The remains of the San leader, Koos Sas, were handed over to the Hessekwa Khoi-San people from Montagu in the Boland on Tuesday. They had been on display in a museum for many years.
As the elders of the Hessekwa Khoi-San and other guests gathered in a former church, folk artist David Kramer sang a ballad he was moved to write 40 years ago.
Dressed with flowers, a coffin dominated the gathering. In it is the skull of Koos Sas. It is all that remains of the man whose story has become a legend.
Head Woman of the Montagu Hessekwa Khoisan, Dulcie Winegaard says, “I’m happy and I think the healing is starting today because after all the presentations we had it’s really healing. I could sense there was quite some bitterness, but I can sense the healing coming.”
Sas was known in Montagu and surrounding areas for stealing sheep. But in 1917, he was accused of the murder of Boetatjie Botha. The matter was transferred for trial to Worcester and on the way, Sas managed to escape. Evading the law for five years, he was eventually shot and killed in Springbok, some 600 kilometers from Montagu.
His skull eventually found its way back to this former church, now a museum.
In a macabre act, perpetuated in museums throughout the world for centuries, the remains were put on display, alongside the weapon that caused his death.
Chief Reginald Boesak, one of the elders who lead the call for dignity in the way Sas’ remains were handled, says it represents the oppression that first peoples suffered for centuries.
“When people see what is happening today and they hear, I think it will really help a lot for our people. They can feel now we are being recognised. And this whole thing happening today is definitely helping people to see we are going somewhere, somewhere to show we can all live in peace and harmony with each other.”
As part of a programme to return remains from museums, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs says more of these events are to follow.
Provincial Cultural Affairs Minister, Anroux Marais says, “For the department and for myself, it’s to rectify the mistakes of the past so that it never ever happens again and then, it is important for us to dignify our communities and that is why we start with this reburial programme so that never ever any human remains must stay in a museum.”
Sas will finally be laid to rest in April, 99-years after his death.
The post Remains of San leader handed over to Hessekwa Khoi-San people in Montagu appeared first on SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader..
Read more here:: Latest South Africa News
