NASIONALE
NATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 1984
MUSEUM
Editorial s ta ff/R e d a k s ie M i s s / M e j . A . M o n m g ( E d i t o r / R e d a k t r i s e ) D r C M . E n g e l b r e c h t D r C .D. L y n c h M r . / M n r . J . H a a s b r o e k M r . / M n r E. B o t h a ( A r t i s t / K u n s t e n a a r ) M r s . / M e v . H. d e V i l l i e r s ( T y p e s e t t i n g / S e t w e r k ) FRONT C O V E R /V O O R B L A D -F l o r i s b a d m a n e n t r a w a n t e by d eu r-C ha rl M a ra is M u s e u m n u u s is 'n gr at is ses- maandehkse n u u s b n e f van die NasionaJe M u s e u m , Posbus 266, B l o e m fo n ie m , 9 3 0 0 , Tel (051) 7 9 6 0 9 Enige fot o 's of m l ig ti n g m h i e r d i e n u u s b r i e f m a g m e t e rk en n m g van die bron gerepro- duseer w o r dM u s e u m N ews is a free b i - a n n u a l n ews le tte r of the Nat io n a l M u s e u m , P 0 . Box 266, B lo e m fo n te in , 9 30 0 , Tel ( 0 5 1 ) 7 9 6 0 9 A n y p ho t o g ra p h s or i n f o r m a ti o n pu b li s he d in this n ew sl ett er ma y be reproduced w jt h a c k n o w le d g e m e n t of the source
G edruk deu r die N a sio n a le .M u se u m , B lo e m fo n te in Printed by the N a tio n a l M useum . B loem fo ntein
NUUS
NEWS
NO. 27
Die F l o r i s b a d m a n e n sy t r a w a n t e " l e e f " —
J J. O berholzer en G Oberholzer ... Die W e t e n s k a p l i k e fe it e o o r die " k a r a k t e r s " Fl or is, M r s . Pies, d ie T a u n g - b a b a e n S a l d a n h a —
J .J Oberholzer
Die le g e n d a r i e s e H a n n i e W o l m a r a n s — M .A Venter To kill or n o t t o kill s n a k e s — M.F. Bates ... ... Die R e p tie le v a n die O r a n j e - V r y s t a a t Deel V —
J.H. van Wyk ... Th e l a r g e - s p o t t e d g e n e t — C D . L ynch ... O d d s a n d E n d s / S t u k k i e s e n B r o k k ie s ... K o o p e r a t i e w e b r o e i g e w o o n t e s v a n se ker e V r y s t a a t s e v o e l s — R.A. Ear/6 ... H e w h o w i l l n e v e r keep a p e n n y , w i l l n e v e r h a v e m a n y — E du Ton ... I n h e e m s e bo rn e vir die t u i n — PC . Z ie tsm a n ... O r i b a t e i — L. Coetzee ... O r g a n i s a s i e v a n die N a s i o n a l e M u s e u m / O r g a n i s a t i o n of t h e N a t i o n a l M u s e u m .... Page Bladsy 2 3 5
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9 10 16 22 19 20 24 26 28EDITORIAL
For ce ntu rie s m u s e u m s have existed and w ill co ntin ue to exist as in s t itu tio n s w he re a rtifa c ts are collected and preserved. M a n can learn fro m these a rtifa c ts w h ic h offer each n ew generatio n the o p p o r tu n ity for c u ltu ra l, n atu ra l and educatio na l e n ric h m e n t.
However, it has become inc reasingly d if fic u lt to accom plish the tra d itio n a l fu n c t io n s of m u s e um s , not in the least because of the fin a n c ia l crisis, but perhaps because of a p rio rity crisis.
The m us e um is a d is tin c t and u niqu e in s titu tio n , created by man, to fu lf ill a role, however, if the e s ta b lis h m e n t needs and w a n t s m use um s, it w ill have to accept th a t a m u s e u m p e r se is as im p o rta n t and as essential, if not m ore so, as fo r instance a n ew and beautifu l (if not costly) rugby s ta d iu m and opera house. A fte r all, as D.F. Cameron, Director of the Brooklyn M u s e u m , states: " A m u s e u m provides o p p o rtu n ity for re a ffirm a tio n of the fa ith ; it is a place for private and in tim a te experience, a lth o u g h it is shared w i t h m a n y others, it is, in concept, the temple of the m use w h e re today's personal experience of life can be viewed in the conte xt of the w o rk s of God t h ro u g h all the ages, the arts of m an th ro u g h all the y e ars ." (In scriptio n at the e n tran c e to the Royal O n ta rio M u s e u m , Canada).
Very p hilosophical, one m ig h t say, but there is also a realistic need fo r m use um s. M od e rn te c hn olo gy has an e ver-increasing im pact on m a n k in d and on m use um s. N ew lab o u r-s a v in g m achin ery, in d u s tria l reo rg inisatio n , the c om puter, and the relocation of people are factors conducive to more leisure tim e n o w and, even more so, in the fu tu re. M a n y more people w i ll have the choice of w o r k in g at n ig h t instead of d u rin g the day; there w i ll be m a n y m illio n s of people w i t h m uch more time on th eir hands, and there w ill c o nse qu en tly be longer vacations. A s W .A . Burns, Director of the San Diego N atural H istory M u s e u m , says: For s e lf fu lfillm e n t these people w ill be searching for outlets, for hobbies, fo r a v oc a tion s w h i c h may become more m e a n in g fu l to th em th a n th eir e m plo ym ent.
M u s e u m s can satisfy m a n y of these people's needs in te rm s of the " g o o d s " th ey have to offer, nam ely a rtifa c ts and h ig h ly qualifie d personnel. Alas! there is inva ria bly in s u ffic ie n t room in w h ic h to establish, cura te a n d a c c o m m od a tethe s e. Time h a s c o m e f o r t h e e s ta b lis h m e n t to take a n o the r look at its p rio rity list and to realize the value and the c o n tr ib u tio n s of m u s e u m s . L ik e u n i v e r s i t i e s , m u s e u m s a re e du c a tio n a l and research in s titu tio n s w h ic h are essential in the life of any society th at p urpo rts c lv llls a t lo n - C.D. LYNCH
