Researching and Celebrating Kaaps

The 3rd Kaaps Symposium was held on the 15th and 16th of August 2024, at the UWC Centre for Humanities Research Iyatsiba Lab in Woodstock, Cape Town. The event was jointly hosted by the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR), the Afrikaans and Nederlands department and Linguistics department at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and the Comité International Permanent des Linguistes – Permanent International Committee of Linguistics (CIPL).

*Books written in Kaaps were sold at the Symposium. Photo Credit: Jason Richardson (CMDR/SAK)*

The 1st Kaaps Symposium took place at the University of the Western Cape from 19-20 July 2012. The inaugural symposium brought together state of the art research about Kaaps which was compiled into a volume named Kaaps in Fokus. The 2nd Kaaps Symposium- The MA in Creative Writing, Kaaps Colloquium- took place in 2022. The symposium, led by Nathan Trantraal and Ronelda S. Kamfer, showcased the success of Rhodes University’s MA in Creative Writing programme through a festival of panel discussions by Kaaps fiction and non-fiction writers.

The 3rd Kaaps Symposium brought together various researchers, activists, teachers and scientists who engaged in paper topics or themes and panel discussions about new and ongoing research regarding the future study of Kaaps. From bi/multilingualism, nationalism, translation studies, lexicography, decolonisation and language activism to the intellectualisation of Kaaps and the use of Kaaps in teaching and learning, the symposium fostered a space for the discussion of anything and everything Kaaps. Attendees and presenters alike were eager to pose questions and provide input on the future of the language.

In addition to the various presentations and discussions, the Society for the Advancement of Kaaps (SAK) / Vereniging virrie Bevordering van Kaaps (VBK) was constituted at the symposium. Delegates elected Prof. Quentin Williams as the Chairperson for the society with Dr Theodore Rodrigues as Deputy Chairperson. SAK is a scientific network tasked with the management of all future symposia, seminars and workshops and initiator of Kaaps scientific research and development.

Pictured above is the Executive committee, Society for the Advancement of Kaaps (SAK) / Vereniging virrie Bevordering van Kaaps (VBK). Front row (left to right): Theodore Rodrigues (Unisa) (deputy chairperson),Quentin Williams (UWC) (chairperson), Erin Pretorius (UWC) (treasurer). Back row (left to right): Adam Haupt (UCT) (ordinary member), Zaib Toyer (UWC) (assistant secretary), Chevãn van Rooi (UWC) (secretary), Kãmilah Kalidheen (UWC) (webmaster). Not in picture: Chànde van der Westhuizen (UWC) (ordinary member), Gaireyah Fredericks (Kaaps writer, translator and researcher, CMDR, UWC) (ordinary member). Photo credit: Jason Richardson (CMDR/SAK).

The excitement of delegates was palpable as ideas were exchanged and thought-provoking poems were shared. The symposium provided a snapshot of how far we have come in regard to research in and about Kaaps. Watch this space, this is only the beginning!

To read more about the 3rd Kaaps Symposium click here or here.

Firdous de Villiers