Mar 17, 2015 robben island also served as a leper colony, starting in 1845. Robben island simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It was a highsecurity prison where nelson mandela was held captive for 18 years. The island is a unesco world heritage site and has served as a whaling station, a leper colony and most notably as a prison, where south africas nelson mandela spent 18 years of his 27 years of incarceration before being elected as the countrys first democratic. Robben island has a chequered history of maritime contacts. Robben island is a small island in table bay near cape town, south africa. In this world history lesson plan, students research the challenges of zimbabwe, such as hunger, poverty, low life expectancy and.
Guide to the history and importance of robben island. It is a declared cultural institution in accordance with the cultural institutions act of 1998. Jun 01, 2004 military history journal vol no 1 june 2004 robben islands role in coastal defence, 1931 1960. My prison number was 2779 and i was 24 years old when i was sentenced to 26 years behind bars for treason by the apartheid government. Vol no 1 june 2004 south african military history society. Office of the public protector requested rim to account for dpw activities on the.
Robben island is a complex, sensitive ecosystem and as such is protected by south african law as a nature conservation area. Robben island, nelson mandela gateway, mayibuye archives, jetty 1. The fact files at the end of the book focus on the legacy of nelson mandela. Apr 27, 2018 i was the 27th prisoner of the year 1979 on robben island. Robben island museum expolitical prisoners portraits. Their presence truly makes robben island history come to life. Smith mentally ill patient political imprisonment landscape. Apr 28, 2014 cape town, 28 april 2014 robben island has played a variety of roles in south african history.
The purpose is to illustrate how robben islands use as. Review of robben island narrative interpretation plan and visitor. He appears in court for the first time in what becomes known as the rivonia trial. Unesco declared robben island in the western cape a world. In addition to this it is designated a world heritage site and has to balance additional stringent conservation requirements in line with rims mission of ensuring public access to the islands heritage. The new england hurricane of 1938 grades 79 roger williams. Unesco declared robben island in the western cape a world heritage site in 1999. The venue was chosen as an attractive marketing plan, but also because the hosting page 1 of 8. Robben island a brief history south africa travel news. The robben island guidelines university of minnesota. Prince edward island and confederation grades 67 battle of midway island grades 68 ellis island of the west angel island grades 68 the galapagos islands grades 68 the long island express. Nelson mandela biography wayne county school district.
In table bay, a body of water off the coast of south africa, is an island called robben island. Robben island has a long history as a site where outcasts and rebel oppo nents of various settler and colonial governments were abandoned and im prisoned. Long walk to freedom by nelson mandela part 6 robben island. Robben island, a desolate outcropping five miles offshore, is a testament to courage and fortitude in the face of brutality, a mustsee for any visitor to south africa. Pdf this article explores hope as a technology of collective governance through an exploration of the work that is being done to celebrate. However, he was able to earn a bachelor of law degree through a university of london correspondence program while incarcerated. This article originally published on november 15, 2010.
Cape town, 28 april 2014 robben island has played a variety of roles in south african history. South african military history society journal robben. Robben island also served as a leper colony, starting in 1845. Robben island museum was declared a world heritage site in december 1999. It takes its name from the dutch word for seals robben, hence the dutchafrikaans name robbeneiland which translates to seals island. Pdf this article is a critical examination of a conservation project on the. Islands activities, worksheets, printables, and lesson plans. See what you know about the island with questions on key. I was the 27th prisoner of the year 1979 on robben island. The island is a unesco world heritage site and has served as a whaling station, a leper colony and most notably as a prison, where south africas nelson mandela spent 18 years of his 27 years of incarceration before being elected as the countrys first democratic president. Built environment conservation manual and the hosting.
Mandela is found guilty of sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment. See what you know about the island with questions on key points like what the term robben means and which. Initially this was done on a voluntary basis and the lepers were free to leave the island if they wished. In fact, the island was named after the seals that were all over it a long time ago. From being a leper colony and mental hospital to a maximumsecurity prison. Robben island was used as a place to keep people in prison. Activeactivities south africas leading online marketplace for kids activities. Although it is just a few kilometres long and a barely swimmable distance from cape town, it may well be the most significant historical site in south africa today. Although it is just a few kilometres long and a barely swimmable distance from cape town, it may well be the most. Lets explore the history of robben island to find out.
These provide background information about the history of south africa, apartheid, robben island and the importance to south africa of the 1995 rugby world cup. Robben island has a long history as a site where outcasts and rebel opponents of various settler and colonial governments were abandoned and imprisoned. For nearly 400 years, robben island, 12 kilometres from cape town, was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. Robben island lies approximately 12 kilometers from cape town and for the past 400 years this island has had anything but a peaceful history the island has become synonymous with heartache, despair and a place where people were dumped for various reasons, most of those reasons horrify us today and we often cannot image what it must have been like, what the. Its buildings, particularly those of the late 20th century. The name comes from the many seals robben in dutch that once lived there. The nelson mandela who emerges from long walk to freedom. Robben island south africa history and gripping facts. Robben island is a place, where people can learn from and acknowledge the history of our world. Robben island, island in table bay, western cape province, south africa. At one time it was the home of many different species of wildlife including penguins, tortoises, and birds.
