Makana Municipality is calling for community groups to submit proposals for projects to collect and share the stories of members of the community as Grahamstown prepares to commemorate 200 years of existence.
Makana Municipality is calling for community groups to submit proposals for projects to collect and share the stories of members of the community as Grahamstown prepares to commemorate 200 years of existence.
The municipality is urging the town's citizens to participate in its centenary commemorations and help create a shared history of Grahamstown.
"While it is acknowledged that the town came into existence as the product of warfare, over its 200 years, it has also become a unique and special place in South Africa," stated a report discussed at a recent council meeting.
Grahamstown marks its bicentenary this year and the municipality is planning to recognise its history through monthly themes. But they can't do it alone, says project co-ordinator, Councillor Julia Wells.
The main focus of the year's commemorative activities will be to encourage citizens to tell their own stories. The municipality will play a supporting role in collecting and sharing these stories. In order to support public participation by collecting information and funding community generated events, the municipality has proposed allocating R30 000 a month to community groups who submit viable proposals.
These need to be along the lines of the project’s guiding principles and activities should be:
* Equitably inclusive of all communities;
* Promoting youth development;
* Educational;
* Honest;
* Promoting social cohesion.
The project will be branded "in conjunction with the municipal logo". The task team's statement read, "Our 200 years project embraces the potential that the Makana Municipality has to engage with the history of Grahamstown, its institutions and its people through a series of community participation activities that will create opportunities for reflection and imagination."
The task team comprises Albany Museum's director, Bongani Mgijima; Rhodes Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Sizwe Mabizela; National Arts Festival Director, Ismail Mohamed; Advocate Brin Brodie from the legal sector; Ntsiki Mphalwa-Mene representing education and the community; Makana Councillor, Monwabisi Tame and Councillor Julia Wells, who is the convenor.
At a brainstorming session held on 21 October, it was agreed that the main theme of the bicentenary observations be to "reflect and imagine" and that their purpose be to educate.
MONTHLY THEMES
A theme has been allocated for each month of the year, on which to focus bicentenary commemorative activities.
January – Sport and recreation
February – Migrations
March – Law and order
April – War and conflict
May – Work and trade
June – Youth and development
July – Arts and Culture
August – Woman and Health
September – Media and Communications
October – Nature
November – Identities
December – Faith and Religion
