does an injustice to the past, and to the many battles that were fought so that we could live as freely as we currently do.
Yes, recording history is pertinent to not forgetting or repeating the mistakes of the past. However, it is a deeply personal mission as well, which will ensure that the generations centuries ahead of us can learn from our mistakes, build on our achievements, and continue to create a better world for all.
*Tswelopele Makoe is an MA (Ethics) student at the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice at UWC. She is also a gender activist.