Often a visit to a museum can resemble the feeling of being in a space where you are not allowed to utter a sound — the feeling of being silenced.
A visit to the National Cultural History Museum, will expose you to the true meaning of what a museum ought to be — an experience of past lives and how those voices, experiences and memories connect us to the present.
The museum offers diverse cultural programmes and an opportunity to explore your South African roots. You can listen to the ancient tales of our people, and hear the stories of spirit-beings from the sacred Lake Fundudzi in Venda and of the great crocodile that never leaves the ancestral pool.
The programmes and exhibitions reflect the many ways in which people have given meaning to their lives, and portray the ingenuity with which they have shaped their physical, social and spiritual environments.
Drums resound the history of the Venda people, and sculpted images, costumes and objects remind us that ‘Motho ke motho ka batho” [People are people through others].
One of the most interesting features is called ‘Creating Hananwa’. The message of this exhibition is that culture and identity are dynamic and continuously changing.
The introduction of the exhibition covers the prehistory of the Blue Mountain area, followed by the origin of the Hananwa people. Originally part of Tswana society, they eventually became permanent residents of the Blouberg and established their own identity.
The ultimate purpose of the displays and various programmes of the museum is to reflect, protect and enhance a holistic appreciation of the rich cultural diversity of South African people.
Programmes are designed to suit different audiences and are in line with initiatives that enhance respect for cultural diversity. The museum also presents outcomes-based programmes for school groups in different languages.