Resurrecting a key part of District Six’s history

THOSE forcibly removed from District Six could be “resurrected” through the historic District Six baptism record project.

The project was launched by the St Mark’s Anglican Church in District Six, in partnership with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the University of Michigan and the District Six Museum.

It will see the recreation of the community, through mapping the addresses of all those who were baptised in the church between 1871 and 1980.

St Mark’s rector Austen Jackson conceptualised the project since his appointment two years ago and envisioned a memorial for the people who were baptised at the church between 1871 and 1983, which was the last year in which people were forcibly removed.

“The street addresses on the maps of area since 1869 have been digitised by town planning and engineering students of CPUT, and these addresses are represented by a dot on the map.

“When the dot is opened, the annotated data on the baptismal certificate is revealed. It would include date of birth, date of baptism, parents, godparents, officiating priest and address at time of baptism,” said Jackson.

He said the District Six Museum would be the curator of these annotated maps. Jackson added that the project would serve as a template for other faith-based communities whose mosques or churches had been demolished during the forced removals.

CPUT Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying senior lecturer Siddique Motala said they had been involved in the mapping of District Six for many years and were thinking along the same lines in terms of using maps to recreate the historic community.

“Not only could the process add to our understanding of District Six but, importantly, it could help in the restitution process as it could serve as proof of residence there.

“The baptism records were digitised in 2012 and have now been passed on to students from the University of Michigan,” he said.

Motala said the CPUT students would ensure the continuity of the project once the Michigan students returned to the US.

University of Michigan’s Professor David Wallace said that while the project was in its early stages, the potential of it needed to be further explored so it could be replicated in other areas or regions as well.