Leiden University Student Repository

Rhijn, A. van (2011)

From exclusion via seclusion to inclusion. The multiple narratives from Robben Island, South Africa

Master thesis | Archaeology (MA/MSc)

Robben Island has received various comments by ICOMOS and UNESCO since its opening as a museum. Most of these issues are relating to the natural environment of the island and only four out of seventeen issues are relating to the cultural heritage. In this thesis there is a focus on one of the issues raised concerning the cultural heritage of island; the site interpretation issue. The main question that will be answered is Should the current state of presentation possibly be improved, and if so, how and why ( to suit what and whom)? Therefore it is important to make an analysis of the rich history of the island as well as to look at what the visitors’ perceptions of the island are. A questionnaire was designed and a survey was conducted in February 2011 at the Waterfront in Cape Town amongst tourists visiting the island. Comparing the results from this survey with previous research, it can be concluded that the island’s visitors were and still are quite happy with the presentation on...Show moreRobben Island has received various comments by ICOMOS and UNESCO since its opening as a museum. Most of these issues are relating to the natural environment of the island and only four out of seventeen issues are relating to the cultural heritage. In this thesis there is a focus on one of the issues raised concerning the cultural heritage of island; the site interpretation issue. The main question that will be answered is Should the current state of presentation possibly be improved, and if so, how and why ( to suit what and whom)? Therefore it is important to make an analysis of the rich history of the island as well as to look at what the visitors’ perceptions of the island are. A questionnaire was designed and a survey was conducted in February 2011 at the Waterfront in Cape Town amongst tourists visiting the island. Comparing the results from this survey with previous research, it can be concluded that the island’s visitors were and still are quite happy with the presentation on the island. They are not so much concerned with what is presented but more with how this is presented, as visitors ask for more free time and other ways of exploring the island. However when looking at the history and current situation in South Africa, it can be argued that what is presented is very important too. Currently the focus of the presentation is mainly on the political prison history of the island, but a lot more relevant things from the island’s history can be told. Robben Island plays an important role in the history of several groups in the contemporary South African society. In the context of nation building it would therefore be beneficial to include other narratives in the island’s presentation, in order to make the island a symbol of the shared heritage of the whole nation and not just one part of it. Both the way how things are presented and what is presented on the island should be improved in the future. Already plans have been made for (guided) walking tours on the island, which would touch upon the diverse history of the island as well as both the natural and cultural heritage. In order to come to a solution that is beneficial to all, all the stakeholders (both on and off the island) should be consulted.Show less

Author

Rhijn, A. van

Faculty

Faculty of Archaeology

Supervisors

Dries, M.H. van den

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en