The 11th National Oral History Conference 2014
The Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation in collaboration with the Oral History Association of South Africa (OHASA) will host the 11th Annual National Oral History conference from 14 -17 October 2014 at Cedar Park Conference Centre in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
The theme for this year’s conference is, Celebrating 20 years of democracy: “Oral History and the Politics of Transformation".
The Department of Arts and Culture (through the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa - NARSSA) is mandated by Cabinet to spearhead the National Oral History Programme for South Africa. The programme is meant to fill gaps caused by colonialism and apartheid’s deliberate omission of African knowledge from the mainstream body of knowledge.
“The colonial and apartheid cultural landscape have tried but failed to wipe off the African heritage that existed before 1652. Our languages and indigenous African knowledge systems, customs and traditions, among others, continue to exist”, said Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
The conference seeks to assist communities in retrieving neglected indigenous and community knowledge, as a way of promoting social, economic and cultural development.
The hosting province ensures that selected high school learners are trained in the methodology of oral history. The trained learners are subsequently afforded an opportunity to present their interview findings at the conference.
The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, accompanied by Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Ms Molebatsi Bopape and City of Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau will open the conference and the exhibition on the 14th October 2014 at 09h00.
The conference will be graced by the presence of esteemed author and Indigenous Knowledge Systems specialist Mongane Wally Serote (Telling a Story), John Qhuzulini Sithole, Ms Koena Kotsokoane, Mr Richard Hall and Dr Otsile Ntsoane as guest speakers.
On the 17th October the conference delegates will go on an excursion at the Origins Centre Wits University, West Campus, as well as visit the Apartheid Museum and the Hector Peterson Museum in Soweto.
For further enquiries, contact:
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
