Local Townships And Arts & Crafts Center

OVERVIEW

Tour some townships where resistance to apartheid was particularly strong in the 1960s and 1970s, and see how they have since flourished artistically and culturally. Receive an insight into the local African culture like no other you have ever experienced, and in doing so, will contribute to the economic upliftment so vital for the people of South Africa. Drive through downtown Port Elizabeth, once a hotbed of political and social resistance to apartheid. As you continue through its neighboring townships, you will notice the vast differences in the residential areas, such as poor, undeveloped Missionvale and middle-class Kwadwesi. Your guide will point out a number of landmarks along the way, including the Native Strangers Location, Livingstone Hospital, and Lithuli Square, which is named for the political activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 for his non-violent opposition to apartheid. Stop for photos at a viewpoint in Kwa Magxaki before proceeding on through several other townships. Stopping in Rhamaphosa Village, a squatter camp, you will enjoy a visit to the community’s Arts and Crafts Center. Several styles of artwork are on display and for sale, all of them deeply personal to the local artists. Some of the subject matter may reflect the legacy of apartheid and how the people have struggled in this part of South Africa.

Drive by Emlotheni Memorial Park, which commemorates the death of six men who were executed in 1964 for defiantly resisting apartheid forces. Then, visit a local school or community center, where you’ll be served some refreshments and have the opportunity to interact with local community members and possibly some school children.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.