!Khwa ttu, a peek into the way of the San
Heritage centre is virtually a watering hole for those with a thirst for understanding this fading ancient culture
The !Khwa ttu Heritage Centre — the name means water hole in the |Xam language — dedicated to San culture, opened in Yzerfontein in the Western Cape on Heritage Day. The San and the Khoi people have been inhabitants of southern Africa for at least 70,000 years. A permanent exhibition at the centre showcases their history and the remnants of their culture.
The land expropriation debate sparked the launch of revivalist movements and debates about the authenticity of heritage. Questions about identity and belonging has led to friction about who can claim to be a descendant of SA’s first nations. These are tricky issues, says curator of the exhibition and medical anthropologist Chris Low, who has spent many years with San groups. While the exhibition does not shy away from the effects of colonisation, slavery, apartheid and land theft on the San, its focus is more a celebration of their culture, honouring authentic voices. Swiss anthropologist Irene Staehelin joined the Working Gr...
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