Call and Response: First engagements with a KwaZulu–Natal heritage collection exhibition draws on JAG's recently acquired Maritz collection of heritage artifacts from various parts of the KwaZulu-Natal region. This collection has further enhanced and cemented JAG's reputation for having one of the finest Southern African heritage artifact collections in the world.

The collection of artifacts on this exhibition is of further cultural and historical importance, as it forms part of the trial for the Archive and Public Culture Research Initiative at UCT's 500 Year Archive Project (FHYA). The project focuses on collecting and recording valuable cultural knowledge around artifacts that date from five hundred years immediately before colonialism.

Call and Response… will not only showcase some of the beautiful pieces from the Maritz collection, but JAG will also host a series of four workshops to contribute to the process of gathering little known historical narratives, exploring linguistic nuances, pursuing archival slants and tapping into cultural memory. These workshops will feed into wider discussions, and future exhibitions and publications.

See link below for more information on the 500 Year Archive Project: http://www.apc.uct.ac.za/apc/research/projects/five-hundred-year-archive