Cape Town - Under a project titled “Unheard Heritage”, learners are asked to drive a process which could result in their schools being declared provincial heritage sites.
In a first of its kind, 10 schools of which pupils were active during the boycotts and protests of the 1980s, were identified.
Via a series of guided workshops, learners and staff will start the process, with learners making presentations to Heritage Western Cape on the nominations.
Annually, non-profit organisation Vidamemoria Heritage Consultants under Vida Ibhubesikazi selects a pro bono project to oversee from start to declaration as a heritage site.
Last year, the organisation completed and unveiled 10 Kramats known as the Circle of Tombs which were declared as national heritage sites.
The first workshop took place at Livingstone High School on May 28, and a further five will take place on Saturdays at one of the participating schools.
The workshops are expected to end in October, with the process concluding with the decision made by Heritage Western Cape in November.
Vidamemoria Heritage Consultants owner and manager Quahnita Samie said: “We are thrilled that students of colour are so eager to be involved in this initiative, especially as the heritage space is notoriously untransformed.
“This project will contribute greatly to changing the heritage landscape – both in terms of heritage practice and the representation of declared heritage sites in Cape Town.”
The 10 participating schools are Fezeka Senior Secondary (Gugulethu), Mount View Secondary (Hanover Park), Alexander Sinton High (Athlone), Athlone High (Kewtown), Cathkin High (Heideveld), Arcadia Secondary (Bonteheuwel), Livingstone High (Claremont), Belgravia High (Athlone), Rylands High (Rylands) and Langa High (Langa).
Livingstone High School art teacher Shirage Davids said: “I think that this project is crucial to many disadvantaged schools since it has a rich history to tell. When schools on the broader Cape Flats are given heritage status it will do justice to their history as to what hardships they had to endure during very troubled times.”
Alexander Sinton High School history teacher Dale Peters said the project is an historic event for the school and all its learners past, present and future.
“It is especially important for these schools in particular to receive heritage status because they were at the forefront of the riots and the Struggle, with organisation and mobilisation of both teacher and student activists.
“Therefore, it is important that the world must know what happened and the pivotal role of many local schools and Student Representative Councils in the Western Cape at that time in South Africa with the students because all students are the future of the country.”
Samie appealed to the public to assist in raising funds for the project through donations made directly to Vidamemoria and not to the schools directly, or to assist with workshop needs.