The Kara Heritage Institute, a leading heritage organisation

Kara Heritage Institute was in the news last week. We were profiled by The Pretoria News which provided an excellent overview of what we do. Thank you to Daniel Miles who wrote the article. Click on the image below to read the whole article. 

 The Kara Heritage Institute and The International Institue of Integral Human Sciences invites you to the two Public Lectures

1. The Spiritual, Psychic and Intellectual Development of Individual by Dr. Marilyn Rossner

2. Karaism-The Spiritual Philosophy of Light  by Dr.Mathole Motshekga
                                                                                

Date: 01 February 2015

Venue: Kara Heritage Institute, Cnr Khosi Mampuru & Madiba Streets,  Pretoria

Time: 10h00-13h00 

The two lectures will be followed by Yoga demonstrations.  

 To RSVP contact  Ms Catherine Lodi: Tel:012 323 7737, Email: cathylodi@kara.co.za

Aquila Steel South Africa, a subsidiary of Australian company wants to open an iron ore mine in Madimatle mountain  area in Thabazimbi ,Limpopo. Many reside fear mining in the area will damage the site ,which traditional healers used for generation to commune with the ancestors.

Click to watch  Dr. Mathole Motshekga and Director of Weksmans Attorney's Bulelwa Mabasa on Newsroom

While  indigenous knowledge in Africa is associated with the continent's cultural and ecological diversities, a lot of African people have not utilized the opportunities therein to solve specific developmental and environmental problems. Working in the value chains of their produce, and in most cases using indigenous knowledge, African women have challenges to protect their intellectual property. African women ,especially smallholder farmers in the rural areas of most countries constitutes 80% of the agricultural production. Universities in the continent need to undertake the important task of changing the mindset of people in-order to achieve the rural development embodied within the indigenous knowledge system. How does Africa celebrate its intellectual property?

Click to listen to Dr. Mathole Motshekga's discussion on Our Heritage -Chanel Africa

 FESTIVOIRE 225

 From the 3rd to the 6th December 2015

Under the Patronage of the Minister of State ,Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cote d'Ivoire

Under the chairmanship of the Minister of Culture of Cote d'Ivoire,

The Bureau of Arts and Culture Of the Embassy of Cote d'Ivoire in South Africa

has the  honour to invite you to the ceremony of the 2nd edition of the Ivorian Cultural Festival

On the 4th December 2015 FESTIVOIRE celebration comes to Kara Heritage Institute (music,dance and fashion show)

Venue: Kara Heritage Institute

Time: 17:00-18:00 pm

Office:012 346 2660

Cell:078 498 7235 /073 176 9339

10th South African  Literary Awards(SALA) 2015

Celebrating Africa's Literary and Arts  Heritage

6th- 7th November 2015

EVENT                                                  DATE&TIME                                            ENTRY FEE

SALA featuring                                      7th November                                        R150PP(R200 VIP at computicket)

Afreelimarts Live Show                           18H30-23H00                                         R180PP at venue NO VIP ticket.

Conference                                            6th&7th November                                  R300 PP/Per Day

Africawriterplayarts Expo                        6th &  7th November                                Adults R60 computicket (R70 at venue)

                                                                                                                          Children R20 computicket( R30 at venue) 

Poetry and music                                  6th November                                           R70 PP at venue   

Jam session                                          18H30-22H00                                           R60 at computicket

News alert: Dr Mathole Motshekga is in Beijing to address the International Symposium on China Studies. Dr Motshekga is speaking on: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHINESE AND AFRICAN HERITAGE AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS.

The Symposium is hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The Symposium is supported by the Chinese National Academy of Arts Centre of international Cultural Exchange and Ning Bo municipal government.

The meeting is attended and addressed by international Think Tanks throughout the world.The conference is highlighting the role of Sinology and in particular history and culture in shaping the image of China abroad.

The 10th South African Literary Awards and the 4th Africa Century International African Writers Conference will be held on 6-7 November 2015 at the Tshwane Events Centre. The theme of the conference will be “Contribution of the African Writer to the Development of the Continent: Inclusion, Equality and Development in African Literature.”

 

Dr Mathole Motshekga will participate in a panel discussion at the conference: The Role of Mother Tongue in Influencing and Shaping our Political, Social, Cultural and Economic Landscape in the 21^st Century Onwards.

 

Tickets are available at Computicket. 

 

The African identity transcends race, class, gender, creed, ethnicity and tribe.

This was the message conveyed by Dr Mathole Motshekga earlier this month during Heritage Day celebrations held by the Department of Labour. Together with the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the department held its Heritage Day celebrations at the Kara Heritage Institute in Pretoria on 2 October 2015. The theme of the event was recognition of the diversity of South Africa's ethnic groups.

As chairman of the Kara Heritage Institute, Dr Motshekga addressed the audience on the roots of African identity and religion based on his studies of ancient African history going back some 5,000 years. He explained that African culture, language and religion unify us in our diversity.

"The African identity provides a unique foundation for unity in diversity of both indigenous Africans and all people who have made this country their home," said Dr Motshekga. 

In his speech, Dr Motshekga  outlined the historical origins of African astronomy, philosophy and cultural practices. He touched on the similarities in interpretation of  the annual calender between groups as diverse as the Muslim and Jewish religions and ancient African views on seasons and the time of the annual New Year, and suggested that all people of Africa (including South Africa) should draw on this knowledge to build social cohesion.  

"The greatest challenge today is to revive, preserve and develop Africa's cultural heritage as the foundation of African unity in diversity, African identity and African pride. Our common humanity (Ubuntu) is the glue that we need to build a socially cohesive South Africa and Africa," he concluded. 

The day was a rewarding and enriching experience for all attendees and guests also enjoyed displays of traditional dancing and presentations by various cultural heritage groups.

Kara is assisting unemployed youth to register for Heritage Practice Learnerships. Registration closes 25 September 2015. Download more information here.