On the 27th of May 2024, the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) took part in the 9th edition of the Umtiza Arts Festival in East London. Named after the Umtiza tree which is prominent in many parts of the Eastern Cape, the festival initially began as a collaborative effort between the East London Guild Theatre, the East London Museum, and the Ann Bryant Gallery to act as a cultural hub for the city’s creative and cultural industries.
SACO presented their 2020 study “Towards a National Book Policy” at the UNESCO Creative City of Literature Programme of the festival – an apt discussion, as Buffalo City Metro had just been declared a UNESCO Creative City of Literature on World Cities Day in Paris. The presentation covered a variety of important issues such as literacy and reading in modern society, the importance of publishing in South Africa’s official languages and the role of government and the private sector in this domain.
Additionally, SACO spoke about Artificial Intelligence and its role within the creative and cultural industries, an important discussion given how books have been considered an effective means of transmitting knowledge and recording, while preserving and disseminating the cultural heritage of the South African people.
Sporting events are more than moments of competition, national pride, and entertainment. They are economic activities that can stimulate tourism, create employment, support local businesses, and generate revenue across multiple sectors of the economy.
Umntwana womgquba a term traditionally used in the Nguni language that means “born out of wedlock,” but nowadays it is used to emphasise that one is born kwisintu. As lontwana, I look back on my own adventures: sometimes I pat myself on the back, and sometimes I wish I could redo them.
Each September, South Africa turns its attention to the rich cultural tapestry that defines our nation. Heritage Month is a time to honour the traditions, languages, histories, knowledge systems, customs and creative expressions that have been passed from generation to generation, while recognising that our heritage is not confined to the past.
My first encounter with heritage at the Mandela Bay Development Agency was, appropriately, somewhat uncomfortable. It began with cleaning. The Gale Monument, the Horse Memorial and the Queen Victoria statue became my first practical introduction to the business of preserving history.
