We are pleased to announce the launch of the StoryMap,

Picturing uMgungundlovu: iNkosi Dingane kaSenzangakhona’s capital 1829–1838.

‘Picturing uMgungundlovu’ is an account of the Zulu king Dingane’s capital, its intense existence over a period of just nine years followed by its abandonment, and its coming back into view through archaeological and digital research. Our account draws on a range of different sources including the collections of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum.

‘Picturing uMgungundlovu’ presents our efforts to piece together the story of uMgungundlovu. It builds on years of collaborative work between the Five Hundred Year Archive, the metsemegologolo project and curators in Human Sciences at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum. The Five Hundred Year Archive has digitized the uMgungundlovu archive since 2014, and created a website portal to the various materials that are dispersed across several institutions (EMANDULO). The StoryMap was created under the ‘Reframing the African Past’ project directed by Stefania Merlo and Carla Klehm and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (2024/2025).

The launch of ‘Picturing uMgungundlovu’ coincides with International Museum Day as an example of how museum collections can be mobilized for story telling in the digital age.

Connecting Ancient Towns to Contemporary Communities

Museums are no longer just places for the past. They are spaces that link history to today’s world and bridge our understandin of different times and cultures. We are highlighting a video that is posted on our Youtube channel, showing how digital platforms keep evolving conversations about cultural heritage.

Metsemegologolo – meaning ‘ancient towns’ in Setswana – is a digital project that highlights the history of Tswana towns in South Africa and Botswana. It shows the vibrant urban heritage that existed before modern national borders.

In the past, many towns and homesteads thrived across south-eastern Africa. These settlements formed a complex cultural landscape, often overlooked by colonial history. Metsemegologolo brings this history to life using digital tools and research. It is a collaboration of scholars from many fields, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s African Digital Humanities programme (Afridig).

In line with the theme of International Museum Day 2025 – 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities' – Metsemegologolo uses digital experiences to make these stories accessible. It shows how technology can help people explore their heritage and encourage conversations about a sustainable future.

As the world faces big changes, Metsemegologolo shows how museums and digital projects can preserve the past while helping us understand and connect in new ways.

📺 Watch the Metsemegologolo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KpV9fi6UA4