Apartheid Museum Explores South Africa's Past
The Museum Covers the Rise and Fall of Apartheid in South Africa
Oct 23, 2008
It gives crucial insight into the unique history of a country that was so obsessed and preoccupied with racial legislation that basic human rights were violated. A truly interactive experience makes the visitor spend time exploring the various exhibits. Covering the entire history of South Africa is no easy feat which is why the museum focuses on the rise and fall of apartheid. There is however a brief introduction into South African history which is explained in a short video.
A Short Introduction to a Troubled Past
A look at the time during South Africa before Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape is done with music and rock art. The years of slavery and the discovery of gold in 1886 in Johannesburg caused much unrest, including the South African War. In 1910, the provinces united to create a South African republic and segregation was officially introduced. Migrants from all over South Africa came to Johannesburg in order to cash in on the precious minerals, including diamonds
This condensed history reaches the point of the 1948 elections where the National Party, headed by DF Malan, came to power and stayed there for the next 40 years. It was this government that implemented the apartheid legislation. The museum lists every single act that was expected to be obeyed unconditionally by all citizens.
Directly translated from Afrikaans to English, the word apartheid means ‘separateness’. This was the basis of apartheid laws. People were separated into different races groups as determined by the government. This caused the majority of South African citizens to become second class.
Racial Legislation is a Constant Reminder
Visitors to the museum are immediately forced to deal with this racial legislation. Upon payment to enter, they receive a card that states whether they are classified as either non-white or white. This card gives access to the museum, but depending on the classification, through separate entrances. Visitors are forced to separate, if only for a few minutes, from their friends or family.
Throughout the rest of the journey, there is the constant reminder about how South Africans were expected to live separately and that it was illegal to do otherwise. As the rest of the world experienced lunar landings and the breaking down of the Berlin Wall, South Africa remained isolated and detached from society.
Apartheid would never become a permanent state of affairs as the majority continued their long and often violent uprising. The museum features events such as the 1960 Sharpeville massacre where protestors were fired upon by police with real bullets. The 1976 uprising where school children refused Afrikaans as the teaching medium. There was also the defiance campaign of the 1980s where both black and white people purposefully broke the laws. Finally, the museum considers the events leading up to and the release of future president Nelson Mandela, a country on the brink of civil war and the first democratic election.
First-Class Museum Exhibits
Exhibits were created by a multi-disciplinary team of curators, film-makers, historians and designers. Visitors will absorb a lot information and should also allow time for reflection. Emotions run high as provocative footage and photographs are played out. The exhibits put faces and human experience to this tumultuous part of South Africa’s history.
Both the social and economic consequences of the regime are still obvious in today’s society and the museum offers significant insight into the current state of affairs. It also attempts to uplift the spirits of the visitor as they reach the end of their journey with the first democratic elections in 1994. This moment was seen by many as a miracle because South Africa’s political leaders were able to find a way forward.
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