May 2012

This month we celebrate National Archives and Heraldry Awareness Week!

We’re happy to hear that the National Archives are throwing open their doors and inviting the public to tour their facilities and we’re pleased to hear that at least 600 learners will be participating in various activities. We hope that all who engage with the National Archives will leave with a clear understanding of the role of the archives.

We’re concerned that the importance of the archive is not properly understood or acknowledged. For many it seems the term ‘archive’ implies a building or facility in which ‘old’ documents are stored, for purposes which are not altogether clear. Those of us who work with archives, or use them know that they are a treasure, and a resource on which ALL people should be able to draw to understand the past and deal with it in the present. National, provincial and local archives are the repositories of records that citizens can draw on to hold government to account for its actions and that government can draw on to enable it to plan effectively for the future. This is the message we need to be communicating loudly and clearly to EVERYONE, from the youngest learners who step timidly into the imposing edifice, to the eminent politicians who hold sway over national policy and resources.

Technical issues such as the preservation and management of records, and the infrastructure and technology required to safeguard them are important. As are policy questions related to access, ownership, digitisation and location of archives and records. But in the face of a lack of political will to resolve some of the many challenges facing the sector, and the lack of adequate resources we should be shouting from the rooftops - archives matter!

In his Budget Vote Speech, delivered on 3 May, Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile declared 2012 to be the ‘year of heritage’. Outlining 28 new heritage projects, a slew of initiatives aimed at creating job opportunities for artists and crafts-people and making it clear that he was determined to deal with the difficult issues of language and place names with a firm hand, Minister Mashatile sent a clear message to the nation: arts, culture and heritage have an important role to play in building social cohesion and advancing economic development. We’re hoping that next year will be the year of the archive!

Over the next few months we will be embarking on a project to assess the state of the archive, to put the sector under scrutiny, highlight examples of inspiring initiatives and draw attention to areas of neglect. We’ll also be asking those with a passionate commitment to archives and archiving to come forward with their ideas and recommendations for building a national archival system that does justice not just to our heritage and history but to our country’s vision for the future.

We look forward to engaging with you on these issues.

Jo-Anne Duggan