Preserving priceless memories
HE 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban houses Indian artefacts that date back to the early 1800s, including a set of silver antique jewellery worn by indentured labourers.
“Many families have donated items with the hope of preserving the Indian culture and heritage. One of our most outstanding donations is an antique betel nut cutter which is around 70 years old, as well as a grinding stone which could be well over a 100 years old,” said the centre’s director, Krish Gokool.
He said while those items did not have a monetary value what made them unique was their history.
“The betel nut cutter cannot be found anywhere and the grinding stone is like our modern food processor. This was used to grind any type of food, from rice to masala.”
There are also two brass pots which are 65 years old which were donated by Prajith and Shamin Singh.
“The pots were given to my parents, Udal and Dhropathie Singh, on their wedding day. Over the years they were used for rituals during weddings. They were later passed on to me,” said Prajith.
He said when the centre called for donations he decided to present the pots because it was an opportunity to preserve them.
“I am uncertain if my children would have continued passing down the pots, and having them at the centre gives me the confidence the sentimental value will live on,” he said. “We also wanted to educate future generations about the items we used.”
Gokool said his biggest challenge was the younger generation’s perspective on these items.
“It is unfortunate that if there is no monetary value to an item from the past, it has no value to the youth. They cannot identify the sentimental value or the historical significance behind the artefacts.
“Previously, families would all live together and the heirlooms would be passed down from one person to another. Nowadays families live separately and many youngsters are moving into smaller spaces and just don’t have place for these items. They’re normally kept with the older generation and when they pass on the items are either given away or thrown out,” he explained.
Gokool said modern decor and social media had also had an impact on the way the youth perceived family heirlooms.
“Home decor is a huge trend at the moment and youngsters would much rather follow what they see in magazines and television than keep old furniture dating back to the time of the indentured labourers. They prefer their homes to have a modern look and keeping the old items would give their homes an old-fashioned look.”
Gokool said social media took up so much of an individual’s time that the younger generation had little to spare for anything else.
“Soon the generations to come will have nothing to show from their heritage because of this present generation. So at the centre we are trying our best to preserve our culture.
“While we may be South Africans first, we also have a rich heritage that must not be forgotten and it needs to be passed on to other generations.”
Gokool has appealed to families to donate their unwanted artefacts: call 031 309 1858.