When the Past Transforms: A Case Study from a Western Cape Wine Farm

In post-apartheid South Africa, various uses of the troubled past have been viewed as holding the key to release and change for a different kind of future. Critiques of memory work initiatives identify some of the key limitations to such efforts as being lack of changes in the quality of lives for participants, and limitations on ownership of the knowledge. The Solms-Delta wine farm in the Western Cape provides a case study of a place which claims that genuine transformation has occurred. Intensive grappling with the layers of history in its own past laid a foundation for economic restructuring of the farm. This made it possible to both substantially raise the standard of living of workers living there, as well as allow community participation in defining the content of two museums, an indigenous restaurant and garden. The outcome of the evolving transformation was a creative turn which allowed residents to express themselves and build community in positive ways. The case study shows how multiple levels and approaches to using the past can be effective in bringing lasting changes in the quality of people's lives, as well as lay a foundation for even greater equity in the future.