Old perceptions and new identities in Heidedal ‘I am the names you call me and the names that are no longer known’

In 2010, the Department of Anthropology at the University of the Free State launched a Khoekhoe and San Early Learning Centre (KSELC) in Heidedal. The main objectives of the KSELC are to assist people who wish to revitalise and develop their Khoekhoe language skills, and to create a teaching environment that will respect the Khoekhoe, but also the San's heritage and culture. Before the opening of the KSELC, research was conducted in terms of a pre-testing and post-testing research design. This was done through a survey of, first, Khoekhoe-related issues in Heidedal, such as identity, perceptions, attitudes, views and meanings, and second, the expectations of the role or influence the KSELC would have in the promotion of awareness in Khoekhoe and San matters. The data obtained during the survey are presented and interpreted in this article. Over the centuries, colonialism and apartheid have stripped the Khoekhoe of their culture, identity and language. The democratic dispensation that has been in effect since 1994 addresses this historical injustice, and affords constitutional accommodation and recognition to the Khoekhoe and the San. However, in most cases a recognised leadership is no longer in place, while knowledge concerning the Khoekhoe culture, identity and language is extremely limited. A whole new field has consequently opened up and much research, mainly amongst rural communities, was conducted. After all, ‘real’ Khoekhoe and San are ‘supposed’ to be located in rural territories, in the countryside, far away from cities. The value of the current study lies in the fact that it focuses on the dynamics, complexities and expressions of urban Khoekhoe revival. The urban context challenges our traditional understanding of the Khoekhoe and San – of the notion of a ‘pure’ and ‘genuine’ cultural identifier, as well as how identities may be formed, expressed and maintained.