ORIGINS:
KhoiSan heritage sites and sense of belonging in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Books may be bought from orders@africansunmedia.co.za

ISBN: 978-1-998959-16-7 (print) | R630.00

Author: Magda Minguzzi

Abstract:

Origins illustrates the results of three years of research, supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa, the author conducted in partnership with ten KhoiSan leaders based in the Eastern Cape Province. The book speaks about the meaning of Indigenous heritage and the sense of belonging as experienced today by the KhoiSan, autochthonous peoples of South Africa. A collection of interviews with the ten KhoiSan leaders, recorded by the author in 2021, is the core of the book and represents unique material for the readers to experience the Indigenous Peoples of South Africa’s testimonies. Those are acts of restoration, where the Indigenous Peoples of South Africa could tell and re-write their story. Additionally, the book discusses several important heritage sites visited by the research group, along with an examination of the established Indigenous methodologies.

Professor Magda Minguzzi is an architect and academic whose work bridges architecture, heritage, and Indigenous knowledge. Originally from Italy, she holds a Laurea (M.Arch) and Ph.D. in Architectural Composition from the University Iuav of Venice. Since 2013, she has been based in South Africa, where she lectures at Nelson Mandela University and leads its Ph.D. program in Architecture.

Her current research focuses on pre-colonial heritage sites in the Eastern Cape and is conducted in close collaboration with Khoi and San leaders. Supported by the National Research Foundation, this work explores Indigenous identity, spatial belonging, and shared knowledge creation. Professor Minguzzi’s research has been widely published, and her creative projects have been exhibited both nationally and internationally.