Thesis (MA(VA))--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the extent to which the cuff and the collar as semiotic entities played
a significant role in the symbolic expression of power and oppression in the seventeenth
century Cape of Good Hope. These entities were visually naturalised by the Eurocentric
imperialist hegemony at the Cape and offered as undisputed ‘truth’. These symbols
permeated the collective consciousness of the society at the Cape on both a physical and
cognitive level. The white ruff and cuffs, and the shackles of the slaves represented
physical restraints, whilst mentally the slaves were confronted with identity construction
and deconstruction. ‘The self’ was pitted against ‘the Other’, and these European values
and hierarchies were enforced on the society at the Cape by creating dualistic
relationships. An identity implies a certain amount of power. For this reason, the Europeans
stripped the slaves of their identities in order to gain control over them. This theory,
together with the investigation into the hybrid characteristic of culture as a product of
colonialism and slavery at the Cape, will be established concurrently with the aim of my
practical work — The Ruff/Rough Collection, The Shackle Collection, and The Soft Steel
Collection. This body of work aims to deconstruct the boundaries and hierarchies
established by the cuff and the collar (as symbols of the power and oppression paradigm)
at the Cape. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die mate waarin die mouboordjie (‘cuff’) en die kraag (‘collar’) as
semiotiese entiteite ’n beduidende rol gespeel het in die simboliese uitdrukking van mag en
onderdrukking aan die Kaap de Goede Hoop in die sewentiende eeu. Hierdie simbole is
visueel deur die Eurosentriese imperialistiese leierskap ingevoer en as onbetwisbare
waarheid van hul mag en heerskappy voorgehou. Dié simbole het die kollektiewe bewussyn
van die samelewing aan die Kaap op ’n fisieke en geestelike vlak geïnfiltreer. Die wit
plooikraag (‘ruff’) wat die Europeërs gedra het om hulself as ‘meesters’ te vestig, en die
boeie van die slawe het fisieke beperkings verteenwoordig, terwyl die slawe geestelik
gekonfronteer is met die opbou en afbreek van hulle identiteit. ‘Die ek’ is teen ‘die
Ander’gestel en Europese waardes is op grond van die Eurosentriese ingesteldheid van die
‘meesters’ op die samelewing afgedwing as ‘n dualistiese verhouding. ’n Identiteit
impliseer ’n sekere graad van mag. Daarom het die Europeërs die slawe van hulle identiteit
gestroop om sodoende mag oor hulle te verkry. Hierdie teorie, asook die ondersoek na die
hibridiese eienskap van kultuur as ’n produk van kolonialisme en slawerny aan die Kaap,
sal konkurrent met die doel van my praktiese werk — The Ruff/Rough Collection, The
Shackle Collection en The Soft Steel Collection — gevestig word. Die doel van hierdie
versameling kontemporêre juweliersware is om die grense en hiërargieë te dekonstrueer,
wat deur die mouboordjie (‘cuff’) en die kraag (‘collar’) (as simbole van die mag- en
onderdrukkingsparadigma) tot stand gebring is aan die Kaap de Goede Hoop.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86543 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Kruger, Carla Maxine |
| Contributors | Terreblance, Carine, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiii, 144 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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