Rondavels : from Mamelodi to the presidential library and archives

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dc.contributor.author Smith, E.T.
dc.date.accessioned 2023-10-26T04:40:19Z
dc.date.available 2023-10-26T04:40:19Z
dc.date.issued 2022-06
dc.description.abstract ‘Rondavels: From Mamelodi to the presidential library and archives’ considers the recently unveiled architectural design of the fi rst presidential library on the African continent, the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Library. It focuses on its positive reception in South Africa, Africa, and abroad against the backdrop of the history of the lapa scheme and the Mamelodi rondavels established in the late 1940s. The article questions whether the vehemen t rejection of the Mamelodi rondavels by the local community and the recent positive reception of the presidential library indicates an evolved appreciation of African indigenous knowledge systems and design. It also questions whether such an interpretation of the use of traditional architectural forms is feasible. The amalgamation and adaptation of African indigenous knowledge systems into modernity as part of the African Renaissance project championed by Mbeki and the promotion of Africans’ sense of self and self-defi nition are critical objectives of the library project. The article investigates whether a modernisation of African traditional design for contemporary sensibilities might be an evolution over time refl ecting the development of an awareness of the rich and complex heritage connecting South Africa to the rest of Africa and its peoples; or whether it refl ects a deeper appreciation of the connections between South Africa, the rest of the African continent and the world. en_US
dc.description.abstract ‘Rondawels: Van Mamelodi na die presidensiële biblioteek en argief’ besin oor die onlangse onthulling van die argitektoniese ontwerp van die eerste presidensiële biblioteek op die Afrika-kontinent, die Thabo Mbeki presidensiële biblioteek. Dit fokus op die positiewe ontvangs daarvan in Suid-Afrika, Afrika en oorsee teen die agtergrond van die geskiedenis van die lapa-skema en die Mamelodirondawels wat in die laat 1940’s ontstaan het. Die artikel stel die vraag of die plaaslike gemeenskap se heftige verwerping van die Mamelodi-rondawels op daardie tydstip en die onlangse positiewe ontvangs van die presidensiële biblioteek ’n aanduiding van ’n evolusie in die waardering van inheemse kennisstelsels en ontwerpe in Afrika is. Dit ondersoek ook of so ’n interpretasie van die gebruik van tradisionele argitektoniese vorms lewensvatbaar is. Die samesnoering en toepassing van inheemse Afrikakennisstelsels in die moderne tyd as deel van die Afrika-renaissanceprojek wat deur Mbeki voorgestaan is en die verandering in Afrikane se sin van self en selfdefi nisie is onder meer deel van die biblioteekprojek se doelwitte. Is die modernisering van tradisionele ontwerpe vir eietydse gebruik moontlik ’n langdurige evolusie van bewuswording van Suid-Afrika se ryk en ingewikkelde nalatenskap aan die res van Afrika en sy mense; of weerspieël hierdie evolusie ’n dieper waardering vir die verbintenis van Suid-Afrika met die res van die Afrika-kontinent en die wêreld? en_US
dc.description.department Historical and Heritage Studies en_US
dc.description.librarian am2023 en_US
dc.description.uri http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/culture en_US
dc.identifier.citation Smith, E.T. 2022, 'Rondavels : from Mamelodi to the presidential library and archives', South African Journal of Cultural History, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 111-132. https://DOI.org/10.54272/sach.2022.v36n1a6. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1018-0745
dc.identifier.other 10.54272/sach.2022.v36n1a6
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/93065
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher South African Society of Cultural History en_US
dc.rights © South African Society of Cultural History. en_US
dc.subject African heritage en_US
dc.subject African Renaissance project en_US
dc.subject Architectural design en_US
dc.subject Culture en_US
dc.subject History en_US
dc.subject Mamelodi rondavels en_US
dc.subject Presidential library and archives en_US
dc.subject Afrika-nalatenskap en_US
dc.subject Afrika-renaissanceprojek en_US
dc.subject Argitektoniese ontwerp en_US
dc.subject Geskiedenis en_US
dc.subject Kultuur en_US
dc.subject Mamelodi rondawels en_US
dc.subject Presidensiële biblioteek en argief en_US
dc.subject Thabo Mbeki en_US
dc.title Rondavels : from Mamelodi to the presidential library and archives en_US
dc.title.alternative Rondawels : van Mamelodi na die presidensiële biblioteek en argief en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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