Cape Argus E-dition

Royal house to honour Griqua leader Adam Kok I

NOMALANGA TSHUMA nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za

THE Griqua Royal House in partnership with the Castle Control Board will on Friday host a cultural event at the Castle of Good Hope, in commemoration of the late Griqua leader and activist Adam Kok I.

The event will be the first celebratory and culture-focused gathering since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic last year and will feature programmes highlighting Kok’s life and achievements.

Contralesa prince Aaron Messelaar said despite the enormous difficulties faced by Khoi and San descendants such events were essential to preserve their culture, and to remember the lives of their forefathers, their history and languages.

“Adam Kok was and is a Khoi and San icon; he was the founder of the Griqua nation, a part of the broad indigenous community of southern Africa.

“He was formidable, as a former enslaved person he was one of the greatest leaders and is a hero of the Khoi and San people,” said Messelaar.

“After growing up as an enslaved indigene and working as a cook at the Castle for the Dutch governors of that era, Kok was imprisoned in the Castle of Good Hope’s ‘Donker Gat/Dark Hole’, but was subsequently released at the time of the inauguration of governor Willem van der Stel.

“Places like Kokstad were named after him because he undertook the arduous exploration of our country. Later on, his descendants also established Griqualand East and Griqualand West in his honour.”

Castle Control Board chief executive Calvyn Gilfellan said: “On Friday, we will reinstate and honour the memory of this remarkable leader who is directly linked to the Castle and its history.

“Not too long ago, we launched the Camissa African Centre for Memory at the Castle. On that occasion, Defence Minister (Nosiviwe) Mapisa-Nqakula invited all communities to reappropriate and assert their cultural heritage. The Griqua Royal House is the first to respond to her call.

“Therefore, it is appropriate that we honour the Griqua nation by considering the renaming of the current restaurant in this influential historical leader’s name.”

Speaking on the importance of hosting such events and commemorating the lives of Struggle icons, Messelaar said the restoration of traditional communities and their influence would continue to play a big role in respective municipal areas in the future, as emphasised in the Traditional Affairs Act.

“With this event, we hope to create awareness among all San and Khoi communities to claim their rightful place in a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.”

The celebrations and commemoration will start at 10am with a wreath-laying ceremony, followed by traditional cultural activities, and as part of these activities, the Griqua Royal House Women’s League will be staging an event on Women’s Day on Monday, August 9.

METRO

en-za

2021-08-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-08-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

http://capeargus.pressreader.com/article/281633898284495

African News Agency