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Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis
Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1869484226920841216 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Bredell, Alesha |
| author2 | Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla |
| author_browse | Bredell, Alesha Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla |
| author_facet | Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla Bredell, Alesha |
| author_sort | Bredell, Alesha |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135640 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:11:32.140Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135640 Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis Bredell, Alesha Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla Van Robbroeck, Lize Verwoerd, Wilhelm Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. Afrikaans language -- Dialects -- South Africa Afrikaans language -- Social aspects -- South Africa Archives == Social aspects -- South Africa Collective memory -- South Africa Decolonization -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Bredell, A. 2026. Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/921dc50b-424c-48b3-a88e-92498ada85e8 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Following the Open Stellenbosch student protests in 2015, during which the Afrikaans language consistently emerged as a central theme, the need to explore more nuanced reflections on the significance of Afrikaans at Stellenbosch University became evident. By capturing the voices of artists, poets, musicians, and writers to articulate complex histories, this study examines the potential of arts-informed research to confront the deeply rooted colonial legacy of Stellenbosch University (SU). As an art and curatorial scholar in post-1994 South Africa, I felt it necessary to contest, renegotiate, and address the various ways in which coloniality continues to define and affect our collectively inherited and unequal realities. To achieve this, I spent hours meticulously gathering material, sifting through cabinets, files, and boxes of photos in three Stellenbosch archives: the official SU archive, the SU Museum Archive, and the Heemkring, or ‘dorpsargief’ as it is colloquially known. I also invited a diverse range of practitioners, including visual artists, poets, writers, and musicians, who in their work address, explore, and celebrate marginalised forms and histories of Afrikaans, which I refer to as Afrikaaps/ns to acknowledge its creole origins. Through interviews with key stakeholders (staff, students, alumni, and artists) and organising a workshop, a visit to the SU Museum Archive and campus walkabout with a group of artists, this study was informed by a variety of voices that significantly contributed to contextualising and understanding the language atmosphere on campus, lived experiences, historical perspectives, and visions for a future institution centred on restitutive justice. The process was also guided by post-qualitative principles, which facilitated the engaged and reflective approach to research. During this process, discussions and workshops were carefully documented, including video recordings, photographs, reflective writings, drawings, and voice recordings—all of which became part of the data and materials used throughout this study. The outcome of mutual reflection, achieved by opening the cracks and fissures of an institution steeped in colonial and neoliberal systems like SU, allowed for the emergence of deeply situated knowledge. It also revealed how ongoing dedication to dismantling longstanding colonial impacts is necessary and how certain elements continue to restrict and disarm the potential of decolonial processes to genuinely transform institutions such as SU. Although the decolonial potential this study initially aimed to achieve was somewhat limited, the foundation for further engagement was laid, as responses from staff, students, alumni, and artists showed optimism for future progress in this area. Addressing historical and epistemic injustice, along with ongoing institutional complacency within oppressive systems, was supported by creative and flexible approaches that proved valuable for future efforts. By focusing on the reflective process rather than the final result, this project offers fresh insights and approaches to aspects often overlooked in academic studies of creative processes, especially those related to complex and traumatic histories. Consequently, this research enhances understanding of methods to approach, gather, and organise collaborative curatorial and arts-informed research projects. