Oxford University Honors African Language With Significant Inscription

The ǀxam language has been carved into a new building at Rhodes House to honour the labour and suffering of Africans during colonialism. A response to the legacy of the imperialist and mining magnate Cecil John Rhodes is being inscribed in the fabric of the refurbished Rhodes House at the University of Oxford in the UK. A statement "remembering and honouring the labour and suffering of those who worked to create this wealth" has been translated into the southern African language ǀxam and carved into the stone parapet of a new convention centre within the building.

Rhodes studied towards a degree in law at Oxford from 1876, taking eight years to complete it as he frequently returned to South Africa to manage his mining interests. He established the Rhodes Scholarship in his will to allow male graduates from around the empire to benefit from an Oxford education, with women being included starting in 1977. However, his diamond mining enterprises were foundationally linked to the expropriation of black lands in Southern Africa, leading to increasing contestation of his legacy in recent years.

Once a spoken language, ǀxam is now considered a "sleeping language," meaning it is no longer used as a mother tongue. It was actively spoken until the early 1900s by descendants of the Khoesan peoples and the Afrikaners in the Northern Cape of South Africa. Linguists Wilhelm Bleek and Lucy Lloyd famously recorded ǀxam at the close of the 1800s in Cape Town. This was where several ǀxam men were incarcerated at the Breakwater Prison, which itself represents a symbol of colonial conflict.

The new building at Rhodes House incorporates the carved words of ǀxam as a significant addition. The building's design, created by British architect Herbert Baker, serves as a memorial to Rhodes’ life while hosting the prestigious Rhodes Scholarships. Baker's other prominent works include the iconic Union Buildings, which serve as the seat of South Africa's government.

A line in Latin honoring Rhodes and acknowledging his affinity for Oxford runs across the top parapet of the building. The new ǀxam inscription is positioned lower down but close to the ground, fostering a dialogue with the Latin and emphasizing the African presence at the institution. Notably, Latin is also categorized as a sleeping language. The decision to inscribe words honoring those who labored to generate Rhodes’ wealth is the result of extensive conversations spanning five years among the global Rhodes Scholar community regarding his legacy and inclusivity.

These challenging yet rewarding discussions were rooted in significant movements exploring histories of imperialism, such as #RhodesMustFall and #BlackLivesMatter. The phrases chosen for the inscription were collectively decided upon, stressing the importance of recognizing that the legacy of Rhodes was primarily built upon the suffering and labor of southern African people.

According to Elleke Boehmer, one of the scholars involved in this project, the decision to use a southern African indigenous language that would not be immediately translatable was pivotal. Boehmer explained in her research how essential it is that the narratives of marginalized communities are expressed, in their own languages if possible, which allows their labor to literally be articulated in their own words. This approach also aims to challenge the notion of effortless cultural exchange that tends to be predominated by voices from the global north through English.

The translation of the text was an intricate balancing act among languages, worldviews, and translators. Though ǀxam was recorded in the late 1800s, it is no longer spoken widely today. Lead translator Staphorst viewed the new inscription as an opportune moment to bridge the recorded ǀxam with related languages. After Staphorst’s preliminary translation, South African linguist Menán du Plessis contributed a re-translation based on her comprehensive research into compiling ǀxam’s first reference grammar. Staphorst then revised and refined the translation, reflecting on the connections between ǀxam and other southern African languages, such as Nǀuu, Khoekhoegowab, and Afrikaans.

This new inscription moves away from the focus on ǀxam's "extinct" nature, embodying instead a juncture where the various histories, cultures, and languages of the Cape converge. Extensive collaboration took place from October 2024 to develop and test this translation. A critical aspect of this process involved visiting the Kalahari, a cultural landscape associated with the Bushman peoples, and consultation with Ouma Katrina Esau and her granddaughter, Claudia du Plessis, both of whom are teachers of Nǀuu.

Importantly, the choice of the ǀxam language is deeply connected to the South African landscape, where Rhodes profoundly impacted history during his lifetime. Stones bearing English translations of both the Latin and the ǀxam inscriptions will be placed nearby, enabling visitors to engage with the significance and symbolism of both inscriptions. The ǀxam inscription was carved in stone by UK stone mason Fergus Wessel, responding to traditions in the English Arts and Crafts movement. This handcrafted aspect pays homage to the labor by southern African peoples who contributed to the wealth Rhodes amassed.

The inscribed message is part of a larger effort to grapple with the complex legacies of colonial figures such as Rhodes, providing a meaningful recognition of their impact on the present day consciousness.