The formal renaming of the Krotoa Building during Africa Month concludes a dynamic process spearheaded by Stellenbosch University.
Nationwide events starting on May 11th are bringing together youth, traditional healers, academics, international artists and the communities that SU and its partners serve. At the core of these landmark proceedings is the Visual Redress programme, under the auspices of SU’s Division for Social Impact and Transformation.
The concept of A !Nau for Now draws on the ancient First Nations ritual. It marks an important transition in the life of a person or a community, boosting people spiritually, psychologically and emotionally. A group of traditional leaders will perform a symbolic !Nau for Krotoa !Goa/Gõas (1642-1674), a woman of the ||Ammaqua and Goringhaiqua people, who was a key figure at the Cape or Hui !Gaeb (where the clouds gather).
In the 1600s Krotoa was denied her ‘Hokmeisietyd’ (rite of passage ritual) working as a servant, translator and negotiator for the colonial commander Jan van Riebeeck. The main Africa Month event at SU is the Renaming Ceremony guided by Traditional Leaders on Saturday May 20th.
This will include:
1. A performance that features the luminary poet Dr Diana Ferrus; creative powerhouse Jolyn Phillips; the Garage Dance Ensemble from Namaqualand; and the Wulgurukaba Walkabouts, traditional Aboriginal dancers from Australia.
2. An innovative !Nau for Now Exhibition. It features artists who are reimagining Krotoa and her story and also has the work of hundreds of youth who participated in workshops exploring history, identity and cultural erasure after watching performances of the play Krotoa Eva van de Kaap. SU has partnered with Artscape as well as the Universities of Johannesburg (UJ) and the Free State (UFS) for this ground-breaking event.
!Nau for Now: Crossing Oceans Inside performance and mini travelling exhibition at the following venues:
1. The UJ Arts Centre Piazza, Auckland Park (Kingsway) Campus
Thursday May 11th at 17:30
2. The UFS Naval Hill Planetarium
Saturday May 13th at 10:30
3. The Artscape Innovation Room
Thursday May 18th at 10:30
4. The Krotoa Building and the SU Museum in Ryneveld St Stellenbosch
Formal Renaming Ceremony
Saturday May 20th at 8.30
The exhibition is an immersive experience. You are encouraged to come prepared to leave something of yourself behind in the space, as a symbolic recognition of this honouring of Krotoa and all who have been robbed of their history, culture and identity. The full exhibition will be available at the Stellenbosch University Museum as well as on the SU website. !Gôasib !nâ sao ra |onsa Krotoas Xoa ||guisa di!noa Ritual in honour of Krotoa