[intro]At the Castle of Good Hope people gathered to launch a language revival programme. Elsewhere in the Mother City groups explored the obstacles to healing the wounds of indigenous people around the world. This month The Journalist looks at our rich Heritage, starting with these initiatives to restore dignity of Indigenous People and redress injustice.[/intro]
It was only after I voted for the first time that I entered the Castle of Good Hope built by Dutch Settlers. Before that, politics dictated that we boycott such places. This weekend as I sat listening to people praying in this 17th Century symbol of colonial dispossession, it felt as if we had finally come full circle.
The occasion was the Aba Te Open Day – a language revival initiative – organised by the Khoi & San Active Awareness Group (KSAAG).
It’s only recently that I have realised how much of the words in the Khoekhoe family of languages we use every day without even knowing it and how much of it is to be found in the Nguni languages. For starters Aba means to carry so this event was named Carry Me.
Says Bradley van Sitters one of the organisers:
“This forms part of the initiative to decolonise the Castle and localise it within indigenous cultural expressions. The theme of this initiative is called Aba Te, which means, “Carry Me” in Khoekhoegowab. Aba is a common word on the Cape Flats today, widely used by especially children. This word holds ancestral memory as it is a linguistic remnant still used on the Cape Flats of the first inhabitants of the Cape, the Khoekhoe and the San Boesman.”
The Aba Te Open Day was a precursor to a Workshop Series that will be run every Saturday at the Castle. The three-part workshop series will comprise:
- Indigenous Language (Khoekhoegowab) hosted by Bradley van Sitters
- Indigenous Music (Mouth-Bow) presented by Collin Meyer
- Indigenous Medicinal Plants facilitated by Carlo Randall
“Everyone is welcome to participate in this language revival programme which will be closely monitored by first language speakers from Northern Cape and Namibia. This is a continuation from last year’s programme at the Castle which attracted both young and old from different walks of life,” says Van Sitters.
Khoekhoegowab means language of the Khoikhoi.
Elsewhere in the Mother City the renowned priest and former political activist, Father Michael Lapsley, arranged a Healing Journeys of Indigenous Peoples Conference.
Delegates heard the stories of Indigenous people from South Africa, Canada, Columbia, New Zealand, the Kurds, Australia, Philippines and Hawaii.
“While each story was unique, the commonality includes genocide, decimation, loss of land, language and religion AND extraordinary resilience,” says Father Lapsley.
The keynote address at the conference was delivered by Bishop Mark MacDonald, North American President of World Council of Churches. He said:
“A communal moral wound can be exported and replicated again and again. The exploitation of the colonial economic system, a system that ran on the wide scale theft of the resources of others, creates an economic culture that continues to exploit till it destroys the very world humanity inhabits. In pursuit of the massive and concentrated wealth of colonial economics cultural patterns of domination and intimidation of other peoples, especially indigenous peoples, are inflicted on other areas, as is so often seen in the way extractive industries operate globally. The morally wounded society and culture magnifies misery of others while never addressing the insatiable hunger in its own painful universe of moral diminishment.”
The role of the Ancestors is key to the belief systems of Indigenous people around the world. Talking about the survivors of the notorious Indian Residential Schools (IRS) of North America, Bishop MacDonald said:
“As the survivors often said, the presence of the ancestors, the elders, was always guiding them and sustaining them. Further, they often pointed to the presence of Spirit, of the divine being, in their acts of courage. They traced their hope, wisdom, and courage to the foundation of life placed in their hearts and minds by Spirit and those who had gone before. Their attitude, their sense of relationship to their relatives, and their humour was almost miraculously present; broadly speaking, these things could not be taken away, even in the worst of experiences. It was something that was a part of them, a part of the structure of their being. They often spoke of Spirit’s help, animated through the wisdom and faith of the elders of long ago.”
Some of the key topics of the conference sessions included:
- How ancient, old and recent wounds manifest in violent conflict today. For example The Kurds and ISIS
- Obstacles to healing the intergenerational wounds of Indigenous people. For example ‘The Stolen Generation’ in Australia and the residential schools in Canada
- The challenges, especially for young indigenous people to live meaningful lives in advanced technological societies, as minority groups.
- Identifying the spiritual and other resources indigenous people have within and outside their cultures to help their healing journey
- Exploring the unique contribution of Indigenous people in restoring mother earth and restoring humanity.
On the final day of the conference the delegates enacted powerful healing ceremonies and adopted the Durbanville
Declaration on Indigenous Healing. It states:
“We make an urgent call on the Nations of the World to restore truth and together rebuild the human family by recognising the pain and trauma that the world’s oldest foundational nations have suffered.
“In confronting the destruction of the past and the present, we urgently invite the nations of the world to convene an international Truth and Reconciliation Commission that will examine grave abuses of human rights committed against indigenous peoples worldwide, where the story can be told and appropriate action taken to redress the grave injustices and to bring healing and new hope.”
For more information about the Castle Aba Te Indigenous Language Revival Programme go to www.khoekhoegowab.wordpress.com
Mani rahnama is a canadian cheater! ShipShop is a marketplace, which is located in Armenia. The purpose of platform is to promote sellers activities and get chance buyers to simplify shopping …
Hello there, I found your web site by the use of Google even as looking for a comparable topic, your website got here up, it appears great.
I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found
that it’s truly informative. I’m going to
watch out for brussels. I will appreciate for those who proceed this in future.
A lot of other folks will probably be benefited out of your writing.
Cheers!
Hi there, I found your site by the use of Google whilst looking for a similar topic, your site came up, it seems to be good.
