IN-PERSON: Prague – Section A

Abstract

Umlazi is a rapidly developing peri-urban black township located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. Umlazi, along with many other African townships or peri-urban areas in South Africa, has undergone significant political, economic, socio-cultural, and spatial transformations. From a South African historical context, intangible cultural heritage in Umlazi can be understood performatively as acting as cohesive glue among the multiple diverse – mainly black African South African ethno-linguistic groups in the township. The paper contextualises cultural heritage also within the frame of memory, identity and space within spatial and political contestations. Methodologically the paper looks empirically at how the Umlazi community leaders and members work role in preserving its cultural heritage through cultural festivals, language classes, traditional music, and dance performances as enactments of heritage and identity. The paper is located within the interdisciplinary disciplinary field of spatial humanities. In addition to qualitative narrative -mapping, a spatial paradigm is used which combines humanistic narratives with geographic information systems or GIS mapping to critically examine community initiatives in cultural heritage preservation in the township space. Sites of cultural heritage in Umlazi will be geocoded and mapped to show where cultural heritage activities take place, the frequency of occurrence, and the attendance by the community. Theoretically the paper approaches intangible heritage through the lens of cultural affordances and attempts to provide a qualitatively ‘deep’ and rich map of Umlazi.