The Heritage Association of South Africa (previously known as the Simon Van der Stel Foundation) will present their 18th annual S.A. Heritage Symposium in the host town of Tulbagh in the Cape Winelands from 4-6 October 2019.
 
The symposium is timed to be part of the Historic Boland town’s three-week long half century celebrations and commemorations of the 1969 Earthquake resulting in the complete architectural reconstruction of the town. Controversially the theme and keynote lectures of the symposium examine heritage as a politically manipulated construct and examines the transformation of heritage in South Africa from a colonial built tangible history to an emphasis on intangible African heritage and struggle/liberation history.
 
The programme line up includes lectures by noted academics and published authors who are all regarded as experts in their fields. There are nine lectures scheduled and themed around Tulbagh’s heritage and history.

• The first sessions look at the pre-colonial indigenous groups of the area, the introduction of slavery and arrival of the missions.
• The second session examines the legacy of the Bain’s family extraordinary construction of many Cape mountain passes and the wealth of Cape cottage furniture from the interior of the country.
• The third session unravels the pre-earthquake Tulbagh history and the South African socio-political situation that resulted in the five year restoration of Tulbagh. 
• The final lectures look at other emergency rescue remedies in conservation, including an update of the reconstruction of Wupperthal.

 
A number of tours and visits to historic sites are planned including an “Open Street’ on Saturday and an “Open Heritage’ afternoon on Sunday. Twee Jonge Gezellen, Montpellier, Schoonderzicht estates and the old Tulbagh Drostdy are among the significant sites that will be opened for the weekend’s heritage enthusiasts. There will also be an opportunity to visit some sites further afield such as Wolseley's beautifully restored Anglo-Boer War block house as well as some of the astounding mountain passes of the region.
 
The annual Gala awards dinner will announce this year’s winners of the prestigious Simon Van der Stel award for outstanding individual and organisational contributions to both South African and local heritage. In addition to a fundraising auction of recently donated valuable books, several blue plaques will also be unveiled during the weekend festivities.
 
The three day will be organised by the Tulbagh Valley Heritage Foundation in association with Tulbagh Museums. For more information please contact Jayson@cdq.co.za or call 076 950 8470