I wish the same for the rewriting of the 1510 battle at the Cape. The official Portuguese account remained unquestioned for 500 years and most history books still repeat the same mix of facts, lies and propaganda; even though these were recorded by court chroniclers long after the event. This account was perpetuated by Dutch and English colonialists. As you correctly point out, one story should never dominate or be used to oppress others. My version is based on an oral tradition (Stein, 1924) that challenges conventional accounts of the skirmish and, hopefully, opens up new or alternative interpretations for all concerned — that is, for both you and I, Emile. May we share our insights and hear each other’s voices today. May our endeavours prove worthwhile to others too.

See http://www.knotofstone.com/quarterly-bulletin

As for the lie of 1652, I don’t think any serious South African buys into this ‘birth of a nation’ stuff anymore. Those who still do haven’t been paying attention to what’s taught in class, reported via the media or available online. As I recall, the colonial narrative passed its sell-by date with the 1988 Dias Festival boycott when local people protested “whose history is it anyway?”. Since then local stories have gained the high ground. The rest is history. Hamba kahle!

My point is books are written by those who pressed the people for such a long time and now that we search for alternatives to their one story and the impact it has had on us, they insist we only use their references and their research and be right immediately. THIS FROM THE HERITAGE THAT INSISTED WE STARTED IN 1652. Nah my bro man — laat die lees en vir hulle self vind.

The fire of the roses has blazed to the core
as the sailors of sunlight
have drowned on the shore
but the wounded and the dying
whose rest never comes
rolls on through the ages
to the beat of the drums.

For more album details, see The bar at the end of the world.

You raise a significant point about the origins of Arabian and European expansion in Africa. While the need for trade, territory and converts played a part, men like Almeida used this opportunity to re-establish contact with pre-Muslim and pre-Christian forms of worship—that is, with the so-called Wisdom of the Ancients.

It is curious that you should raise this, now, as it was the main motive behind Almeida’s execution. He was in fact silenced after death (his tongue was removed) for trying to re-open channels of esoteric communication between East and West. See my article on rethinking east-west histories.