New Histories in a Post-Colonial Society – Transformation in South African Museums since 1994

Abstract

English

In 2004, South Africa celebrated ten years of democracy. During the last decade, the country has been struggling to address the inequalities of the apartheid era, in order to create a new and unified identity and nation where people of all races can live within a stable political and social environment. Museums can play an important role in this process. Since 1994, South African museums have been forced to transform their structures and exhibitions, and to acknowledge their own histories and traditional roles that perpetuated notions such as the superiority of the white race and gave legitimacy to the apartheid regime. This article examines some of the new initiatives museums have taken and considers just how far museums have gone to cast off their colonial legacies to become representative of all the diverse peoples that live in the “new” South Africa. It is designed to provide the reader with a general overview of the main ways in which museums have attempted to transform, and to highlight the challenges and tensions they have faced, and often continue to face, amidst a growing conflict where new histories constantly challenge official and traditional histories and identities.

Afrikaans

Nuwe Geskiedenisse in ’n Post-Koloniale Gemeenskap – Transformasie in Suid-Afrikaanse Museums sedert 1994

In 2004 het Suid-Afrika tien jaar van demokrasie gevier. Gedurende die afgelope dekade was die land in ’n stryd gewikkel om die ongelykhede van die apartheidsera aan te spreek, asook om ’n nuwe en verenigde identiteit en nasie te skep, waarin mense van alle rasse in ’n stabiele politieke en sosiale omgewing kan leef. Museums kan ’n belangrike rol in hierdie proses speel. Sedert 1994 is Suid-Afrikaanse museums gedwing om hulle strukture en uitstallings te transformeer, en om hulle eie geskiedenisse en tradisionele rolle te erken in die versterking van sienings (soos oor wit superioriteit) wat legitimiteit aan die apartheidsregering verleen het. Hierdie artikel ondersoek sommige van die nuwe inisiatiewe wat museums onderneem het en hoe ver hulle gegaan het om hulle koloniale nalatenskappe af te skud ten einde verteenwoordigend te word van al die diverse mense wat in die nuwe Suid-Afrika leef. Dit is saamgestel om aan die leser ’n algemene oorsig te bied oor die vernaamste maniere waarop museums probeer transformeer het, en om te beklemtoon watter spanninge en uitdagings hulle beleef het te midde van ’n groeiende konflik waarin nuwe geskiedenisse amptelike en tradisionele geskiedenisse en identiteite voortdurend uitdaag