Our houses are museums that embody living heritage
by Motsaathebe Serekoane, Department of Anthropology, University of the Free State.
Opinion article by Motsaathebe Serekoane | Last year for Heritage Month, I wrote an opinion article titled Your untold story can contribute to broadening our heritage narrative in which I made an argument towards inclusivity, to flip the inherited heritage side of the coin that will have the courage to disrupt homogeneity and advance heterogeneity in pursuit of establishing the alternative memory where two sides of the heritage narrative coin intersect, influence each other, and hybridise, in pursuit of dialogic engagements and transformative output.
Here follows some brief reflection on the article…
Putting our conversation about the diverse facets of our heritage — both its uplifting moments and its painful truths — on hold for just one day a year will not address the deeper issues we face. In 2024, I invited everyone to join me in bringing to light the rich and inspiring narratives that form the other side of the South African heritage coin. This invitation aligned with the theme of celebrating the remarkable lives of our heroes and heroines, the brave individuals who selflessly laid down their lives for our freedom and dignity. On 27 September, we held a moving homecoming ceremony to honour the repatriation of the bodies of 42 South Africans who died in exile in Zimbabwe and Zambia, a moment filled with deep emotion and reflection as we welcomed them back to their homeland. Huge success, but it can’t end with the homecoming ceremony and re-burial; it’s a rich heritage story that needs to be documented and taught to the next generation.
A heritage chop or sausage on your braai stand in 2025
There is certainly a noticeable difference between braaiing A Grade and C Grade meat. A Grade meat, with its rich marbling and vibrant colour, cooks swiftly on the grill, transforming into a juicy, tender delight that you can savour within minutes. Each succulent bite melts in your mouth, offering a truly satisfying experience. On the other hand, C Grade meat presents a different challenge. It requires a longer cooking time, and even then, it tends to be tough and chewy, demanding more effort to enjoy, if you can manage it at all. This contrast in textures and flavours was brought to mind by my visit to a few museums around the country in 2000, where I encountered both the brilliance and the struggle of appreciating complex curation in a post-conflict society.
The theme for 2025 is challenging us to “Reimagine Our Heritage Institutions for a New Era”, a call to action that resonates deeply in our evolving cultural landscape. Among the various heritage institutions, my focus is on museums established in South Africa under the Cultural Institutions Act 119 of 1998. Museums played a significant historical role in perpetuating scientific racism and colonialism through exhibits and collections that supported racist ideologies, advanced objectification, and dehumanised people of colour, and justified colonial dispossession. Institutions of higher learning are not exempt from similar practices. Acknowledging this, and also driven by #FeesMustFall and #StatuesMustFall movements, the University of the Free State, through its Integrated Transformation Plan 2018, committed to becoming an institution that has engaged actively with its colonial and apartheid legacies and which recognises its common humanity and the universal nature of the intellectual endeavour. One of the big projects that it undertook was the audit and review of material resources on campus, which ultimately led to, among other things, the relocation of the MT Steyn statue to the Anglo Boer Museum. Is this not a commitment that is required from institutions of higher learning?
In recent years, a powerful movement has emerged, dedicated to confronting the historical legacies and re-evaluating problematic collections that perpetuate racist science. This initiative strives to pave the way for a more accurate, equitable, and anti-racist future, seeking to right past wrongs and honour marginalised voices, or at least those who exist as objects and subjects of science. A significant element of this project involves the careful deaccessioning of collections, which facilitates the respectful burial of human remains, thus restoring dignity to those who were wronged. A noteworthy example of this endeavour was the return and reburial of Saartjie Baartman, a South African woman who was held in France under exploitative circumstances. Her journey home symbolises a return to cultural heritage and the reclamation of identity, highlighting the ongoing efforts to heal historical wounds.
On 18 September, the South African Heritage Agency hosted an enlightening webinar entitled “Restitution of Cultural Artefacts to Countries of Origin: Solidarity in Restoring the Cultural Heritage of Descendant Communities”. This event brought together experts and advocates committed to addressing complex issues of heritage and restitution. One session, titled “Empty Closet of Curiosities”, delved into the unsuccessful attempts to return human remains currently held in international museums, shedding light on the myriad obstacles that hinder these efforts. The concluding session sparked thoughtful discussions around enabling voluntary disclosures and the ethical returns of these remains, emphasising the importance of restoring dignity to communities whose cultural heritage has been historically misappropriated.
What is required for the New Era?
Many decolonial scholars are advocating for “demuseumsation”. This approach challenges the traditional concept of museums as separate, contained spaces by integrating their functions and collections into the communities they serve, effectively extending beyond their physical walls. This strategy aims to de-centre Western frameworks and promote community-driven narratives.
For example, the Winnie Mandela Museum in Winnie Mandela (formerly Brandfort) and Mandela House in Soweto serve as inspirational models for similar initiatives. Many of us grew up in homes that continue to embody (probably the most authentic curation) the structures and artifacts of the 1900s, and these spaces continue to exist alongside modernity. Is this not a form of a museum? A house museum that will embody living heritage? This is not government work, it begins with you and me. Can you identify a house on your street that embodies the rich heritage and history of your neighbourhood?
What stories does its architecture tell, or what memories does it evoke for those who pass by? Furthermore, our bodies are like living museums, traversing various spaces and vividly narrating the intricate stories of our lives. Each movement and gesture reflects the history we carry within us, showcasing our experiences, emotions, and growth as we journey through the world. Our efforts must not conclude with Heritage Day; rather, we invite your enthusiastic participation in shaping the museum’s future. Let us work together to curate an engaging and vibrant space that embodies the ideals of the New Era.
This is a time when museums can truly flourish as valuable educational resources, accessible and enlightening for all members of the community. Your involvement is essential in transforming the museum into a hub of knowledge and inspiration that reflects our shared heritage and aspirations. If it is shared it does not have to be homogeneous; we can still all enjoy our Grade A and C meat, and have a story to tell about how hard or soft the steak was. At the end of the 24th, we would have all observed a moment in front of the red coal, with a piece of sausage and steak.
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