Contents

No. 15, January 1984

Articles

• The establishment and growth of Empangeni. / Minnaar, AdV
• Eerste fabrieken: die beginpunt van nywerheidsontwikkeling in die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. / Ferreira, OJO
• Cape Town's municipal services a century ago. / Taylor, R
• The temple at Melrose. / Naidoo, T

Book reviews

• Hocking, A. 1983. Kaias and cocopans: the story of mining in South Africa's Northern Cape. [Book review] / Snyman, PHR
• Saunders, C., Phillips, H. & Van Heyningen, E. 1981. Studies in the history of Cape Town. [Book review] / Van Breda, P

Editorial

The regional historian studies the changes that affect community life in a specific geographical area over a period of time. One aspect of change which is of interest is the interaction between a community and the physical environment on which it is to a certain extent dependent. Man is, on the one hand, influenced by it, while on the other hand he is trying to shape it to serve his own interests best. The process by which the natural landscape was changed into a cultural landscape and the implications it had for the community were in the past interpreted too simplistically. The establishment of a cultural landscape was regarded somehow as the process by which the wilderness of thorn and thistle was uprooted to clear the soil for the nobler vineyard and wheatfield; the predator was exterminated for the safety of man and his flocks and herds, and rivers and streams were dammed up to provide water for man, animal, and plant in times of drought.

The establishment of the so-called cultural landscape is not, however, an unqualified return to paradise conditions. In creating it the ecological systems unfortunately are damaged, sometimes unnecessarily, often irrevocably. The long-term effects of this are the pollution of air and water sources, and the dislocation of plant and animal life. The magnitude of the damage perpetrated in the name of progress has not yet been fully realised, either by those affected by it, or by those causing it.

It has taken culture-creating, nature-controlling man a long time to realise that nature and culture are not necessarily diametrically opposed to each other and that a community cannot, regardless of its culturecreative activities, exist without nature. It is therefore imperative and essential that the researcher of regional history, while studying the establishment of the cultural landscape, should give attention to the degree of neglect involved when the close link between man and nature is considered, and to the price paid for unfettered technological development for the sake of economic growth and progress.

Redaksioneel

Die streekhistorikus bestudeer die verandering in tyd wat plaasvind ten opsigte van 'n gemeenskap se lewe binne 'n bepaalde geografiese gebied. Die wisselwerking tussen die gemeenskap en die fisiese omgewing waarin hy hom bevind en waaruit hy in meerdere of mindere mate moet lewe, ook die wyse waarop die mens enersyds deur die omgewing beïnvloed word en die mate waarin hy dit andersyds onderwerp en tot sy voordeel benut, is maar een faset van verandering wat die streekhistorikus interesseer. Die proses waardeur die natuurlandskap in 'n kultuurlandskap omskep word en die implikasies daarvan vir die gemeenskap is in die verlede te simplisties vertolk. Die totstandkoming van 'n kultuurlandskap is beskou as die proses waardeur die woesteny van doring en distel ontwortel is om plek te maak vir die edeler wingerd en graanland, die roofdier uitgeroei is ter wille van die veiligheid van die mens en sy veetroppe en waardeur riviere en strome opgedam is sodat daar ook in tye van droogte vir mens, dier en plant water kan wees.

Die totstandkoming van die sogenaamde kultuurlandskap is egter nie 'n ongekwalifiseerde terugkeer na die paradystoestand nie. In die skepping daarvan word die ekologiese stesels ongelukkig versteur, dikwels onnodig en soms onherstelbaar. Die langtermynuitwerking daarvan is die besoedeling van die lug en waterbronne en die grootskaalse ontwrigring van plante- en dierelewe. Die werklike omvang van die skade wat aangerig is en steeds aangerig word in die naam van voortuitgang, word waarskynlik nog nie deur almal wat daarby betrokke is en direk daardeur geraak word, besef nie.

Dit het die kultuurskeppende, natuuronderwerpende mens lank geneem om maar enigsins te begryp dat kultuur en natuur nie noodwendig twee teen pole moet wees nie en dat die menslike gemeenskap, ondanks al sy kultuurskeppende aktiwiteite, nie buite die natuurdimensie kan bestaan nie. Daarom is dit noodsaaklik dat die streekhistorikus in die bestudering van die totstandkoming van die kultuurlandskap aandag sal gee aan die mate waarin nagelaat is om rekening te hou met die noue band tussen die mens en die natuur en die prys wat betaal word vir onbeteuelde tegnologiese ontwikkeling ter wille van ekonomiese groei en vooruitgang.