17 October
Arriving in Durban and Port Shepstone. Helen, Meg and Ebbe arriving from Cape Town, Laila from Sweden.
Meeting with the Time Travel Committee of the Port Shepstone Twinning Association, 17 persons, 10 women and 7 men. Planning for the national conference and the other events.
18 October
Extensive planning for the Bridging Ages South Africa conference. Several meetings with stakeholders, checking props for the Time Travel, writing of scenarios and rolecards, checking audio system etc
19 October
Intensive planning for the conference. More meetings, buying props and costumes, cleaning the Time Travel site.
Gunnar arrives from Cape Town
In the afternoon set up the venue, several exhibits, sound system etc.
In the evening welcome reception for national guests from North West, Western Cape and Mpumalanga.
20-21 October
First National Bridging Ages South Africa Conference. 145 delegates from all over South Africa, about 60 persons from KwaZulu-Natal and 40 from North West, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, Gauteng and Eastern Cape. Helen, Meg, Laila, Gunnar, Ebbe and Stefan Wind from Sweden.
20 October, in the morning welcome speech from the Mayor of Hibiscus Coast Municipality, presentations from Bridging Ages International (Ebbe), Bridging Ages South Africa (Tizzie Mangiagalli), from the four provinces organising Time Travels - Western Cape, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
In the afternoon a Time Travel with all 145 000 people to 1905 at the Port Shepstone harbour.
In the evening the conference dinner with 250 guests. An extensive program with speaches from the Mayor of HCM, the vice mayor of Ugu District, KZN Museum Service, of the Time Travel method, by learners that have taken part in a Time Travel etc. Performances of Indian dances and the Bambatha rebellion. Launching of the two books: “This place has meaning. Case Studies of Historic Environment Education and Time Travels in South Africa 2006-2010” and “Folkbildning Africa”.
21 October: Presentations on the curriculum and Time Travels (Gail Weldon), sensitive issues and Time Travels (Radikobo Ntsimane). Discussion in groups on the Time Travel method and 7 steps (for beginners), needs and strategy (for experienced Time Travellers)
Speech by the Minister of the Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation in KwaZulu-Natal Mrs Weziwe Thusi. Concluding discussion and summary plus the way forward.
22 October
Bridging Ages South Africa board meeting
Planning for the big public Time Travel at the Port Shepstone harbour
23 October
Planning for the public Travel at the Port Shepstone harbour.
Discussions with Louis, Catherine, Bertdene and Louis.
Planning meeting with Thulas and Gulshera for the Gamalakhe workshop.
24 October
Preparations for the events the next week.
25 October
Intensive preparations and meetings for the Public Time Travel the following day: props, activities, leaders, confirm participants etc
Meeting with Howard Msomi about the Umzumbe Time Travel workshop 27 October.
Finalise time plan and scenario for the Umzumbe day.
26 October
Public Time Travel to 1905 at the Port Shepstone Harbour. 150 persons, a mix of people, young and old, teachers and learners, middle aged and elderly, Africans, Indians and white.
A full day Time Travel from 8.30 to 13.30 plus preparations two hours before and clean up afterwards.
27 October
Time Travel workshop in Umzumbe at the place for the 1906 trial on 36 Zulu leaders in the Bambatha rebellion. Short presentation of the Time Travel method and the history of the site. A 1½ hour Time Travel of the trial. Evaluation and way forward.
40 persons took part in the Time Travel and discussion afterwards, 20-25 in the morning.
28 October
Helen interviewed some learners at Nobamba and Marburg Secondary schools on violence and by-standers.
Meeting at KZN Museum Service in Pietermeritzburg with Barry Marshall, Director of Amafa, the Cultural Heritage Organisation in KZN and Assistant Director Lindie Msomi. Dolly Khumalo and Mark Sole from Museum Service took part as well.
15.00-17.30 Workshop on the history and heritage of the township of Gamalakhe, at the Gamalakhe library. Presentation of the Time Travel method. 23 persons took part. A Time Travel Committe of Gamalakhe was elected.
18.30-22.00 Evaluation meeting at Marburg Primary School with an extended Port Shepstone Time Travel Committee. 19 persons. Stefan Windh, IT-project also took part. Evaluation of the one-, plus two-year Time Travel project in Port Shepstone. Evaluation of the activities the last two weeks, mainly BA SA conference and public Time Travel.
