Griqua

TO BE EDITED

Griqua history and culture on stage; **** A unique stage production, focusing on Griqua history and traditions, Children of the Mist, opens on September 4 at the Artscape Theatre Centre. Artscape and the Vredendal-based Griqua Ratelgat Development Trust are playing a leading role in using theatre to inform locals about the Griqua. Children of the Mist will transport audiences back to a historical 'land where time had no meaning'. It relates how the Khoi-Khoi chief sat cross-legged on his rock for hours while looking down onto this old world. He saw children in indigenous clothing dancing while also playing indigenous instruments. According to history the Griqua have lost their nationhood and much of their unique identity since the establishment of the first colonial settlement in South Africa. The colonial power and greed chased the Griqua children away into the mist. It was only when democracy restored humanity in South Africa that the Griqua were able to resuscitate their lost culture and indigenous dance – the ‘rieldans’ – which will be showcased in ‘Children of the Mist’. This show will also include the Ikhapara dance which is a modern form of the oldest indigenous dances from the Khoi-Khoi people. It’s a dance about love between men and women. The Ikhapara dance done by the Khoi Khoi people is one of the oldest dance forms of indigenous South Africa. Traditionally performed as a circle trance dance around a fire, the Ikhapara dance is still performed until this day. Its modern version has elements of colonialism as the accompanying instrumentation includes guitar and violin, and the outfits adorning the dances are commonly known as ‘working class clothes’. Valerie Mentoor and Jan Joseph of the Griqua Trust say their vision took form in 2003 when the Trust started eco-cultural and historical tourism to enlighten others about the Griqua. “One of our aims was that through this project our people would gain back the culture that they lost because of colonisation and apartheid,” they explained of their initiatives. The Griqua has a mixed-race lineage that comprises indigenous, slave and European ancestry. They were initially known as ‘Bastard Hottentots’ but in 1813 changed their name to Griqua due to the close ties many of them had with a Khoi-Khoi tribe known as the Grigrigua. They lived in the Western Cape and celebrate May 11 as Ratelgat-Day – also known as Griqua Volk-Day – in honour of one of their leaders Andrew Abraham Stockenström who was born on this day in 1923. Stockenström’s birthday was chosen because of the sacrifices he endured to ensure that the Griqua attain land ownership rights of the Ratelgat farm which is now a space that offers insight into Griqua and Khoi-San culture and traditions. A famous Khoi-Khoi icon, Sarah Baartmann, has had her dignity restored in death when her remains were returned from Europe and buried in the Eastern Cape on August 9 2002. This was only achieved after the Griqua people launched a campaign in 1995 to get back her remains. This production is spearheaded by the Artscape Indigenous Arts Department. Established in 2007, it aims to develop, mentor and preserve South African indigenous customs through the arts . With this comes the responsibility to affirm, by providing platforms for art forms, cultures and languages that have been previously marginalised. And all the while, artistic excellence remains at the core of development. ‘Children of the Mist’ runs from September 1 to 4 at Artscape Arena Theatre at 20:00. For more information check www.artscape.co.za and ticket bookings contact Computicket on 083 915 8000 or Dial-A-Seat on 021 421 7695, ticket price R50. Please contact Candice Jansen on cell: 076 958 9593 to set up interviews with the organizers of this production. E-mail: Candice@headsupcomm.co.za

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