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Ferlov Mancoba

Audio file 112-2

Henter lyd
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Wonga on irresponsibility to the future by nations

South Africa 1904 to 1938, Empire Exhibition 1936

[tape stopped and restarted] Ernest recalls not accepting the Empire Exhibition commission; his work "Future Africa" is exhibited at the University of Fort Hare (mentions Rheinallt Jones)

The Empire Exhibition was held in Johannesburg in 1936

Wonga asks when the work was made, and Ernest struggles to remember

see further in audio file

Wonga asks about the sale, Ernest recalls it being sold to Rheinallt Jones

see further in audio file

Ernest Mancoba praxis

[tape stopped and restarted] they consult Elza Miles' biography and confirm buyer was Bishop Parker (not Rheinallt Jones), they note the work was exhibited in 1934 in Johannesburg; they confirm that it must have been carved whilst at Fort Hare (dating it between 1933-34) [tape stopped and restarted multiple times]

South Africa 1904 to 1938

[tape stopped and restarted] Ernest is trying to remember Jones: they identify his first name as Rheinallt, that he was the head of the Bantu Welfare Trust which helped Ernest to travel to Europe

Mancoba's thank you letter to the Bantu Welfare Trust is in the database

Ernest Mancoba biography

[tape stopped and restarted] Wonga asks about Ernest's mother's death whilst he was at Fort Hare, Ernest does not answer

Florence Mancoba passed away in 1933

World War II internment

[tape stopped and restarted] Ernest recalls two Englishman in the World War II internment camp "St Denis"; he recalls Milosz, an English Jew, who is also sent to Drancy and then to Royallieu-Compiègne internment camp; he tries to remember Thomas, his friend, who is at St Denis the whole time

there are other audio files in which World War II internment and Milosz and Thomas are discussed

World War II internment, British citizenship

Wonga asks for more information about Thomas: Ernest recalls speaking to Thomas about segregation in South Africa, and Thomas advising him to get an official British passport (rather than the colonial South African passport); he and Sonja receive British passports

there are other files in which citizenship is discussed

French citizenship, British citizenship

Ernest tells that he was unable to renew his British passport but Sonja could, that they got French passports instead

there are other files in which citizenship is discussed

Wonga adds another incidence of contradiction, about the British sending people freed from the internment camps to Australia after the war to populate the colony but not Jews

[tape ends]

Facts

PDF
Audio clip
47:02
Ernest Mancoba
Wonga Mancoba
There are 2 distinct sections on the recording, first Ernest tries to recall the incidence around his artwork "Future Africa" and his citizenships after the war.

About the recordings: Ernest Mancoba's son, Marc also known as Wonga, recorded interviews with his father. The interviews seemed to serve different purposes and are not in chronological order.

ca.1990-2002 (112-2)

The audio files are undated but is likely to have been recorded some time between 1990 and 2002
Time index and commentary prepared by W. Sze
Paris
Estate of Ferlov Mancoba