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Title: | 'I Respect Custom, But I am Not a Tribalist': The ANC, the Congress of Traditional Leaders, and Designer Tradition |
Author: | Klopper, Sandra |
Year: | 1998 |
Periodical: | South African Historical Journal |
Issue: | 39 |
Period: | November |
Pages: | 129-142 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | South Africa |
Subjects: | 1990 African National Congress (South Africa) traditional rulers traditions conference papers (form) Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) History and Exploration Ethnic and Race Relations Politics and Government nationalism |
External link: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02582479808671333 |
Abstract: | In recent years, South Africa has become a veritable sartorial treasure house as returning exiles and local dignitaries seek to redefine and reshape their social and political identities. More often than not, this desire has witnessed a renewed interest in African styles, at least some of which are associated with cultural practices that are at odds with the country's new-found commitment to the idea of democratic governance. This article focuses on Contralesa (Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa) and its leader, Phatekile Holomisa, who, in his clothing, seeks to integrate the idea of designer sophistication with that of rural continuity, but who is also concerned with notions of revolutionary transformation. There are several obvious parallels between Holomisa's apparent belief that traditional rule and democracy cannot be regarded as self-contained, politically distinct entities, and the ANC's concern to endorse the democratic face of tradition through its active patronage of praise singers. The ANC's and Contralesa's metaphorical and sometimes literal efforts to dress up in each other's clothes notwithstanding, these two organizations clearly have found it increasingly difficult to bridge the gap between seemingly incompatible cultural and political values. Notes, ref. |