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A unique experience awaits at the Red Location Museum
where visitors are not treated as consumers but active participants. The conventions of representing history as a single story are challenged through the design of the Museum spaces.
The Red Location is one of the oldest settled Black Townships of Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. It derives its name from a series of corrugated iron barrack buildings, which are rusted a deep red colour.
It became a site of struggle during the years of Apartheid. Many prominent political and cultural leaders were either born or lived in Red Location and a number of significant "struggle" (umZabalazo) events occurred
there.
The museum was established to commemorate the struggle for
freedom of South Africa's people, and aims to become an integral component of initiatives and programmes associated with the empowerment, education and redress of the local community at large.
Red Location Museum is a magnificent project and has scooped several prestigious awards which include:
The World Leadership Awards highlights cities whose leaders have shown exceptional imagination, foresight or resilience in a number of key fields, especially cities that have reversed trends,
shaken off traditional images and have acted as an example and inspiration to others. The exhibition gave recognition to the Red Location Museum for their achievement in the field of
"Architectural & Civil Engineering - Transforming the museum traditions of the 20th Century" (December 2005)
Dedalo Minosse International Prize (given to the Nelson Mandela Municipality for comissioning the building - June 2006)
The RIBA - Lubetkin Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects ( June 2006)
The PMR - Eastern Cape Leaders Achievers Awards (June 2006, 2007 and 2008)
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South Africa is home to over 50 million people speaking 11
different official languages. The variety of
cultural heritage makes this nation an exciting place to
explore.
The Xhosa people are one of the principal ethnic groups
and predominantly reside in the Eastern Cape region.
While many Xhosa people still make their homes in rural
settlements, the townships of Port Elizabeth, which have
sprung up in the last century, are bustling centres of
Xhosa community.
There is no better place to find out what the urban Xhosa
people are all about than hitting the streets of Port
Elizabeth's biggest and oldest townships. Here you
will meet and mingle with these friendly, community
orientated people as you encounter all sorts. From
street vendors, to taxi drivers, shoppers to Gugu your
tour guide, you will not be disappointed by these
authentic South Africans making their way in the truly
'rainbow' nation of South Africa.
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During your tour with Gugu, you are likely to feel more
like a guest than a tourist. This mother of two is a
warm and welcoming host, true to her Xhosa nature.
You will learn that the Xhosas have a word that sums up a
philosaphy that their culture has developed around, the
word is ubuntu. There is no single definition to
this classical African concept, but below are the words of
two well-known South African leaders as they explain
ubuntu.
"In the old days when we were young, a traveller
through a country would stop at a village, and he didn't
have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops,
the people give him food, and entertain him. That is
one aspect of ubuntu, but it will have various
aspects."
- Nelson Mandela
"One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity.
We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity."
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
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