I'm willing to do anything I can from over here to try & preserve & use every resource we have available to make families "whole" again. Enjoy your trip to Madagascar and be safe, Sharon-M. Coral Anna -----Original Message----- From: sharon marshall [mailto:smarshall@absamail.co.za] Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 5:59 AM To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave I think Carol Anna's idea of initiating petition is a good one, especially now that DNA research is so much more progressed. I am off to Madagascar (from whence many of our slaves came and where Eva/Krotoa's husband, Pieter van Meerhof, was murdered on a slaving expedition in the mid-1600s) for 10 days (where incidentally they have a different 'bone' problem - thousands of ancestral bones have been stolen, and though they have no proof, it is thought they could have been used as a mystical cure for Aids), but on my return, am happy to do more in-depth research, contact the powers that be and set up a petition - I know plenty people who would sign. Any yeahs, nays or other ideas? Sharon M ----- Original Message ----- From: Heather MacAlister To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 5:52 AM Subject: RE: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave Morning all I agree with Sharon W about actually trying to identify these souls as this would have an immense impact on the history and study on the background of these people. We do know that there were outbreaks of all sorts of diseases and the slaves were not the only affected people. So it would be nice to actually know what the demise of those people were. I congratulate Antonia and their team for the hard work and dedication - working on an archaeological dig like Prestwich Street was also an amazing experience for me. A heritage site is a must whatever the outcome may be Not to say that I felt a real stiff the next day............ kind regards Heather Visit South Africa's premier Genealogy + Family History Web sites : www.familytree.co.za <http://www.familytree.co.za> + www.ancestry.mweb.co.za <http://www.ancestry.mweb.co.za> -----Original Message----- From: Sharon Warr [mailto:snw@absamail.co.za] Sent: 04 May 2005 10:40 PM To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave Hello Coral Anna and Sharon M Thanks for your emails and yes the dig was most interesting. The idea of an Indiana Jones or a genteel archaeologist with little paint brushes and trowels I am sure does exist, but the truth is - excavating is back breaking work and it requires stamina and dedication. What amazed me was the enthusiasm of experienced volunteers together with younger post grad students, all under the guidance of professional historians and archaeologists, who braved rain, mud and sun to carefully go about their work. And always with respect for what they were dealing with. The question of analysing the remains is a very emotional one and one must always take into account other people's feelings on the subject, but I tend to agree with Sharon M. There would be a tremendous benefit to the communities who claim ties with those buried in these sites, if it can be established who really is buried there, where they came from and possibly how they died. No living person can claim descendancy from anyone buried in any of these unmarked or mass sites unless DNA tests etc. are done. Taking into account that people other than slaves were also buried there - people who did not fall within the accepted religions of the time, paupers, unknowns and foreigners to name a few - it would make an interesting study. The origins of the remains and the circumstances of their lives, revealed by forensic tests, could put more things in perspective than would otherwise come to light through other means. The history of Cape Town and the descendants of the slave population that contribited so much to it I think would be the richer for it. I also think the idea of a heritage site is one that should definitely be pursued. regards Sharon South African Genealogy - Lots of links, passenger lists, Immigrants and more - www.sagenealogy.co.za Scribes Publishing - South African historical resources on CD www.sagenealogy.co.za/scribes.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "sharon marshall" <smarshall@absamail.co.za> To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 5:32 PM Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave > First Sharon speaking: if only we could get Unesco to budge SAHRA...they > recently held an exhibition at the Slave Lodge on the Atlantic slave trade > and I think it's been motivated that the Lodge be made a World Heritage > site, so moves there are...along with the new TESPC project which will the > transcription of slave and estate papers...just makes no sense that they > wouldn't want to analyse the bones. I stand to correction, but I think > they did once analyse a batch they found on the foreshore and because > their teeth were cut to fine points they could tell they were from east > Africa, which, along with other isotopic analysis, led them to the belief > that they were from a slave ship which ran aground. So interesting! > > BTW, I made a special effort to visit the African Slave Burial ground in > downtown Manhattan when I was in New York a couple of years ago, but it > was before they'd put any memorials in place, so was a bit disappointed to > be greeted by a patch of green grass. But I feel we really do need > something similar here in SA, seeing as how much of Green Point below > Somerset Road was a burial ground for anonymous slaves. I know the Tana > Baru overlooking Somerset Road has a few old Muslim graves, but that, > itself is a controversial issue as much of the land is privately owned > (and very valuable, having such a great view of the bay). The graves that > are there are overgrown, but it would make so much sense to make just a > small portion of it an official resting place for slaves of all origins, I > think. I also spotted a brass plaque on the highway - don't know how > recently that was put there, but I didn't see any publicity about it. > > The there's the old slave tree, which has a plaque on a stump which you > would step right over if you didn't know it was there...so much that could > be done, so little interest because slavery is largely forgotten against > the context of apartheid and marginalisation of indigenes...unlike the > States where 'apartheid' was the imported slave issue... > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Foster, Coral A. > To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com > Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 3:58 PM > Subject: RE: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave > > > Hello Other Sharon - thanks for info, now I can picture it. It must have > been awesome. I think for that kind of thing, I would have loved to have > been a forensic scientist. So many parts to the jigsaw puzzle that need > to be put in place. The country of origin would be the most interesting > for me. This is something that, of course, is major among the people > researching slave heritage here in the states. > from a beautifully gentle, blossom-filled spring day in the Shenandoah > Valley of Virginia :O) > Coral Anna > > -----Original Message----- > From: Sharon Warr [mailto:snw@absamail.co.za] > Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 9:31 AM > To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave > > > Hi Coral Anna > The location of the first excavation was at Prestwich Street, Green > Point. > It is quite close to the other 'official' burial grounds off Somerset > Road. > Quite an amazing thing to see unfolding - spent a day on site and it was > awesome. > Regards > Sharon Warr - the other Sharon :-) > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Foster, Coral A." <Coral.Anna.Foster@wwrc.virginia.gov> > To: <SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 2:09 PM > Subject: RE: [South-Africa-Cape-Town] Fw: New slave grave > > > > Thanks Sharon, how sad it all is. I missed the info about the > exhumations > > @ Green Point - what was the location in GP? I don't recall any > > designated burial ground???? > > > > Would like to know what is finally decided about those placed in > Somerset > > Hospital, if you don't mind? > > > > Thanks much > > Coral Anna > > > > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN Mailing List ==== > Cape Town Family History Society > www.genealogy.co.za/society/socweb.htm > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your > ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn > more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&ta rgetid=5429 > > > > * CONFIDENTIALITY/PRIVACY NOTICE - The documents included in this > transmission may contain information that is confidential and/or legally > privileged. 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