GEORGE NEWS - Dr Ruben Richards, chairman and founder of the Ruben Richards Foundation, introduced his latest book, Bastaards or Humans - the unspoken heritage of the coloured people (Volume 1) at the Simon of Cyrene Anglican Church in Rosemoor on Thursday evening, 12 July.
He held his audience captive with a riveting talk, highlighting some of the historical facts captured in his book about the first indigenous people, the Khoisan, that have to date not been part of history education in our schools. The book, the result of five years of research, is to be integrated in the education department's history curriculum.
Richards explained how the impression was created by some of the early European arrivals to southern Africa that Khoisan people were "savages" and "barely human", which contradicts the writings of others who spoke of them in a totally different light and revealed a high level of sophistication and intelligence.
"Bastaards" was the Dutch word given at the time for a child born from a Khoisan and Dutch union. Such a child was considered illegitimate and unwanted, and such a person had no political or property rights. "The question I ask in my book is, What am I to you - bastaard or human being?"
He said the onslaught on the Khoisan or brown people's psyche continued through their further dehumanisation by means of apartheid, when so-called people of colour were thrown out into townships and RDP homes "like animals", "while the history books tell us that Jan van Riebeeck brought civilisation to us".
Facts that nobody in his audience knew, included that Autshumato (whom the Dutch called "Herrie die Strandloper") studied in Europe and became the chief communications, cultural and procurement officer for the Dutch East India Company. Krotoa, who worked as a servant in the Van Riebeeck household from age 10, was able to act as interpreter on a high level and even sat at the business negotiations table - unheard of for women at the time.
The surgeon-general of the VOC later married her in a government-sponsored wedding. Another fact not widely known is that the Nama translation of the Bible, published in 1831 and always attributed to the German missionary Johann Schmelen, was in fact the work of his Nama wife, Zara Schmelen.
Richards said he not only wishes to inform the public through his book, but also for it to be part of his foundation's efforts to bring healing to brown people by changing their perception that resulted from "400 years of brainwashing during which we have learned to acclimatise to our circumstances to survive".
He is known for his concerted mediation efforts among gangs in Cape Town, where he lives. Against all odds Richards, who started his career as a factory worker, became Deputy Director-General (DDG) of the now disbanded Scorpions, CEO of a large engineering company, company director, peace negotiator, business consultant and visiting adjunct professor at Wits University's graduate school of public and development management. Georgians can obtain his book from Rev Canon Calvin Frans by phoning 044 871 0180 (home) or 044 875 0134.
Visit rubenrichardsfoundation.org.za for more information about the foundation.
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