Members of the recently-formed Ngoba Wilderness Group (NWG), from the amaNgwane Traditional Authority Area near Bergville, visited the Museum on 26 April on the invitation of the Museum’s Department of Human Sciences. The visit was arranged so that the members of the NWG could see firsthand what the Museum does and how it is linked to natural and cultural resources. The NWG was formed by the Ngoba community in order to increase awareness of their natural resources and to take steps to turn these resources to the advantage of the community through, for example, tourism. Besides these natural resources, however, are also remnants of the heritage of Bushman groups who lived and painted in the area before the arrival of the amaNgwane. These rock art painting sites are not well known to rock art researchers and the KZN Museum is keen to include these ‘new’ sites on their database. More importantly, the new rock art data from Ngoba has the potential to create new research questions.

The NWG guests were taken on a tour of the Museum galleries by Museum Information Officer, Sandile Cele and the curator of rock art, Jeremy Hollmann. The visitors were also treated to a behind the scenes tour, into the Archaeology Storeroom in which rock art, tracings and photographs of rock art are stored. After the tour of the Museum and a late lunch the visitors were transported back to Ngoba.  We hope that the NWG members have a better idea about the role of museums and their importance in recording and understanding our heritage and we look forward to continued co-operation with them.

Photo below: Information Officer, Sandile Cele explains a point to members of the Ngoba Wilderness Group (NWG): from left to right are Sandile Hlongwane (NWG facilitator), Muphembeni Hlongwane, Bongani Hlongwane, Bonisiwe Mabaso, and Mantombi Kubheka.

KwaZulu-Natal Museum ranks among the top National Museums in South Africa's, a cultural and natural history museum renowned for its unique collections - there are eight natural history and around ten cultural history galleries that include an array of mammals (together with the last wild elephant in KwaZulu-Natal), birds, amphibians, insects, an extensive mollusc collection (there are few South African land snails that are not represented in the Natal Museum) and a life-size T-Rex model.

There is also a room dedicated to KwaZulu-Natal history, geological and Paleontological material, and a reconstruction of a Victorian street set in the late 1800's, complete with shops, stable and period homes. Take a walk through a life size recreation of a Drakensberg cave with rock art drawings or a walk on the wooden deck of a wrecked trading vessel in our Towns and Trade Exhibition.

What makes the KwaZulu-Natal Museum particularly interesting is the array of interesting temporary exhibitions that give the museum a definite dynamic advantage. Temporary exhibitions and happenings have included an exploration of the history of segregation in the US, xenophobic violence, children’s art exhibition. The Museum officially opened an exhibition on the Soccer World Cup, in 2010 celebrating local soccer heroes and also incorporate many interactive elements to the display. The 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indian people to South Africa was celebrated in November 2010, with the launch of a new permanent exhibition showcasing the Indian community of Pietermaritzburg. 

The Museum is also very popular with the schools and family visitors alike. The museum boasts an internet café with an impressive 16 computers, resource library for learners and film room.