A lifetime in ruins : the farm life of blacks on the Mpumalanga Highveld

Abstract

The ruin of the homestead represents place making and an understanding of the layered landscape where former labour tenants resided. Ruins comprehend narratives which deal with the socio-political circumstances of the time, such as displacement and the subsequent loss of house in the case of former labour tenants. Presently labour tenants and their descendants who registered land claims activate life histories through the mnemotechnic capacity of the ruin of the homestead, graves, and domestic and agricultural space. Ruins also carry sentiments of kinship and identity. The degree to which the ruination of house and homestead has taken place impacts directly on the quality of memory. Case studies will illustrate how this affects the calling up of the past.

Die ruїne van die woonstede verteenwoordig die gedagtes van plekmaking en gelaagdheid van landskap waar toenmalige plakkerdiensbodes [woonarbeiders/ diensplakkers] gewoon het. Ruïnes omvat narratiewe wat te doen het met sosiopolitieke omstandighede van die tyd soos verskuiwing en die gevolglike verlies van huis in die geval van sulke plakkerdiensbodes. Tans aktiveer hierdie mense en hulle nasate wie grondeise geregistreer het hul lewensverhale met behulp van die mnemotegniese kapasiteit van die ruїnes van die woonstede, grafte, huishoudelike en landbouruimtes. Ruїnes dra ook sentimente van verwantskap en identiteit. Die mate waartoe ruїnering van huis en woonstede plaasgevind het, impakteer direk op die kwaliteit van geheue. Gevallestudies illustreer hoe dit die herroeping van die verlede beїnvloed.