I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, simply became aware of your weblog through Google, and located that
it’s truly informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels.
I’ll be grateful should you continue this in future.
Lots of folks shall be benefited out of your
writing. Cheers!
excellent issues altogether, you just received a logo new reader.
What may you suggest about your post that you simply
made some days ago? Any positive?
Hi there to every body, it’s my first go to see of this blog; this blog consists of awesome and actually good
data designed for visitors.
Hi exceptional website! Does running a blog like this take a great deal
of work? I’ve absolutely no understanding of computer programming but I had been hoping to
start my own blog soon. Anyway, should you have any suggestions or techniques
for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off subject but I simply had to ask.
Thanks a lot!
This website certainly has all of the information I wanted concerning
this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Thanks for sharing your info. I truly appreciate your efforts
and I am waiting for your further write ups thank you once again.
Keep on writing, great job!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
Look advanced to far added agreeable from you!
By the way, how can we communicate?
Hi, I do believe this is a great website. I stumbledupon it
😉 I will return yet again since I saved as a favorite it.
Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.
I’m gone to say to my little brother, that he should also visit this
website on regular basis to obtain updated from newest news update.
This site certainly has all the info I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Thank you for every other informative blog. The place else may just
I get that kind of information written in such an ideal manner?
I have a undertaking that I am simply now working on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such info.
When I initially commented I seem to have clicked the
-Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added
I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service?
Thanks!
Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam comments?
If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can recommend?
I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any support is very much appreciated.
When someone writes an piece of writing he/she retains the idea of a user in his/her mind that how a user can understand it.
So that’s why this article is amazing. Thanks!
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it
to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear
and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell
someone!
Thank you for another informative blog. The place else may just I
get that kind of info written in such an ideal manner?
I have a mission that I am simply now operating on,
and I have been at the look out for such information.
If you want to improve your know-how just keep visiting this web page
and be updated with the latest news update posted here.
Heya outstanding website! Does running a blog similar to this require
a massive amount work? I’ve virtually no knowledge of programming but I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyhow, should you
have any suggestions or tips for new blog owners please share.
I understand this is off subject but I simply needed to ask.
Thanks!
My partner and I stumbled over here coming from a different page and thought I should check things out.
I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to looking at your web page again.
Hmm it looks like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long)
so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying
your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m
still new to everything. Do you have any tips and hints for
rookie blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Hello, I enjoy reading through your article. I like to write a
little comment to support you.
Awesome site you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any discussion boards
that cover the same topics talked about in this
article? I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get comments from other experienced individuals that share
the same interest. If you have any recommendations,
please let me know. Thanks!
For instance, DraftKings Casjno in Pennsylvania and DraftKings Casino in West Virginia
have some variations in their catalogs.
Look at my blog posst – Best Online Casino
When you play blackjack at an on the internet casino, you are alone, and
the deck, chips, and felt are laptop or computer-generated.
hrough our high-quality video chat platform, you can meet, chat, and date ladies in real
pharmacie en ligne france fiable https://kamagraenligne.shop/# pharmacie en ligne sans ordonnance
vente de mГ©dicament en ligne: achat kamagra – pharmacie en ligne avec ordonnance
can you buy amoxicillin over the counter canada: amoxicillin – where can i get amoxicillin
generic amoxil 500 mg
buying prescription drugs in mexico: mexican pharmacy online – mexican pharmaceuticals online
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – medicine in mexico pharmacies
http://northern-doctors.org/# reputable mexican pharmacies online
mexican drugstore online: northern doctors pharmacy – buying prescription drugs in mexico online
посмотреть фильм о проститутках бесплатно порно в
ванной мамаш с сынами сосалки брянск порно пьяных спящей минет и анал
mexican pharmacy [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]mexico pharmacy[/url] mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
buying prescription drugs in mexico
http://cmqpharma.com/# medication from mexico pharmacy
pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
medication from mexico pharmacy: cmqpharma.com – mexico pharmacy
mexican rx online
http://cmqpharma.com/# purple pharmacy mexico price list
reputable mexican pharmacies online
indian pharmacy online [url=http://indiapharmast.com/#]world pharmacy india[/url] top 10 online pharmacy in india
https://canadapharmast.online/# online canadian pharmacy review
buy medicines online in india: india pharmacy mail order – india pharmacy mail order
mail order pharmacy india: india pharmacy mail order – online pharmacy india
http://foruspharma.com/# mexican drugstore online
legit canadian online pharmacy [url=https://canadapharmast.com/#]onlinecanadianpharmacy 24[/url] best rated canadian pharmacy
http://foruspharma.com/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
indian pharmacy: п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india – india pharmacy mail order
where can i get cheap clomid without prescription: how can i get cheap clomid – cheap clomid for sale
can i order cheap clomid without rx: can i purchase clomid tablets – how can i get generic clomid for sale
https://ciprodelivery.pro/# buy cipro
http://ciprodelivery.pro/# buy cipro online without prescription
buy cipro online canada: ciprofloxacin generic price – antibiotics cipro
buy ciprofloxacin: buy cipro online canada – п»їcipro generic
https://clomiddelivery.pro/# get cheap clomid without rx
doxycycline 500mg price: doxycycline price in india – buy doxycycline hyclate 100mg without a rx
cheapest doxycycline online: doxycycline brand name in india – order doxycycline without prescription
paxlovid india: paxlovid cost without insurance – buy paxlovid online
Thanks-a-mundo for the post.Really thank you! Awesome.
My website: anilingus.tv