Documenting and Studying the First Indigenous Peoples of South Africa’s Villages and Dwellings in Baviaanskloof, Applying an Indigenous Methodology

This contribution will speak about a research project developed at the Nelson Mandela University, School of Architecture, with the aim to document, study, and raise awareness of Indigenous villages and their wattle and daub dwellings. These dwellings, which had never been studied before, are examples of vernacular architecture and are located in a remote area of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Indigenous knowledge system applied to building these structures has been passed down from generation to generation from pre-colonial times up to the present. This being the case despite the long history of the First Indigenous Peoples’ – the San and Khoikhoi – displacement from their territory and forced removal from their homes, which started with the arrival of the settler colonisers. The project, which started in 2021 and is currently in progress, is conducted in collaboration with a team of Chiefs and community members of the San and Khoikhoi peoples. The research methodology in use has its foundations in the holistic Indigenous worldview. This ethically sound process is rooted in principles of mutual trust and accountability, respect for each other’s views and cooperation in the research decision process, reciprocal knowledge product appropriation, and use of Indigenous protocols toward the right of Indigenous Peoples to retain full control of their knowledge. The core phases of the research project and the methods applied will be discussed with a specific focus on the relationship and involvement with the First Indigenous Leaders and community members in the process of investigation.