He and the other political prisoners were forced to work at the limestone quarries on the island. Find south african history lesson plans and worksheets. Discussion points for part 6 chapters 2435 in ppt and pdf format. What emerges is that robben island s history and the memories and meanings associated with it extend far beyond the current emphasis on postapartheid south africa celebrating its new democracy and a triumph over a dark past. Pdf memory, oral history and conservation at robben islands. Robben island lies approximately 12 kilometers from cape town and for the past 400 years this island has had anything but a peaceful history the island has become synonymous with heartache, despair and a place where people were dumped for various reasons, most of those reasons horrify us today and we often cannot image what it must have been like, what the conditions were for the poor souls. When the dutch arrived at the cape in 1652, they began using the island as a port and a grazing station for sheep and cattle.
In this nelson mandela activity and progress test worksheet, students respond to a total of 39 short answer, multiple choice, matching, and fill in the blank questions pertaining to nelson mandela. Robben island is located in table bay, some 6km west of bloubergstrand, and stands some 30m above sea level. The dark years chapters 2435these lessons plans and quizzes are designed to go along with the hrw holt, rinehart, winston with connections editionlisting includes. Activity invisible messages read the writers words. Robben island as venue for diversity work the researchers were part of the founding team of the robben island diversity experience ride. What emerges is that robben islands history and the memories and meanings associated with it extend far beyond the current emphasis on postapartheid south africa celebrating its new democracy and a triumph over a dark past. Robben island museum rim is a public entity responsible for managing, maintaining, presenting, developing and marketing robben island as a national estate and world heritage site.
Robben island has a long and comprehensive history. On 1 january 1997, robben island became the home to the robben island museum, a national museum and monument that displays its astounding history to the many tourists who flock there in search of more information and understanding about south africas past. Robben island is both a south african national heritage site as well as a unesco world. Introduction robben island museum was established in 1997. By marinda weideman this article is based on the authors ma research report, robben islands coastal defence, 1931 1960, completed at the university of the witwatersrand, department of political studies, in 1998. The island was a prison for political and common law prisoners from the 1960s to the early 1990s. It is about 5 miles 8 kilometers from the mainland and 6. It was here at robben island that rulers sent those regarded as. Find, compare and select kids activities in robben island 7400. To make robben island and its history relevant werkstattgeschichte.
Robben island has been used as prison and a place where people were isolated, banished and exiled to for nearly 400 years. Robben island has a rich multilayered history, shaped by its many different occupants and uses, dating back to about 800 million years. Robben island is a lowlying outcrop of rock and sand guarding the entrance to south africas table bay. The buildings of robben island bear eloquent witness to its sombre history. A visit to robben island, the brutal prison that held mandela. Military history journal vol no 1 june 2004 robben islands role in coastal defence, 1931 1960. Robben island is a small landmass located just seven kilometres four miles off the coast of cape town, in table bay.
It is 5 miles 8 km west of the mainland and 6 miles 10 km north of cape town and has an approximate area of 5 square miles square km. Rim receives 40% of its annul budget as a subsidy from dac the museum opened its doors to the public on 01 january 1997. Robben island is an island near cape town in south africa. The known historical record of robben island can be described broadly, as. Robben island gallery unesco world heritage centre.
Robben island, nelson mandela gateway, mayibuye archives, jetty 1 and quay 500. Robben island is a place synonymous with leaders and for the struggle of freedom in south africa and a place where you can see the reflection of triumph of the human spirit. Mandela is moved from an isolated prison in robben island to pollsmoor prison in the suburbs of cape town. David philip and mayibuye books, 1996, and harriet deacon, a history of the medical institutions on robben island ph. We are going to cape town at easter and whilst we are keen to do all the kid friendly things, my husband and i are keen for us all to balance the view of sa with some sense of the history and troubles of the past by visiting robben island.
As of 2 april 2019, robben island has officially been declared a marine protected area by the department of environmental affairs. Robben island robben is derived from dutch, and means seal was named after the large number of seals that once populated its shores. Robben island is facing several serious threats to its integrity as a proclaimed world heritage site and a worldfamous tourism destination. Jul 17, 2018 their presence truly makes robben island history come to life. These threats include the lack of a top manager for the. Robben island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. They were not allowed to talk or do anything but work. The purpose is to illustrate how robben island s use as. The robben island workshop on the prevention of torture has adopted the following guidelines and measures for the prohibition and prevention of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and propose that they are adopted, promoted and implemented within africa. About 430 years ago, botolomeu dias sailed his ship into table bay and found robben island. Founder of providence, rhode island grades 79 falkland islands history. Its name is the dutch word for seals, once plentiful in the surrounding waters.
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