2019-2021: The Origin of Things: Investigation into Khoisan Places
Principal Investigator: Dr. Magda Minguzzi
Co-researchers: Gaob Thomas Augustus; Gaos Jean Burgess; Gaos Margaret Coetzee; Paramount Chief William Human; Gaob Daantjie Japhta; Gaob Brato Malgas; Xam ≠ Gaob Maleiba; Paramount Chief Gert Cornelius Steenkamp; Chief Wallace Williams; Gaob Michael Williams.
Collaborators: Nelson Mandela University Staff member Arch. Lucy Vosloo.
J. Joseph (Head person- Gamtobaqua Ghonaqua), R. Gewers (community member.
Students: L. O. Prince; S. Burger (M.Arch), M. Dukada (M.Arch).
Research agreement with the SAN PARKS.
The aims of this community engagement research were to visit, experience and document pre-colonial sites in the Eastern Cape and the recording of oral narratives-story telling related to the sites documented. All the above were crucial aspects that contributed to the building of awareness, new knowledge and a new sense of belonging on the IKS related to the tangible and intangible heritage of the First Nations of South Africa. Furthermore, this research project investigated various ways in which knowledge is produced, assimilated and utilized through interactions and relationships with communities. In doing so, it created an impact related to the development of the de-colonized high education curriculum. The research process was also an important opportunity to fill the gap in between the local communities, in particular the indigenous community of South Africa, which up till today is a marginalized community, and the academia (equity and transformation).
Funds: National Research Foundation-Community Engagement Program (CEC180516330946), 3 years of funding (tot. R 666 336.00) and 1 bursary for a Master’s student (full-time): M. Dukada (M.Arch). Project “The design of a training center for the KhoiSan community in Eastern Cape”.
Research outputs produced:
Book:
2021. Minguzzi M. (2021), THE SPIRIT OF WATER. Practices of Cultural Re appropriation
Indigenous Heritage Sites Along the Coast of The Eastern Cape-South Africa, FUP Florence University Press, Italy. ISBN 978-88-5518-315-4 (print) ISBN 978-88-5518-316-1 (PDF) ISBN 978-88-5518-317-8 (XML)
https://fupress.com/catalogo/the-spirit-of-water-/6108
Documentary
2021. A 40min documentary entitled "Origins: an investigation into Khoi-San heritage sites" with the interviews of the 10 Chiefs co-researchers on the meaning of indigenous heritage today and sense of belonging.
By Magda Minguzzi, with Gaob Thomas Augustus; Gaos Jean Burgess; Gaos Margaret Coetzee; Paramount Chief William Human; Gaob Daantjie Japhta; Gaob Brato Malgas; Xam ≠ Gaob Maleiba; Paramount Chief Gert Cornelius Steenkamp; Chief Wallace Williams; Gaob Michael Williams.
Endorsement: IPACC-Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee, EC Khoisan Provincial Executive, Wilderness Foundation Africa, ICOMOS-ICHAM, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, SAN Parks.
Peer review paper:
2020. Magda Minguzzi, “Siti del patrimonio culturale del popolo KhoiSan, Sud Africa. Un progetto di cooperazione tra l’Universita’ Nelson Mandela e la comunita’ indigena dell’area metropolitana di Port Elizabeth.” (KhoiSan heritage sites, South African. A project of cooperation in between the Nelson Mandela University and the indigenous community of the Metropolitan area of Port Elizabeth.), OFFICINA n31, Nov 2020, pp 80-83. ISSN 2384-9029, (peer-reviewed paper)
2021. Magda Minguzzi, “Practices of Cultural Reappropriation. A project on KhoiSan heritage in the Eastern Cape”, ARCHITECTURE SA, Feb-March, pp 29-40, ISBN 9771682938004-14002. (peer-reviewed paper) https://issuu.com/sundaytimesza/docs/asa_strung_feb-march
Conference:
2017. Conference, Pre-colonial Catalytic Conference15 -17 March 2017, CANRAD NMMU-CAS UCT-National Institute for the Humanities and Social Science. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. “The Identity of Places: a Reflection on the KhoiKhoi Culture”.
2017. University Iuav in Venice. Invitation to be part of the two days of convention “Iuav abroad: heritage”. Talk on “The signs of the history as origin for the design: the sacred sites of the KhoiSan People of South Africa” and video projection of my short film “The Spirit of water”. (6/7 Nov)
2018. Nelson Mandela University, 14th September, Senate Hall, presentation of my project “The Spirit of water” during the conference of Prof. Ariel Salleh (University of Sydney) “Rethinking climate and water politics together”.
2018. Nelson Mandela University, SAHUDA-NIHSS Conference, 18-19 October Second Ave. Campus, South Africa “Leading the Arts and Humanities in a Connected World”. Presentation of my project “The Spirit of water” and the research on pre-colonial sites.
2019. 14th International Conference on the Arts in Society, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal 19–21 July 2019. Conference entitled “The Spirit of Water”. The Arts in social, political and community life. (20 of June)
2019. University Politecnica of Valencia, UNESCO chair’s conferences series “Earth architecture, culture, construction and sustainability”, course 2018-2019, organized by Prof. F. Vegas and Prof C. Mileto. 28 June, sala de prjection ETSA-UPV. Conference entitled “Engagement project with the First Indigenous People of South Africa”. https://youtu.be/2eelwrHAe8k
2019. Nelson Mandela University, Faculty of Art. Indigenous Knowledge Systems & Intellectual Property Rights in Africa and the World (IK 21) Conference, 8 - 11 November 2019. Keynote speaker. Conference entitled “Practices of cultural re appropriation” by Dr Magda Minguzzi.
2019. Nelson Mandela University, Instiute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), “Diversity Symposium”, 13 November 2019. Conference entitled “Pre-colonial sites along the coast of Eastern Cape and practices of cultural re-appropriation” by Dr Magda Minguzzi.
2021. 2021 ICAHM – Archaeological Heritage Management: Towards a people-centred approach. 21-25 June 2021, hosted by Universitreit Leben-Netherland (online). Title: A research project of cultural re appropriation of the pre-colonial fish traps along the coast of the Eastern Cape (South Africa)- in co-authorship with the First Indigenous Peoples of Southern Africa, the KhoiSan.
2022. Invited to present my community-led research at the 5th Engagement Colloquium CELEBRATING & RE-IMAGINING ENGAGEMENT 7-8 Feb 2022. Title “Khoi San Heritage - Practices of Cultural Reappropriation. A Project in co-authorship with the First Indigenous Peoples of South Africa”.
2022. Invited by Prof. Hannah Le Roux-Wits University-Planners GCRO to present and screen my documentary entitled “Origins: an investigation into Khoi San heritage sites” (NRF) at the “Faces of the City”. April 5.
2022. Invited by University Iuav in Venice to present and screen my documentary entitled “Origins: an investigation into Khoi San heritage sites” (NRF). 5 July.
2022. Invited to present and project my documentary “Origins: an investigation into Khoi San heritage sites” at the International Conference on Vernacular Heritage: Culture, People and Sustainability, 15-17 of September 2022, Valencia. (NRF-KIC funds)