Grahamstown will be 200 years old next year, after having been born from an idea by two men who sat under a tree pondering where they would set up a British military headquarters. Councillor Julia Wells, who is also a Rhodes University History lecturer, gave a brief history of Grahamstown last Friday at a brainstorming session to plan Grahamstown's 200th anniversary observation.
In June 1812 Colonel John Graham and his British military were tasked to clear the entire area between Sundays River to Fish River of all Africans. He and another British soldier then sat under a tree thinking where they would set up their headquarters. They decided where they were sitting was a good location since it was near the Fish river.
Grahamstown will be 200 years old next year, after having been born from an idea by two men who sat under a tree pondering where they would set up a British military headquarters. Councillor Julia Wells, who is also a Rhodes University History lecturer, gave a brief history of Grahamstown last Friday at a brainstorming session to plan Grahamstown's 200th anniversary observation.
In June 1812 Colonel John Graham and his British military were tasked to clear the entire area between Sundays River to Fish River of all Africans. He and another British soldier then sat under a tree thinking where they would set up their headquarters. They decided where they were sitting was a good location since it was near the Fish river.
"That is the moment the concept of the town started," said Wells. This quick history lesson was given to several stakeholders who were invited to the second brainstorming session for Grahamstown's 200th anniversary observation. The stakeholders included representatives from the National Arts Festival, Fingo Festival, Rhodes University, the Grahamstown Attorney's Association, the department of Arts and Culture and Grocott's Mail. The nature of the meeting, explained by Wells, was to include a large number of stakeholders in the strategic planning, who will be able to reflect on their own histories.
After brainstorming at the first meeting it was proposed that every month next year would have a theme and different stakeholders in the community will have a chance to participate. It is envisaged that a website will be developed which will collect all the information gathered and will allow for a free flow of participation such as blogging.
A small budget of about R3000, mainly for publicity, has been allocated by the municipality and there are plans for a stakeholder forum and a project steering committee to be formed.
It is hoped that next year's event will allow locals and visitors to reflect on the history of Grahamstown, and tell its story in a progressive way so that historical divisions in town can be crossed. Moving forward through education and awareness could also be an opportunity for people to imagine how Grahamstown will look like in the next 200 years.
