Cory Library commemoration

On 31 January 2011 the Rhodes University Cory Library commemorated the 101st anniversary of the historic conversation between Sir George Cory, the founder of the Library, and Regent King Manxiwa, the ruler of the amaXhosa. On this occasion, Manxiwa recited the history of the amaXhosa and Sir George, with the help of a translator, wrote it down.

This joyous event was attended by members of the Manxiwa family and Mrs Joan Cory Teeton, the grand-daughter of Sir George Cory, Zolani Mkiva, Imbongi Yesizwe and Advocate Sonwabile Mancotywa, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Heritage Council, and an impressive array of representatives from government departments, academic and heritage institutions – most of whom were ‘recognised’ and warmly thanked by the programme director for being present.

Prince Clayton Manxiwa delivered a rousing address, regaling the audience with episodes in the history of his family before calling upon the rest of his delegation to join him in handing over a cheque of R10 000 to the Library. This unexpected gift came as a surprise to a visibly touched Prof Jeff Peires, who was, for once, almost at a loss for words.

Mrs Joan Cory Teeton shared the life-story of her “Grandpa George” speaking with quiet pride about how he overcame poverty and hardship as a youth and went on to ‘build bridges’ with the people of the Eastern Cape. 

In his keynote address Advocate Mancotywa stressed the important role of the Cory Library in addressing marginalised histories and correcting historical inaccuracies and reiterated the important role of the archive in ‘setting the record straight’.

Explaining how the historic conversation illustrated what can be achieved when people work together, Professor Jeff Peires, head of the library, reiterated the university’s commitment to sharing its resources with the broader community and introduced the ‘Friends of the Cory Library’, an initiative aimed at “enabling seriously interested people to associate themselves with Cory Library in a meaningful and constructive way” – to participate in the activities of the library and benefit from its resources.

The Cory Library is an extraordinary resource: a treasure house whose holdings comprise a vast collection of genealogical records and illustrations concerning all aspects of Eastern Cape Heritage, including official documents and private papers, politics and literature, isiXhosa and English, churches and schools, colonialism and apartheid, protest and resistance, maps, photographs and genealogies.

One of the most poignant moments of this event was the handover of a copy of a one of the Library’s most recent publication, a new edition of Richard Tainton Kawa’s ibali lamaMfengu, to a representative of the Kawa family.

It was a moving occasion. It reminded us all of the power of the archive as a potent force with the potential to link past and present in ways that are deeply significant to us as individuals, families, communities and as a nation. It also reminded us that the records of the past require human agency to bring them to life, there is much work to be done, and Cory Library should be an inspiration to us all.

Jo-Anne Duggan

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