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na aanleiding van die Open Stellenbosch-studenteproteste in 2015, waartydens die Afrikaanse taal deurgaans as ‘n sentrale tema na vore gekom het, het die behoefte om meer genuanseerde refleksies oor die betekenis van Afrikaans aan Stellenbosch Universiteit te ondersoek, duidelik geword. Deur die stemme van kunstenaars, digters, musikante en skrywers vas te lê om komplekse geskiedenisse te artikuleer, ondersoek hierdie studie die potensiaal van kunsgeïnformeerde navorsing om die diepgewortelde koloniale nalatenskap en betrokkenheid van die US te konfronteer. As ‘n kuns- en kuratoriese navorser in post-1994 Suid-Afrika, het ek gevoel dat dit nodig is om die verskillende maniere waarop kolonialiteit steeds ons gesamentlik geërfde en ongelyke realiteite definieer en beïnvloed, aan te spreek. Om dit te bereik, het ek ure lank noukeurig materiaal versamel, deur kabinette, lêers en bokse met foto’s in drie Stellenbosch-argiewe te sif: die amptelike US-argief, die SU Museum-argief, en die Heemkring, of ‘dorpsargief’ soos dit bekend staan. Ek het ook ek ‘n diverse groep kunstenaars genooi, insluitend visuele kunstenaars, digters en skrywers, wat in hul werk gemarginaliseerde vorme en geskiedenisse van Afrikaans aanspreek, verken en vier, wat ek Afrikaaps/ns noem om die taal se kreoolse oorsprong te erken. Deur middel van onderhoude met US lede (personeel, studente, alumni en kunstenaars) en die organisering van ‘n werkswinkel of kampusrondrit met die groep kunstenaars, is hierdie studie ingelig deur ‘n verskeidenheid stemme wat beduidend bygedra het tot die kontekstualisering en begrip van die taalatmosfeer op kampus, geleefde ervarings, historiese perspektiewe en visies vir ‘n toekomstige instelling wat op herstellende geregtigheid gesentreer is. Die proses is ook gelei deur postkwalitatiewe beginsels, wat die betrokke en reflektiewe benadering tot navorsing vergemaklik het. Gedurende hierdie proses is onderhoude en werkswinkel sessie noukeurig gedokumenteer, insluitend foto’s, reflektiewe geskrifte of tekeninge, en stemopnames – wat alles deel gevorm het van die data en materiaal wat in hierdie studie gebruik is. Die uitkoms van wedersydse refleksie, bereik deur die krake en skeure van ‘n instelling wat deurdrenk is van koloniale en neoliberale stelsels soos US, oop te maak, het die ontstaan van diep gesitueerde kennis moontlik gemaak. Dit het ook onthul hoe voortdurende toewyding aan die aftakeling van langdurige koloniale impakte noodsaaklik is en hoe sekere elemente steeds die potensiaal van dekoloniale prosesse beperk en ontwapen om instellings soos US werklik te transformeer. Alhoewel die dekoloniale potensiaal wat hierdie studie aanvanklik wou bereik ietwat belemmer is, is die saad vir verdere betrokkenheid geplant, aangesien reaksies van personeel, studente, alumni en kunstenaars optimisme vir toekomstige ontwikkelings op hierdie gebied aangedui het. Die aanspreek van historiese en epistemiese ongeregtigheid, tesame met voortdurende institusionele selfvoldaanheid binne onderdrukkende stelsels, is ondersteun deur kreatiewe en buigsame benaderings wat waardevol geblyk het vir toekomstige pogings. Deur te fokus op die reflektiewe proses eerder as die finale resultaat, bied hierdie projek vars insigte en benaderings tot aspekte wat dikwels oor die hoof gesien word in akademiese studies van kreatiewe prosesse, veral dié wat verband hou met komplekse en traumatiese geskiedenisse. Gevolglik verbeter hierdie navorsing die begrip van metodes om samewerkende kuratoriese en kuns-ingeligte navorsingsprojekte te benader en te organiseer. XHOSA ABSTRACT: Emva koqhanqalazo lwabafundi olubizwa i-Open Stellenbosch ngonyaka ka2015, kwaye kwavela ukuba ulwimi lesiBhulu yayilelona lalingumxholo ophambili woqhanqalazo. Kulapho kwaye kwavela isidingo sokuhlola iingcinga ezinzulu malunga nentsingiselo yolwimi lesiBhulu kwiDyunivesithi yaseStellenbosch. Esi sifundo siye safuna ukuva iingcinga zamagcisa, iimbongi, abo basebenza ngomculo, nababhali. Kulapho bona baye baveza iimbono zabo ngembali entsokothileyo. Olu phando lujolise ukusebenziseni ulwazi olunentsusa yobugcisa ukujongana nelifa leDyunivesithi yaseStellenbosch