Celebrating South Africa’s rich heritage

Conserving and recognising a country’s natural and cultural heritage are important elements of nation building.

This is especially true in South Africa where there has been an historical bias towards recognising and preserving European-based histories and landmarks, while indigenous cultures and forms of knowledge were systematically undermined.

Geographical names, for example, reflect culture, heritage, legend, geography and history. They convey meaning well beyond the name itself and occupy an important space in society.

Yet certain place names were changed into Afrikaans, such as the Umzinyathi river in KwaZulu-Natal, which was renamed Buffelsrivier. Others took on English names: Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands was originally called KwaNogqaza. A host of misspelt names also still exist, including the Tugela river, which is actually spelt thukela in Zulu.

Since 1994 South Africa has had six sites inscribed as World Heritage Sites, with 17 more on the list of proposed sites.

In July we will host the 29th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s all-important World Heritage Committee in Durban. This event will give us an opportunity to highlight issues relating to the conservation of Africa’s heritage, and to link Africa’s cultural and natural heritage with socio-economic development and the education of current and future generations.

The six South African World Heritage Sites are: Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site; Cradle of Humankind; uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park; Cape Floristic Region; Greater St Lucia Wetland Park; and Robben Island.

Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site

Mapungubwe was listed as a World Heritage Site in July 2003 and officially opened to the public on September 24 2004.

Formerly known as Vhembe-Dongola National Park, the name was changed to Mapungubwe by South African National Parks in recognition of the importance of cultural heritage to conservation.

Archaeological research and excavations at Mapungubwe and related sites were started in 1933 and graves with gold and iron artefacts, pottery and glass beads were found on top of the sacred hill.

Further archaeological work was done on the southern terrace, at Schroda and at other related sites between the 1950s and the 1990s.

However, the first interpretations of these findings tried to deny that such a rich heritage could be linked to the indigenous people of Southern Africa. It is only in recent years that Mapungubwe’s cultural landscape has re-emerged as a crown jewel in South Africa’s young democracy.

Mapungubwe World Heritage Site and National Park comprises 28 000ha of land on the southern banks of the Limpopo river. The river forms the northern border of South Africa near the confluence with the Shashe river that separates Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north-west and north-east respectively.

Mapungubwe was the centre of an ancient, powerful, indigenous kingdom in Southern Africa. Research points to the fact that it was established by the cultural ancestors of the present-day Shona and Venda between AD 900 and AD 1300.

Evidence for its history is preserved in more than 400 archaeological sites in South Africa and scores more in Botswana and Zimbabwe. The dynamic interaction between society and landscape laid the foundation for a new type of social organisation in the region. Its leaders accrued wealth through trade with the Indian Ocean network. It was a period of favourable climatic conditions, which led to the separation of the ruling elite from the commoners. This social hierarchy impacted on the landscape when Mapungubwe Hill was occupied and modified for an elite few and substantial villages were occupied in the plains below.

The onset of the little ice age caused drought and crop failures and indications are that the kingdom dispersed after AD 1300. New social and political alliances were formed, and the centre of regional power shifted to the popular Great Zimbabwe north of the Limpopo river. This amazing landscape is also layered with the history of the San people, as evidenced by the variety of rock paintings that can be found in the park.

Recognising that culture transgresses national boundaries and that wildlife also knows no boundaries, an agreement between South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe to remove fences along the border to create a transfrontier conservation area is near conclusion. This will pave the way for cross-border conservation of the cultural and natural landscape.

Regeneration of riverine forest and natural vegetation in areas used for agriculture will allow game to move freely once more.

Since the park opened its doors to the public there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists, national and local visitors.

Although the park still needs more infrastructure, there are a wide range of unique and world- class accommodation facilities in the four camps. These include the Leokwe Rest Camp; the Limpopo Forest Tented Camp; Tshugulu Lodge and Vhembe Wilderness Camp.

Activities