Abstract
The purpose of the study is to assess the role of indigenous language archives preservation by the Selected provincial archives with the view to promote socio-economic wellbeing of marginalized societies. The indigenous language archives are necessary to establish the socio -economic wellbeing of their communities and individuals. These rights of using indigenous language archives materials for education curriculum was denied during the period of the apartheid system in South Africa. People feel recognised when their archival materials are recognised by the Provincial Archives.
TopSouth African Indigenous Language
The apartheid enacted racial laws to exclude community initiatives to collect indigenous language archives by the National Archives of South Africa (Bhebhe 2021). The apartheid government ensured that indigenous language archives were not collected by the State Archives (known as the National Archives of South Africa) (Netshakhuma, 2021). In Australia, the loss of indigenous language archives is closely associated with the violation of indigenous lands, the destruction of a land claim, and the involuntary incorporation of indigenous people (Shephard 2016). South Africa's transformation from the apartheid system to a democratic state in 1994 requires an archives institution to collect and preserve indigenous language archives. South Africa's transformation which led to the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act No. 106 of 1996 and the National Archives and Records Services Act No. 46 of 1996 led to the recognition of indigenous language archives (Ngoepe and Nkwe 2018, p. 134).
Collection and preservation of language archives are part of the right of indigenous peoples to their land and cultural and economic self-determination. Language retention is a human rights issue. Therefore, cultural transformation requires government commitment to human rights. Language revitalization program depends on the situation in which the language finds itself.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Indigenous Language Archives: These are archives created by ethnic groups of the Ndebele, Tsonga, and Swazis based in the Mpumalanga Provincial Archives.
Apartheid: This is a political system of separating groups in terms of color and race in South Africa. the system was established in 1948 by the National Party of South Africa. It ended in 1993 before the transition to democracy in South Africa
Mpumalanga Provincial Archives: This is one of the nine provincial archives established in South Africa
Marginalized Communities: These are ethnic groups such as Ndebele, Tsonga, and Swatis in the Mpumalanga province neglected during the apartheid period in South Africa