lobukoloniyali. Njengomfundi wezobugcisa kunye nokugcinwa ngexesha lentando yesininzi eMZantsi Afrika, ndiye ndabona kubalulekile ukuphikisana, ukuthethana ngokutsha, nokuqaphela indlela ubukoloniyali busachaphazela ukungalingani kwethu singabantu. Ukufezekisa oku, ndichithe iiyure ngobuchule ndiqokelela imathiriyeli, ndihluza kwiikhabhathi, iifayile, kunye neebhokisi zeefoto kwiindawo ezintathu zoovimba baseStellenbosch: uvimba osemthethweni weSU, uvimba weMyuziyam weSU, kunye neHeemkring, okanye ‘dorpsargief’ njengoko isaziwa njalo. Ukuze ndiphumele kuphando lwam, ndimeme amagcisa wodwebo, iimbongi, ababhali kunye nabasebenza ngomculo abohlukeneyo. Ndikhethe abo imisebenzi yabo ijongene nokuphuhlisa ulwimi lwesiBhulu olucinezekileyo, ndilibiza iAfrikaaps/ns. Ndilubiza olu hlobo ukuze ndiveze imvelaphi yalo esuka eCreole. Ngokwenza udliwano-ndlebe nabantu abachaphazelekayo (abasebenzi, abafundi, abo bangabafundi bangaphambili baseDyunivesithi yaseStellenbosch, namagcisa), ukwenza iiworkshop kunye nokuhamba-hamba ekhampasini neqela lamagcisa, esisifundo siye sakhokhelwa ngamazwi ohlukeneyo. La mazwi aye ancedisa ekuqondeni ezolwimi ekhampasini, iimpilo ezohlukileyo zabantu, iingcinga zabantu ezohlukeneyo malunga nembali kunye nemibono yekamva leDyunivesithi eza kube igxile ebulungiseni bengcinezelo yamandulo. Le nkqubo yophando ibikhokhelwe kukungaqwalaseli abantu okanye ubuntu, kodwa ibijongene nendlela abantu abadibana ngayo neendlela uphando lulawulwa ngabantu; oku kuncedise ukuba olu phando lucamngce. Ngokwale nkqubo, yonke into ibixoxwa kwiingxoxo nakwiiworkshop iye yabhalwa phantsi, kwashicilelwa neevidiyo, kwabakho neefoto, imibhalo ecingisisiweyo, imidwebo kunye noshicilelo lwamazwi. Konke oku kusetyenziswe njengentsusa yolwazi yolu phando. Ukuvula izikhewu zeziko elineengcambu zobukoloniyali kunye nenkqubo yeneoliberal elifana neDyunivesithi yaseStellenbosch kuncede ukuba kubekho umphumela wokucingisana. Oku kudale ukuba kuvele ulwazi olunzulu. Kuye kwaphinda kwavela ukuba ukugxila ukudilizeni ubukoloniyali kubalulekile kwaye kuye kwacaca ukuba zikhona izinto ezinqanda ukuchithwa kobukoloniyali kwamaziko emfundo afana neDyunivesithi yaseStellenbosch. Oku kudala ukuba inguquko ithathe ixesha. Nangona olu phando luqale lungaphangelelanga, luye lwabeka isiseko sokuba iingxoxo zibheke phambili. Iimpendulo ezisuke kubasebenzi, abafundi, abo babengabafundi baseDyunivesithi yaseStellenbosch bangaphambili, namagcisa zibonise umdla ekuphuhliseni eli ziko. Ukujongana nengcinezelo nokungalingani kwabantu kunye nabo bantu babonakala bengakhathali kwamaziko ananetsusa yengcinezelo zezinye zezinto ezikhankanywe lolu phando ekubonakale ukuba indlela yokuzikhawulela ezi ngxaki ikhona. Olu phando luye lwajolisa ekujongeni iingcinga eziphambili, hayi imiphumela yophando kuphela. Olu phando luza neendlela zokucinga ezintsha kunye neendlela zokwenza ezohlukileyo. Oku akufanwe kujongwe xa kubhexeshelwa izifundo eziphakamileyo ezigxile ekuyileni, ingakumbi ezo zijongene nembali entsokothileyo nebuhlungu. Ngoko ke, olu phando luphuhlisa indlela yokujonga izinto, ukuqokelela nokulungisa ulwazi olugcinwayo nophando olugxile ubugciseni. Doctoral 2026-04-07T06:48:59Z 2026-04-07T06:48:59Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135640 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 246 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Afrikaans language -- Dialects -- South Africa Afrikaans language -- Social aspects -- South Africa Archives == Social aspects -- South Africa Collective memory -- South Africa Decolonization -- South Africa UCTD Bredell, Alesha Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis |
| title | Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis |
| title_full | Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis |
| title_fullStr | Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis |
| title_short | Towards a restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: discussing praxis |
| title_sort | towards a restitution of the afrikaaps ns archive discussing praxis |
| topic | Afrikaans language -- Dialects -- South Africa Afrikaans language -- Social aspects -- South Africa Archives == Social aspects -- South Africa Collective memory -- South Africa Decolonization -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135640 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bredellalesha towardsarestitutionoftheafrikaapsnsarchivediscussingpraxis |