College of College of Graduate Studies

Using the spirit level as a method of balance

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Tebogo Kgope

21 July 2021 would have been the 100th birthday of the late Sanusi, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa - healer, poet, sculptor and author. To showcase and honour the indigenous knowledge system of Mutwa, Unisa’s College of Graduate Studies (CGS) hosted a community engagement (CE) indaba.

The CE Indaba comes at an opportune time where the imperative need to redress the injustices of the past is imperative and alive, in this regard, in the transformation of the academy, through decolonisation, Africanisation and indigenisation.

In simpler terms as she normally defines decolonisation, the CE project leader, Tebogo Kgope, attests that steps to these frames of indigenisation ought to show how Africans love themselves, that there is reverence for knowledge that comes from the global South which is rich in marginalised and silenced ways of knowing. "The Sanusi Credo Mutwa’s indigenous knowledge is vast and complex; however, it is not without any mechanisms that can permeate all spheres of life and disciplines which were colonially constructed for academic purposes," she said.

The CE is conceptualised from the calls for institutions of higher learning and the constant use of terms such as an African university, decolonisation and indigenisation, but with limited application and recognition of their very own and local African intellectuals. Mutwa asserted that "history should not be thrown away like an old pumpkin, history should not be mocked or scoffed at" and, therefore, as the seer and deep knowledge keeper, Mutwa’s indigenous knowledge should not be thrown away; it should be recognised.


Distinguished guest speakers

CGS warmly welcomed two distinguished guest speakers, South Africa’s poet laureate, author and former chairperson of the Credo Mutwa Research Group, Prof Mongane Wally Serote, and Gogo Aubrey Matshiqi, a healer and an independent political analyst. Their purpose was to honour and speak about the theme: The Spirit of Credo Mutwa: Using the spirit level/waterpas as a method of balance in assessing and evaluating the academy as a transforming space towards the desired African university.

Prof Mongane Wally Serote

Gogo Aubrey Matshiqi

* By Tebogo Kgope, Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement, College of Graduate Studies

Teaser composite image sourced from Wikipedia and Facebook under a Creative Commons licence.

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Publish date: 2021-08-25 00:00:00.0

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