Mpumalanga hosts national Oral History Conference

The Department of Arts and Culture and the Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation will co-host the seventh National Oral History Conference from 12 to 14 October 2010. The theme for the conference is “Oral History and Heritage, National and Local Identities”.

The conference will offer stakeholders an opportunity to discuss and reflect on various topics which include:

• Listening to the voice of the dispossessed and the displaced.
• Challenges and obstacles during the making and writing of Ndebele history taken from oral history.
• Border dispute in Bushbuckridge; Sikhuluma isikhethu’: Ndebele radio, ethnicity and cultural identity, 1983 to 2009.
• Women as custodians of Oral History: A critical analysis of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings.

The conference will allow people from different walks of life to share experiences as part of preserving our rich history.The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Paul Mashatile will deliver a keynote address.

The conference comes at a time where we are working hard to preserve our history for future generations so that they could know where we come from as a country and we will continue with our efforts of reaching out to communities so that they could also join us and advance this cause.

Oral history initiatives multiply around the country as we engage in a collective effort to re-envisage the past in a way that encompasses all people, irrespective of race, culture, genders, sexual orientation and social status.

Members of the media are invited to the event.

Date: 12 October 2010
Time: 09h15
Venue: The Winkler Protea Hotel, White River

Enquiries:
Mack Lewele
Cell 082 450 5076

Programme Oral History