Residents, students and historians are now able to access the previously undocumented, first-hand stories of 20 people with deep roots in Wynberg.
The Provincial Library Services in collaboration with the Wynberg Library under the auspices of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) launched the video recordings of an Oral History Project at the Wynberg Civic Centre on Tuesday 6 June.
In attendance were the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Anroux Marais, Regional Librarian of Provincial Libraries Razaan Khan, Principal Librarian of Wynberg Library Nadia Ismail, Wards 63 and 62 councillors Carmen Siebritz and Emile Langenhoven and some of the interviewed Wynberg Oral History participants.
A ministerial initiative of DCAS, the project began in 2015.
Tania Colyn, the acting spokesperson to Marais, explains the project comprises the sharing of stories by communities and includes their personal histories, traditions, culture, information and knowledge about their community and place.
“These stories are recorded onto DVD and then placed in their public library to be circulated and accessible to all. Copies of the recorded DVDs are also placed in the Provincial Archives to be preserved for future generations,” says Colyn.
Thus far, the project has been rolled out in 21 of the 25 municipalities in the province.
Colyn says, while the hope is to eventually have it rolled out in all public libraries in the province, the focus is currently on launching the initiative in the last remaining four municipalities. “Thereafter we will consider requests from individual public libraries,” says Colyn.
Wynberg Library, however, seems to be the first among “individual libraries” thanks to the part played by the Wynberg East Civic Association (Weca) and the Wynberg community.
In September last year, Weca, in collaboration with the Cape Family Research Forum (CFRF), hosted and funded an event titled “Wynberg Rewind” at the Muhammadeyah Primary School on Heritage Day (“Gathering offers a history lesson of Wynberg”, People’s Post, 30 August 2022).
Launched in June earlier that year, the Wynberg Rewind project on Wynberg East documented and recorded the untold stories of the community from their perspective. It captured, in particular, the impact youth-based organisations played in shaping the youth of yesteryear and the impact they had on the community. The Heritage Day event served as a showcase for this project.
Muneerah Karriem, secretary of Weca, explains that following this event, Mogamat Kamedien put Weca into contact with Neville Adonis, the Assistant Director: Information, Research, Publication and Promotions of the Western Cape Library Services.
“Weca officially reached out to him (Adonis) regarding an oral history project for the entire Wynberg as it was our wish that such a project on the entire Wynberg would be rolled out as a spinoff of the Wynberg Rewind event,” says Karriem.
With Adonis’s guidance, they next contacted Ismail at Wynberg Library who officially lodged the special request with DCAS.
With the assistance of the local library and community members, the department identified 20 residents who were knowledgeable on various topics that range from history, culture, heritage, politics, habits and biographies and the rest, as they say, is history.
Speaking at last week’s launch event, Marais thanked the municipality and other role-players who had supported and encouraged the project. She said Wynberg was an area that had many fascinating stories, “and much can be learned from listening to these stories”.
“When we tell the stories of the past, we remember where we have come from, and it makes us reflect on where we are going.”
She said only once we listen to, and learn from the past, can we truly move forward into the future.
“We want to ensure that we do not lose these voices from our history. It is also important for the local people that live in this area that they hear the stories of the past from voices that are familiar to them, and with who they can identify.”
The participants, who attended the launch event last week, each received a framed certificate and a copy of the DVD as a token of appreciation.
Karriem says it was heart-warming to see the commitment of Marais and her mandated officials from the Western Cape Library and local Wynberg Library to the oral history initiative.
“An initiative that seeks to unearth information that would otherwise be unheard of, particularly those of communities whose histories were previously neglected and marginalised. We also wish to acknowledge and thank the Wynberg residents who agreed to be interviewed, thereby giving life to this great initiative.”
Going forward, Weca plans to unearth even more information on the history and legacy of the Wynberg community. The Wynberg Rewind event held last year was meticulously filmed and expertly edited.
Karriem says the launch of the Wynberg Rewind video will take place in conjunction with Weca’s upcoming Youth Day event to be held at the Wynberg Civic Centre on Saturday 17 June.
“Under the theme of ‘Empowering Youth, Embracing Change, Partnering with Youth’, the event’s aim is to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of youth of yesteryear to empower and motivate youth today. We aim to come up with practical outcomes and steps for the benefit of our youth in order to equip and prepare them for taking up the challenge of active citizenry to better their community and country as a whole,” says Karriem.
The Youth Day event will run from 10:00 to 14:00. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with speakers and in discussions.
For more information, call Ahmad Solomon, Weca Treasurer and Youth Day Project Manager on 084 603 5182 or email wynbergcivic@gmail.com
