The Origins Centre:Enliveningthe Bushmen

Abstract

The Origins Centre in South Africa provides the visitor with an enjoyable, modern, stylish and educational experience. Given its name, the visitor could be forgiven for thinking that the museum is dedicated to the origins of humankind. While some of the exhibits directly pertain to this origins theme the majority focus on Bushman traditions and/or rock art, with a smaller number being dedicated to the traditions and/or rock art of the Khoe and Bantu-speaking peoples. This paper takes the reader on an excursion through The Origins Centre considering to what extent the museum “lives up to its name,” and if it achieves its aims as detailed in its vision and mission. Whether Bushmen exhibits merit prime location within the museum and the majority of the focus is also considered and given that the museum implies that there are no longer Bushmen alive in South Africa, observations regarding how the Bushmen are represented are made with recommendations for amendments offered.

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