Van ’n Eurosentriese na ’n Afrosentriese Geskiedenis - is daar 'n alternatief?

Abstract

A white-centred, or Eurocentric view of South African history has, until recently, been prevalent in textbooks and school syllabi. However, during the last two decades, a number of textbooks have appeared which provide an Afrocentric view of South African history. This article examines to what extent it is possible to overcome both Eurocentrism and Afrocentrism in the interpretation of South African history and what the role of a Christian perspective on history can and should be in this regard. It is argued that the history of South Africa should be viewed within the context of the history of the world, and that any interpretation of world history involves a philosophy of history. A Christian view o f history provides a unique perspective on the unity, history and on the role that different cultures and peoples play in the history of mankind. It is concluded that when a Christian view of history forms the basis of a scientific study of both world history and South African history, Eurocentric and Afrocentric interpretations can be avoided.