African Origins Month aims to remind South Africans of their rich fossil, cultural and genetic heritage – and to excite learners about following careers in the sciences, a growth sector in South Africa.
PROGRAMME:
Saturday, 3 September
11:00 Bead work: making lizards (entry fee + R5 ● age 6+)
Discover how jewellery was developed in our country, as well as the animal influence on African bead work designs.
15:00 Planting trees
Celebrate arbour week and plant a tree. (entry fee only ● all ages)
Sunday, 4 September
11:00 Discovering different South African cultures and traditions: puppet making (entry fee only ● age 4+)
Learn about different patterns and styles of dress that are linked to the various cultural groups in South Africa, make a puppet with a traditional outfit.
15:00 Tree Art (entry fee only ● age 5+)
Learn about tree conservation and protection while making a tree using paint to create tree art.
Saturday, 10 September
11:00 Making Fractals (entry fee only ● age 10+)
What is a fractal you may ask, a fractal is a geometrical figure in which similar patterns recur at progressively smaller scales, and in describing partly random or chaotic phenomena such as crystal growth and galaxy formation. African cultures have been using fractals for centuries in village design. Join us to create your own fractal in a fascinating drawing activity.
15:00 Demonstration: African instruments & sound (entry fee only ● all ages)
Interactive showcase of different African instruments and an explanation as to how sound energy works and how different instruments make different sounds.
Sunday, 11 September
11:00 Sand Paper Art – Cave Drawings (entry fee + R5 ● all ages)
Join in a discussion about different animals in cave paintings, as well as the tools cavemen would have used to make their own cave paintings, you to can make cave art paintings.
15:00 Demonstration: Heart dissection (entry fee only ● age 10+)
Discover the intricacies of the heart and the various veins and arteries in the heart, as well as some information about the first heart transplant at Groote Schuur.
Saturday, 17 September
11:00 African Textiles: Stamp prints (entry fee + R5 ● all ages)
Learn about different printing techniques on fabric, and do some printing techniques of your own.
15:00 Indigenous masks (entry fee only ● all ages)
Learn about the use of masks in different indigenous cultures and then make your own mask to take home.
Sunday, 18 September
11:00 Traditional Drums (entry fee + R5 ● age 5+)
Music has been a long time tradition in many South African cultures. Come along and make a drum and discover how they work. (bring your own coffee tin and join the workshop for free)
15:00 Indigenous farming (entry fee only ● age 8+)
Indigenous communities actually had a lot of valuable knowledge about farming in the difficult African climate. Learn about these techniques and why they work, then grow your own bean to take home.
Saturday, 24 September
11:00 Sundials (entry fee only ● age 5+)
Learn about different ways that humans have measured the passage of time and then make your own sundial and put it to the test.
15:00 Zulu Love Letters (entry fee + R5 ● age 5+)
Learn about the symbolism of different colours in Zulu beadwork and design your own beadwork to give to someone you love.
Sunday, 25 September
11:00 Under African Skies (entry fee only ● age 7+)
What constellations are currently in the sky for us to see? Discover where they are, how to find them and what they look like in this interactive workshop.
15:00 Marshmallow Constellations (entry fee + R5 ● all ages)
Make your own delicious constellations out of marshmallows, or try to copy some of the constellations that are currently in our skies, either way this is a yummy workshop.