Abstract
preserve our sense of identity, cultural heritage is crucial. It provides us with anunbreakable link to historical social ideals, viewpoints, and cultural practices, whichstrengthens our sense of unity, belonging, and pride. (Klein & Nichols,2012) Thus,memory is essential. The starting point for my design project was the moment I had anin-depth discussion with my father to talk about who we are as a family and ourgenuine roots. In contrast to what I had always believed, he surprised me by telling methat, my ancestors come from the Mozambican village of Mungari, not Mutoko inZimbabwe. Oral history, memories, and experiences allowed me to connect with adifferent side of myself, helping me to realize that, if memories, experiences, andheritage are well-preserved, no one can be robbed of his or her identity.
Much of the heritage that has developed over millennia is quickly disappearing asmodernity erodes the rich heritage that these societies hung on to, much like glacierskept for generations in isolated regions melting with global warming. Heritage, bothnatural and cultural, is increasingly in danger. The 'wonders' of our communities havecome under more and more threat as man's impact on the planet has accelerated(Marschall, 2009).
The story of Botswana and Ntwaesele Thatayone "Fish" Keitseng, a Motswana tradeunion activist and politician. Keitseng was one of the defendants in the 1956 TreasonTrial in South Africa. Following his expulsion from South Africa, Keitseng organized anetwork of safe routes for thousands of African National Congress activists headingnorth. He was also a prominent leader of the opposition in Botswana (Keitseng, 1999).However, because this history is to an extent not known and told, it is in danger ofvanishing away. The history of a place can be captured by architecture, which can thenuse space to express that story. Architecture serves as a chronological marker for alocation and culture by creating a visual, spatial link between the past, present, andfuture (Wallace, 2007).
My design proposal seeks to explore the history of Botswana and the SADC Reginecountries about the liberation struggle and safeguard that heritage by researching,deconstructing, telling, and possibly correcting it to preserve the memory of fishKeitseng. Fish Keitseng established and successfully ran an underground transit systemfor the ANC that secured the movement of refugees through Botswana.
This operation was of vital importance as it enabled many freedom fighters to leaveSouth Africa for political and military training abroad. The house where Fish Keitsenglived hosted many African freedom fighters and was declared a National Monument in
"We aimed to design a new whole in which the old and new would be assimilated."
- Peter Zumthor
2012. this commemorative site is characterized by a shift towards an increasingly formal,public, and “official” form of commemoration of Fish Keitseng. The monument preservesFish Keitseng's rich history and how it served as an underground network of passages forthe African National Congress (ANC). However, the monument's physical structure is indanger of being torn down, and with it, the memory and heritage of Fish Keitseng.
The Fish Keitseng Monument and site in Lobatse, Botswana, will serve as the foundationfor this project. This site is crucial to explaining Botswana's participation in the strugglefor the independence of the SADC Regine countries (President Mokgweetsi Masisi said:"Botswana and her people gave support to the liberation movements in the region, thusbecoming a safe transit for many liberation fighters.").