The One Year Long Postgraduate Diploma in Heritage Management (PGDHM) raises the issue of Africa’s position in regional and global heritage management discourses, while highlighting the particularities of local contexts in South Africa. It aims to create spaces where participants meet to, (i) draw upon the insights that different contexts offer to interrogate current heritage management practices, and imagine fresh possibilities beyond, and (ii), develop nuanced and high-level conceptualisations of the field of heritage management and its possibilities. As part of the academic programme linked to community service-learning approach of the PGDHM, the students will be on placement at Amazwi as an institution of their choice where the student and the institution will have a commonly agreed workplan for the duration of the placement (Taruvinga 2023).
At Amazwi, the staff have customized the students’ workplan to meet the required outcomes of the course. During the first week, the students were orientated to the museum environment, given a general tour of Amazwi exhibitions and also did a behind the scenes tour. They also started the process of shadowing some staff as well as some library shelfing. They were also involved in the Nelson Mandela Day event that Amazwi participated in at the Settlers Day Hospital; the students are also expected to participate in organizing and executing events in line with other Commemorative Days such as the Women’s Day.
The students were also given a tour of the Amazwi Garden which consists of plants characteristic of the four biomes within the Makhanda area. They have also participated in an education programme where the Diocesan School for Girls and the St Andrew’s College’s grade 9s visited Amazwi for a tour of the museum and a presentation on literary works. Overall, Amazwi also aims at to train the students to understand the South African and Eastern Cape Museum and Heritage setting. Amazwi is grateful for an opportunity in contributing towards development of the students’ professional skills whilst acquiring significant industry experience. Stay tuned for more activities that the students will partake in within the coming weeks!