Cape Town - Well-known Capetonians showed their support for the Cape Heritage Museum at a gala dinner fundraiser hosted at the Castle of Good Hope on Saturday night.
The award-winning museum, which is located in the Castle, was established less than two years ago and boasts over 1000 paintings, artefacts, photographs and relics.
The collection seeks to tell the story of the Cape’s history from the perspective of indigenous people - from the arrival of the Dutch East Indian Company and British Imperialism, the slave trade and the emancipation of the slaves to the vibrant cultures of District Six and Bo-Kaap.
The event was MCed by museum curator and director Igshaan Higgins, and attracted luminaries and guest speakers such as retired judge Siraj Desai, Reverend Dr Allan Boesak, Castle of Good Hope CEO Calvyn Gilfellan, McDonald’s director of operations Maureen Williams, religious leaders and the Survé family.
Higgins, who had collected items for the museum over a period of 25 years, explained his vision for the exhibition: "What we need is social cohesion, where everybody can call themselves proudly South African. There's lots of lip service to it, but there's nothing real to hold onto, and the best place to start is museums and art galleries and places of culture."
He added that the museum hoped to build on its success, after winning a Preferred Heritage Destination award by the National Heritage Council earlier this year.
"This museum is to my mind 10% of what it needs to be, so we need to build on it. We have national awards, now we are seeking international awards. South Africans can be world beaters and that's where we are heading with this museum."
Desai highlighted the importance of art and culture to solve the country's problems.
"Culture is the struggle of all of us to create a better society for our common humanity. In this museum, you [Higgins] beautifully reflect through paintings the pain and anguish of the people in them.
"As we search for a better society, we look to this museum, the wonderful artefacts that reflect our past, but also create a vision for our future."
The evening was concluded with a lively concert by Kader Muller’s Cape Town 7 Steps Minstrels band, and an auction of prizes and artworks in aid of the museum.