Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars'
Thesis (PhD (Archaeology))--University of Pretoria, 2022.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Pretoria
2022
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613482541645824 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Ndlovu, Ndukuyakhe |
| author_browse | Ndlovu, Ndukuyakhe |
| author_facet | Ndlovu, Ndukuyakhe |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD (Archaeology))--University of Pretoria, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/86496 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:51.203Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/86496 Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' Ndlovu, Ndukuyakhe mmaripane9@gmail.com Manaka, Mpho UCTD Archaeology Memory Commemoration SS Mendi Siege of Mafikeng Thesis (PhD (Archaeology))--University of Pretoria, 2022. ‘Lost in memory?’ is an expression I use in this thesis to highlight the misrepresentation of the role played by Black Africans in shaping the history of South Africa. A critical review of the historical narratives clearly illustrates that the memory of Black Africans has been lost, with only limited instances where they are acknowledged as having played an important role during the conflicts. This has thus affected their recognition as active participants in the wars. I use two case studies to investigate the roles played by Black Africans in the two so-called ‘white men’s wars’, namely the Siege of Mafikeng (South African War) and the tragedy that defined the sinking of the SS Mendi (First World War). The two case studies represent instances where Black Africans were involved in larger capacities. I furthermore review activities and physical structures (memorials and monuments) linked with the commemoration of these two conflicts, with the aim to review the extent to which the memory of Black Africans is either present or absent from such efforts of remembrance. My findings indicate that there is a racial approach to commemoration, with Black Africans being largely unrepresented. Where they are mentioned, the element of ‘shared suffering’ is emphasised. I saw such an approach as attempts to achieve what one may define as political correctness. In addition, I discovered that when Black Africans commemorate their own, they do so using what one can define as a Westernised approach to commemoration – through building physical structures or having musical groups perform. One may argue that the loss of culture and rituals has played a significant role in how Black Africans have commemorated their ancestors in the few instances where this has occurred. The significance of my research study is that I was able to document commemorative structures that have not enjoyed the attention of academics. I also went beyond simply assessing commemorative structures and focused on other forms of commemoration as practised by Black Africans. For this purpose, I reviewed the commemorative structures and the Ditrupa/Diturupa festival held annually by various Batswana groups in different locations in South Africa to understand how Black Africans have chosen to commemorate their own and to not have them omitted from the memory of the wars. Keywords: memory; commemoration; commemorative structures; Siege of Mafikeng; SS Mendi UNISA Anthropology and Archaeology PhD (Archaeology) Unrestricted 2022-07-27T13:21:33Z 2022-07-27T13:21:33Z 2022-09-08 2022 Thesis * S2022 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/86496 10.25403/UPresearchdata.20383230 en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Archaeology Memory Commemoration SS Mendi Siege of Mafikeng Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' |
| title | Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' |
| title_full | Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' |
| title_fullStr | Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' |
| title_short | Lost in memory? Black commemoration of 'white men's wars' |
| title_sort | lost in memory black commemoration of white men s wars |
| topic | UCTD Archaeology Memory Commemoration SS Mendi Siege of Mafikeng |
| url | https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/86496 |