FRIENDS OF IZIKO SOUTH AFRICAN
MUSEUM Non-Profit Organisation 052-511-NPO Postal address: P O Box 61 Cape Town 8000 South Africa Physical address: 25 Queen Victoria Street Cape Town South Africa Phone: 021 481 3913 Fax: 021 481 3993 Cell: 072 225 6893 E-mail: samfriends@iziko.org.za Website http://www.iziko.org.za/; http://www.iziko.org.za/ static/page/friends-of-the-south-african-museum
NEWSLETTER – AUGUST 2013
The year is speeding by and there are still many interesting lectures and activities to enjoy as Spring approaches. I hope you will join in and enjoy some new experiences with the Friends.
LECTURE PROGRAMME The lecture programme continues on the last Tuesday of each month. All lectures will be in the TH Barry Lecture Theatre at Iziko South African Museum, as always at 19:00, unless otherwise advertised. Entrance is free to members on presentation of a valid 2013 membership card. Visitors are asked for a donation of R30. Tuesday 27 August Speaker: Dr Helen Robinson Topic: The villages of the Liesbeek River Years of research and personally exploring the area surrounding the Liesbeeck River has revealed interesting stories and characters which emphasise the role the river has played in the formation of the Southern Suburbs, as we know them today. Dr Robinson has written a book of the same name with numerous illustrations, some of which she will use in this lecture. NB: THE SEPTEMBER LECTURE COINCIDES WITH A PUBLIC HOLIDAY AND WILL THEREFORE MOVE TO TUESDSAY 1 OCTOBER
Tuesday 1 October Speaker: Dr Wayne K Florence, Curator of Marine Biology at Iziko Topic: African ‘Bryodiversity’: a contribution to the works on the neglected marine invertebrate fauna of southern Africa. Our knowledge of the southern African marine fauna is outdated and fragmented, with previous work focused on commercial species of crustaceans, molluscs and fishes. In this talk Dr Florence will introduce the Bryozoa; a neglected, but increasingly important group of, lesser known, colonial animals. He will explore their fascinating biology, usefulness and diversity, while making reference to the potential applications of Iziko’s current research on these beasts. Tuesday 29 October Speaker: Professor Mike Bruton Topic: Life and Death of the Dodo Professor Mike Bruton has a fondness for island animals that are endangered or extinct, like the coelacanth and the dodo. In this presentation he explores the natural and cultural history of one of the most famous extinct animals, the dodo, and attempts to answer a number of questions: How did a large, flightless bird reach Mauritius? Why did it go extinct? Why is it still so well known? Could we rebreed it? The answer is ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’, as Churchill would have said. The plot includes hungry Dutch sailors, an inquisitive school teacher, a maths boffin, a little girl and a famous book. Don’t miss it!
Tuesday 27 November Speaker: Patricia Glyn – well-known eco adventurer, radio and television personality and author Topic: Dawid’s return In 2011 Patricia Glyn set off for the Kalahari to find traces of a long-dead Bushman by the name of Makai Kruiper – a legendary mystic, hunter and healer who roamed ‘The Thirst Land’ a century ago. At her side was Makai’s grandson, Dawid, a man as legendary as his forebear. Dawid was 76 years old and easily the most famous Bushman in South Africa, having featured in numerous films, documentaries, books and academic studies. Patricia’s new talk is about what she witnessed on this trip: the fragments that remain in the Kalahari sand of a longgone life, the extraordinary memory and tracking skills that helped Dawid find his grandfather’s artifacts, some 100 years after they’d been buried and the secrets that have been handed down from son to son. This is a story about just how much the Bushmen can teach us about respect for our natural resources and how to preserve them. Patricia demonstrates how the ‘old’ Bushman attitudes hold the key to our environmental future. She shows how little they consume, how much they value what they consume and how much they leave in place for their children’s children. But it’s also an amusing talk about a journey with a group of irreverent storytellers, free spirits, hilarious mimics and loving people.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE The Friends wish to acknowledge Mike Goldblatt and Adele Gordon of Phototeach who recently presented a very interesting photography course for our members and have donated all the proceeds from this course to the Friends – thank you both, your generosity is very much appreciated. THANK YOU The Friends also wish to acknowledge the generosity of two long-time members, Sandy and Frances Bean, who made a generous donation to the Friends in June 2008 in appreciation of all the pleasure they have enjoyed with the Friends. In their honour we have been able to purchase, with the interest on that donation, a monitor in the Demonstration Laboratory in the African Dinosaurs exhibition. Visitors are now able to follow the work of the preparators on the big screen and when there is no one working there is a continuous display of work done in the field by the Karoo Palaeontology department.
DAY TRIPS THE BIG FIVE IN CENTRAL CAPE TOWN? Saturday 5 October It’s been two centuries or more since any of the Big Five were spotted in central Cape Town – or has it? A safari sets off on Saturday 5 October to show you the unlikely lairs of the wild beasts of old Africa, some of which survive to enthrall modern tourists. But there is much more: dragons and griffins, dogs and dolphins. Public art and building facades are perches and refuges for an astonishing variety of creatures. Join us on a gentle expedition of about two hours – no palanquins or howdahs will be provided. Have some fun and dress the part with your pith helmet and butterfly net. Shoot if you must – but only with a camera. As far the explorers of old, weather is no impediment. Gather at the van Riebeeck statues at 10:30 and Alderman Owen Kinahan will lead the meander to the Company’s Gardens for lunch just after noon. Cost: Members R50; Non-members: R65 (Lunch is not included) Booking and payment in advance is essential as numbers are limited.
