By Morne Pietersen, Radio Station Manager
A local community radio station, Eden FM, is playing a pivotal role in preserving the cultural heritage and history of the Klein Karoo region through two distinct but interconnected research projects. The initiatives, undertaken with support from Cultural Survival’s Community Media Grant Fund, documented Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and the personal stories of forced removals under the apartheid-era Group Areas Act.
One project focused on the Indigenous Loerie (turaco) bird in the Friemersheim area. The Loerie Indigenous Knowledge Conservation Research Project aimed to raise awareness about the bird's presence and its spiritual significance to the local community. This has led to the creation of a Loerie Trail and has involved community members of all ages, including nominated learners from Friemersheim Primary School.
The project has yielded powerful testimonials, highlighting the deep-rooted connection between the community and the natural world. Rosetta Taylor, an 84-year-old resident, shared how the research "has awakened old memories of my childhood with regards to our attitude when finding a Loerie feather. Our young generation need to learn and know about it," she said.
Mary Fourie, 77, recounted how the red feather of the Loerie was a symbol of young love. Hannes Klaassen, 77, spoke of the feather as a sign of status and royalty. Suzette van Wyk, a senior head of the Gonaqua Tribe, expressed her gratitude, noting the project "strengthens our cultural pride in protecting Indigenous knowledge" and "is also an empowering opportunity to unlock economic wealth in tourism business connected to nature conservation."
Concurrently, Eden FM's other project is dedicated to documenting the history and emotional impact of the forced removals in the Klein Karoo. Between 1960 and 1971, apartheid laws—particularly the Group Areas Act—led to the removal of thousands of Coloureds and Africans from Oudtshoorn. The project, titled Research on the Forced Removals in the Klein Karoo Area, has trained young community researchers to interview residents and record their stories for a radio program.
Studio guests on the radio show shared emotional accounts of how their families were relocated. For program guest Andre Boesak, the stories convey "emotional feelings of loss, anger, and resentment experienced by their grandparents and parents, which still is a tender and present part of their family history today." Boesak's personal account from before the removals recalled a time of "innocent recreation where parents were not afraid to let their children go out."
These research efforts are creating a valuable record of family history, ensuring that the stories of the community, both past and present, are not forgotten.
In 2024, Eden FM received a Community Media Grant from Cultural Survival to strengthen its role in documenting and protecting Indigenous knowledge in the Klein Karoo. With this support, the station is developing a strategic plan to guide its sustainable growth, training young community researchers in storytelling and interview techniques, and producing radio programs on vital local issues — from forced removals and land justice to the ecological and cultural importance of species like the Molar Pea and the Loerie bird. Through these efforts, Eden FM continues to amplify community voices, safeguard Indigenous heritage, and ensure that local stories remain at the heart of regional identity and resilience.
