In this article we provide a discussion of present-day Khoisan activism in Cape Town, South Africa. The main actors in this movement are people whose heritage is complex: their history can be traced back to the early days of the colonial settlement, reflecting the interactions and cohabitation of the indigenous Khoisan, slaves and the European settlers. Currently, their main languages are English and Afrikaans; yet, efforts are also made by activists to learn Khoekhoegwab. In discussing the Khoisan resurgence we draw on a wide range of sources. The data include: in-depth interviews with language activists; video and audio recordings of ceremonies and other cultural events; discussions and performance of language and identity on blogs and tweets; newspapers; linguistic landscapes; and, finally, artistic performances (with particular focus on the hiphop opera Afrikaaps). We argue that Khoisan activism expresses a deep-seated desire for an identity – linguistic, political and cultural – that is both historically rooted and meaningfully created in the present. Khoisan activism is not only a political program but also an aesthetic-artistic as well as heteroglossic performance, and as such allows for new ways of conceptualizing language revitalization.

Article

The Khoisan’s /ʹkɔısɑ:n/ approach to culture is a holistic one. Over thousands of years they have cultivated an integrated life-style, undergirded by socio-religious values. In a sense it is therefore artificial to discuss separate cultural issues as if they are silos in the life of this indigenous nation. However, the erosion of their cultural heritage occurred systematically during protracted colonial and neo-colonial eras which allows for a focused approach. Some cultural strands survived the colonial onslaught while others became extinct. In modern times effforts have been made and still are being made, to restore, preserve and promote their heritage. The following five areas will be dealt with here: land, identity, leadership structures, languages and religion. These are all inter-related. Other relevant issues, such as their indigenous knowledge system and legislation protecting their intellectual property, are too complex to be included here. In this chapter we will look at the current state of these 5 foci, their historical context and the possibilities to preserve them for future generations.

Article