The Khoesan Indigenous Women in Action (KIWIA) marked World Indigenous Day and National Women’s Day with a prayer ceremony and event at Retreat Civic Centre on Saturday 19 August.
Leading the prayer ceremony, which included the release of white doves, Khoisan chief John Jansen said their vision was to restore the humanity of indigenous people in the country.
“We are involved in the struggle to get the Khoisan recognised as the first indigenous people of South Africa and women (are) one component of the Khoisan broader struggle.
“We would like to see us become what we are supposed to be because there is no history on this earth as Coloureds. We have been labelled and made Coloureds by two of the world’s vicious political systems of colonialism and apartheid.”
Jansen says they aim to restore the culture, heritage and healing of the Khoisan community.
“You can see through the social fiber of our people in this country, what happened to us over many years under apartheid and colonialism.
“The initiatives of today are one of many we want to use to start restoring our indigenous culture, heritage and healing for what our people went through under apartheid and colonialism.”
Speaking at the event, Ward 72 councillor Kevin Southgate said it was important to not only look at challenges but also to look back and celebrate local heroes.
“The people who marched to the Union Buildings many years ago can today look back and celebrate a number of victories. However, within our own midst as the Khoisan community, we have a heroine in the name of Eva Krotoa.
“She was a hero but was never given the acclamation that was due to her and we need to start identifying our own heroes. Because if we look at Krotoa and us today and we ask ourselves, what do we have to show? Absolutely nothing.”
Southgate added that the Khoisan community still faced many struggles.
“We are still struggling today and as Chief Jansen has indicated we are almost like homeless in a country that belongs to the Khoisan community. Everyone talks about 1910 and what happened after but in 1652 when Jan van Riebeek came here, we were already here and that is part of the history that we share as the Khoisan community.”
Mark Killian, associate pastor at the Eagle Life Apostolic House, pointed out that it was important to focus on spiritual healing during the process of restitution.
“I’m a local pastor in this area for a very long time. It’s so true, that we, as Khoisan people are still being marginalised in a great way and if we don’t unite as one people, we will never be able to get back what was taken from our people.
“My late mom and all her siblings have passed away and there’s still a struggle for our family to get back the land that was taken from my late mom and her siblings.
“In life, four things are very important to me. Our current government needs to acknowledge us firstly as human beings because we are seriously being misused, to put people in authority and power and then we are forgotten.
“I strongly believe that our leaders and our nation should stand up and repent.”
Killian says for restitution to take place forgiveness must be sought.
“Forgiveness must be asked and then there must be restitution to our people. It is not redistribution of land and giving land away to anyone as they want to do now and then there must be restitution.”