29 October
Meeting with the Port Shepstone museum
Planning for Time Travel and meetings in Potchefstroom and Mpumalanga.
Last farewell gathering with the Time Travel Committee
30 October
Meg, Helen and Ebbe leave for Johannesburg and Potchefstroom
Conclusion
• Fantastic evaluations of the Time Travel project and the activities the previous weeks. “Best project ever”. “A Time Travel is a mind-blowing experience”. “A real mindopener“. “Goals achieved”.”Social cohesion in several ways”. “Bring together the community”. “Talk of the town”.
• People were very satisfied with the conference, both organisers and delegates. “Excellent”. “A resounding success”. “Beyond our expectations”. “Absolutely great”.
• Several persons emphasized that the conference organisation was very challenging and hard work, up to the last minute. And organised by mainly volonteers. But as one person said “What we have achieved is out of this world”. Others said “Heads together”. “Passion and determination”. “We share a vision”.
• The big conference dinner with 240 guests made many new stakeholders aware of the importance of the Time Travel method.
• The persons in the Twinning and Time Travel Committee are extremely proud of what they have achieved both in organising the conference and leading the whole Time Travel project.
• The public Time Travel was a fantastic experience with this mix of people. And 150 persons taking part all day. “The best Time Travel ever”, as one expressed. This was the first big public Time Travel in South Africa.
• The press: Herald, South Coast Fever and the Witness covered the conference and the public Timet Travel.
• The curriculum advisor in Ugu, Ravi Pather has bought into the idea. 100 % behind, he said. He wants to make trainings for curriculum advisors in the whole of Ugu district. And also use the provincial structure of the curriculum advisors in implementing the Time Travel method..
• The Umzumbe Time Travel workshop went well and also had some challenges. Some people came late. For most people it was their first Time Travel experience and the interacting takes time to get into. But at the same time one can feel the magic of the site and the importance of the event for many people today. Two direct descendentants of the prisoners played their forfathers in the Time Travel.
• The Gamalakhe workshop went very well. People starts to realize that Gamalkhe has history and heritage. An spontanous applaud after showing the Ikageng video. 13 persons volonteered for the Time Travel committee. Their first meeting was decided to the following week.
• KZN Museum Service shows a big support for the Time Travel method and wants to take it to the whole of KZN. MEC of Arts and Culture Mrs Thesi is fully behind the Time Travels.
Way forward
• A Bridging Ages KZN, an interim board, needs to set up, starting with the engaged persons. They will organise Time Travels in KZN
• Mark talks about nodle points for the Time Travel method throughout the province.
• MEC of Arts and Culture has promised a post at KZN Museum Service working mainly with Time Travels. Museum Service is reorganising and that post will fall under Mark Sole’s department.
• Museum Service can also allocate money for Time Travels and storage of props and costumes.
• Researchers at the Museum Service can be used for Time Travels.
• KZN Sama conference in Eshowe in March 2011 will have one day focusing on Time Travels including a Time Travel at the fort.
• Barry Marshal showed support for the Time Travel method. Presentation for Amafa staff early next year and suggestion of a pilot Time Travel site, maybe at Ondini, Ulundi.
• Gamalakhe Time Travel committee will choose heritage sites in the township, research and develop at least one Time Travel site next year (Tin Town?). Maybe also a heritage tour throughout Gamalakhe. Ask Radikobo Ntdsimane on interview training.
• Howard needs a trained core group who can make a Time Travel tourist program out of the trial site in Umzumbe.
• Stefan Windh has money in his IT project for folkbildning. His centre is Nyandezulu. The funding may be used for organising study circles, training, translation of This place, a DVD on the 7 steps etc.
• Needs to meet with MEC of Education.
• Make Port Shepstone Harbour a Heritage site.
• The Port Shepstone Museum can make exhibits on the Time Travel method (maybe in Margate), help in the research of Gamalakhe and also research on pre-historic sites (check with Bronwin at Natal Museum).
30 October 2010
Ebbe Westergren, Helen Eklund and Meg Johnson, Kalmar County Museum
