After a long break the Ulwazi Programme is back in action! We will begin with a focus on people – musicians, sportspeople, caregivers, scientists, artists, freedom fighters, actors, politicians – both past and present who have contributed to the social fabric of Durban and surrounding areas within the eThekwini Municipality.
Here is a reminder of what the Ulwazi Programme does and what you can expect in the coming months…
About
The Ulwazi Programme is unique in that it is the first project of its kind in South Africa to promote a democratised policy of co-creating cultural and historical information with people from local communities. ‘Fieldworkers’ from local communities within the eThekwini Municipality are trained to use basic digital media tools and web platforms. They then write – in Zulu and English – on cultural and historical topics relating to the city of Durban and areas within the eThekwini Municipality. The result is the Ulwazi Programme – a website of locally relevant content in local languages.
Local History Museums Project
Initially a library project, the Ulwazi Programme is now run through the Durban Local History Museums of eThekwini Municipality. In the form of newspaper-style articles, the project covers:
- People
- Places
- Food
- History
- Music
- Culture
The Ulwazi Programme has recorded numerous aspects of local history and culture including oral histories, family histories, aspects of material culture unique to the Durban area and a wealth of cultural practices relating to food, rites of passage, ceremonies and celebrations, amongst other things. It is seen, and used, as a valuable source of local information, as a platform for dialogue and the exchange of ideas.
Value
The Ulwazi Programme fulfils a vital role by preserving and sharing local knowledge. Much of the information that you find on the Ulwazi website has been collected over the years by our fieldworkers who have recorded the perspectives of people in their communities and changing culture within the eThekwini Municipality.
For the most part these articles are published on the website in the form of of articles written by the fieldworkers but from time to time videos are also recorded. These short films provide wonderful insight into the history of both everyday people and prominent members of communities within eThekwini. Visit the Ulwazi YouTube channel to view some of them.
Stay connected
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