Wes-Kaapse Argiefbewaarplek

Uittreksel uit Generale Missive, 2019, nr. 1:

Me. A. Marais, die Wes-Kaapse Minister van Kultuur en Sport was so vriendelik om namens die Wes-Kaapse Argief en Rekorddiens ons Silwer Medalje, wat vir buitengewone dade van VOC-kultuurbewaring toegeken word, in ontvangs te neem, en het ons daarvoor bedank.

By geleentheid van die oorhandiging op 8 November 2018 het Voorsitter Leon Hattingh gesê:

“Geagte Minister Marais, me Momoti, Hoof van die Kaapse Argief en ander hooggeplaasdes en personeellede. Vandag is ’n besonder belangrike dag in die geskiedenis van die Stigting VOC. Ons belangstelling en werksaamhede konsentreer in die eerste plek op die breë geskiedenis van die Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), die grootste maatskappy van sy tyd, dit wil sê 1602 tot 1795, en dan ook meer bepaald die Kaap.

Ons laat die klem val op bewaring, opvoeding en kultuurtoerisme. Ons onderneem bewaringsprojekte, bied lesings aan, onderneem uitstappies na historiese plekke, probeer om verkeerde opvattings in die regte perspektief te plaas en om mense deur middel van publikasies geïnteresseerd te kry in dié deel van ons land se geskiedenis.

Ons boek Die VOC aan die Kaap, 1652-1795 oor die geskiedenis van die VOC aan die Kaap het verlede jaar verskyn en is goed ontvang. Ons help en ondersteun die persone en instansies wat allerlei goeie werk verrig, soos die bewaringvan VOC- geboue en artefakte.

Vir hierdie take benodig ons altyd die hulp van die Kaapse Argief en die Nationaal Archief in Nederland, omdat hulle die bewaarders is van die dokumente uit daardie tyd, drie en vier eeue gelede. Biblioteke bewaar eintlik net boeke, maar op dié gebied is die Kaapse Argief by verre vir ons VOC-historici en ander belangstellendes van die allergrootste belang.

U kan maar enige van die MA-verhandelings en D Phil-proefskrifte van die afgelope halfeeu oor ’n Kaapse onderwerp ter hand neem en u sal sien dat die skrywers in hulle voorwoord hul waardering uitspreek teenoor die personeel van die Argief wat hulle bygestaan het in hul soektog na die regte dokumente, die lees van die moeilike handskrifte van destyds, ens. Dit is iets besonders, want wie anders kan hulle van sodanige hulp voorsien? Die ontsluiting van die skat van gegewens en inligting in die Argief is ’n besondere oomblik in elke jong navorser se lewe en sy wording van ’n potensieële historikus, want dit is die opening van ’n skat van inligting waarsonder hy verlore sal wees.

Om dié besondere rede oorhandig ons as die Stigting VOC vandag hierdie gedenkplaat en Silwer Medalje as ’n blyk van waardering aan u as Minister van Kultuursake, om dit aan die Kaapse Argiefbewaarplek te gee, sodat dit op ’n plek aangebring kan word waar besoekers aan die Argief dit sal sien en weet hoe hoog waardeer ons die Wes-Kaapse Argiefbewaarplek se noukeurige bewaring en hantering van VOC-dokumente, wat in 2003 deur UNESCO tot wêrelderfenis verklaar is.

Namens al die navorsers in die verlede, die hede en ook van die toekoms sê ons dankie aan die Argief-personeel vir hul bekwame en vriendelike hulp.”

Die Argief het die aanwesiges op verversings getrakteer, en ons Silwer Medalje met behoorlike byskrif is nou in die leeskamer teen die muur gemonteer. Neem asseblief kennis van die Argief se nuwe naam: Wes-Kaapse Argief en Rekorddiens (WKAR), in die Engels Western Cape Archives and Record Service (WCARS).

Minister Anroux Marais se toespraak by die oorhandigingseremonie

WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPORT, ANROUX MARAIS

VOC FOUNDATION AWARD TO WCARS CEREMONY

8 NOVEMBER 2018

Good morning, molweni nonke, goeiemôre,

The history of South Africa is indeed culturally rich while at the same time interesting and fascinating. Much of this history is preserved and accessed within the Western Cape Archives and Records Service, a Directorate of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.

Written historical sources tell us that the Cape Colony was established in 1652 by Jan Van Riebeeck, as a refreshment station to supply the ships of a mercantile company, the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) on their way to trade in East Asia. The VOC went further than that though and established a colony at the Cape. I am proud that DCAS, is undertaking an Oral History Initiative which seeks to get reliable oral histories from various communities to supplement written experiences such as the establishment of the Cape Colony.

Despite the sad past and suffering brought by the VOC to the various territories they colonized, its history is a curiosity to many researchers. The VOC is known to have an extensive information network found in the Netherlands and former colonies including South Africa at the Western Cape Archives and Records Service.

Arguably the most valuable archival groups in the Archive, in terms of research interest, is the Archives of the Political Council (C) and its related archival groups such as the Landdrost records of Stellenbosch (1/STB), Swellendam (1/SWM) and Graaff-Reinet (1/GR), the Court of Justice (CJ) and the Orphan Chamber (MOOC). These represent the records created by the officials of the VOC.

The Council of Policy archival group provides insight into the administrative function of the VOC and its role in Cape society. The archival group has 41 series covering various subjects and comprises 94 linear metres of which the Resolutions series of 15 linear metres was transcribed by the Cape participants to the Towards a New Age of Partnership (TANAP) Project. The partnership is between historians and academic institutions from (I quote) “all the places involved in the VOC encounter”. The aim of the project is mainly to enable the “places” to jointly participate in preserving, providing digital access and linking the VOC records in their custody.

Concurrent with the TANAP project, the National Archives of the Netherlands and the Dutch National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) started an archival project known as the Memory of the World programme. Which promotes the same aim as the TANAP. Our Archives is a participant in this programme as evident in the inscription of the Cape Archive VOC collection to the UNESCO Memory of the World. This inscription was formalised on 14 September 2004 by the former Director-General of UNESCO. The certification of the inscription was commemorated in a ceremony at our Archives on 6 April 2005.

I am exceptionally proud that the Western Cape Archives and Records Service continues to make significant strides in its mandate as well as the aims of the TANAP and UNESCO. The dedicated staff work tirelessly to preserve and provide access to archival heritage and for this we thank you wholeheartedly. One of the preservation and access activities currently underway is the digitization of archival records and development of an Archives web portal which will provide digital access to the records.

Today we witness another honour bestowed to the WCARS, this time by the VOC Foundation. The award is to honour the Archive for fulfilling its role of preserving, conserving and providing access to VOC records. Please join me as I unveil the award.

Toespraak op amptelike webtuiste hier: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/speech/minister-anroux-marais-speech-voc-foundation-award-archives-ceremony