OUTINGS GEOLOGY TOUR OF THE CAPE PENINSULA: Saturday 19 October Have you ever wondered why Table Mountain looks like it does? Are you aware it wasn’t ‘born’ in its present position, but ‘hatched’ 1 500 kilometers south of Cape Town, close to the South Pole? Why are the black rocks along the Sea Point beach front aligned the way they are? Do you know they were laid down about 200 kilometers west of their present location? How did the many large granite boulders dotted about at various places on the Peninsula get there and why are they so rounded? If you’d like answers to these and other (geology) questions, you can either Google them or learn ‘at the feet of the master’ by joining us on Saturday 19 October on a geological tour of the peninsula, led by Dr Roger Smith, the Curator of Karoo Palaeontology at Iziko and an international authority on sedimentology, stratigraphy and geology. We guarantee a very interesting and informative experience.
REPORT BACK: ROBBEN ISLAND – A GEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE After having to reschedule this popular visit because of bad weather, we were thrilled to enjoy perfect weather the following weekend when the group explored the island on foot and discovered many interesting geological features thanks to the guidance of geologist Dr John Rogers and Robben Island guides Mpikileli Tyobeka and Llewellyn Damon who interspersed the geology with the historic aspects of this World Heritage site. Raaiq Damon, Llewellyn’s young son, also joined us on Saturday to learn about the geology of the island. Because of the lovely weather we were able to visit a number of the historic sites on Friday afternoon, including Robert Sobukwe’s house, the Leper Graveyard, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Garrison Church. We also had our first geology ‘lesson’ before leaving the harbour where Dr Rogers explained features of the slate used to build the wall and which we would see repeated in the signage on the island.
Meet at the South African Museum 08:45 for a 09:00 departure by bus, returning at 17:00 and bring a picnic lunch. Cost: Members: R200 per person; Non-members R250 per person EXPLORE THE TUNNELS UNDER CAPE TOWN: Sunday 20 October Tunnel exploration is a new urban activity below the City of Cape Town. Parts of the underground canals and rivers date back to 1652. They used to supply the passing ships with fresh water. Later these rivers flowing through the City became pleasant walkways with bridges going over them and shaded by oaks. As the years passed and the city expanded they were eventually covered up and forgotten. Cape Town was once known as the little Amsterdam in a foreign country. Matt Weisse will again lead groups of Friends through these tunnels. The journey of exploration begins by descending through a manhole in the Castle grounds then following tunnels under the city streets. Last year this outing attracted great interest and as numbers are limited to 20 per group early booking and payment is essential. Cost: Members: R200; Non-Members: R250. Booking and payment in advance is essential on all outings as numbers are limited.
Above: Garrison Church Below: Table Mountain from the Van Riebeeck Quarry showing some interesting formations taken by Isabel Pinto.
After the traditional braai the group went for a ‘walk in the dark’ past the raucous seagulls, through the streets as far as the lighthouse from where the lights of Cape Town twinkled across the bay and offshore the surf broke over Whale Rock leaving an arc of white foam marking the spot. A sleepover in the former Medium Security Prison was a novel experience for many first-timers and waking to the screeching seagulls set the scene for the day’s activities. The morning began on the beach where the rock formations clearly demonstrated the effects of the wave action over millennia. The penguins watched nearby in curiosity and then disinterest as we scrambled among the rocks. The infamous Lime Quarry was the next stop where the interesting geological features added another aspect to the well-known story. Below: Photos of the lime quarry and Residency building by Vernon Hong. Penguins by Maxine Davies.
The walk took us around the island passing en route the beautiful old Residency building, various World War 2 gun emplacements as far as the Van Riebeeck Quarry where Dr Rogers explained the well defined ripple marks, folded siltstone beds and glistening patches of ‘fools gold’. Crowded nearby was a huge flock of Sacred Ibis who have made the quarry their home. From the quarry, we continued along the coast road, on to Langbaai, where we were told about the dolerite dyke that forms this bay. It was wonderful to see a number of Black Oystercatchers on the rocks enjoying the sunshine and the spray. The ±6 km day’s walk was filled with interesting geological and historical details, beautiful views from every side of the island and the pleasure of walking around this island which is filled with so much history, ancient and modern. Our grateful thanks to Dr John Rogers for once again sharing his specialised geological knowledge of the island and to Mpilileli and Llewellyn for their particular guiding skills and finally to committee member Munro Bloch whose perseverance and determination made this visit happen.
AGM It was very encouraging to see such a good attendance at the AGM last month. As there were no nominations for new committee members the current committee will serve for another year, but we will be looking to co-opt new members from time to time. Rosemary Smythe will take over the role of Committee Chair and Gill Grose will be the Secretary and I will again be the Treasurer for the new financial year. Other committee members are: Bertha Blackwood-Murray, Munro Bloch, Richard Borden, Medeé Rall and Nicola Pallitt. Trevor Wilkins has resigned.
FRIENDS OFFICE
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
I will be away from 27 August to 18 September, the office will be attended intermittently by committee members Rosemary Smythe and Gill Grose. The best way to communicate during that period will be by email, which will be answered regularly, or by cellphone 072 225 6893.
It is a pleasure to welcome new members to the Friends and we look forward to meeting you all at future Friends activities.
FACEBOOK AND TWITTER You can now keep up to date with Friends activities by clicking on our group Facebook page: facebook.com/FriendsofIzikoSAMuseum You can also see what is happening and add your comments on Twitter @FriendsSAMuseum. Your interaction, comments and ideas on these sites will be appreciated.
Claudia Cullom Peter Cullom Julie Lunn and family Leslie Smith Belinda van Heerden Mecheal Wickham I look forward to seeing you all as the year continues. Maxine Davies Friends of Iziko South African Museum
Above: Group photo of Friends on the Robben Island trip by Isabel Pinto.