Those who are familiar with the popular 1995 movie How to make an American quilt will remember the scenes that feature a group of women working on a quilt. While piecing together the fabric squares, they share their personal stories of love, failed relationships, disappointment and remorse. The completed quilt becomes a metaphor for the women’s lives; each square represents a unique life story.  Comparably, women from the Portuguese island of Madeira have for centuries combined embroidery and storytelling to create exquisite hand-embroidered articles.  The art of Bordado da Madeira (‘Madeira Embroidery’) developed in the mountainous villages of Madeira where the island’s lush vegetation served as inspiration for the embroiderers (bordadeiras).    

The date, 16 June 1976 is ingrained in the South African psyche as a day of huge political significance. It marks the beginning of the Soweto student protests commonly referred to as the ‘Soweto Uprisings’. The use of the plural form is intentional, because ‘June 16’ or ‘June sixteenth’ also refers to a series of student protests that continued for the rest of 1976 and flared up again in 1977.

Historical research often requires visits to repositories, record centres and libraries. These treasure chests of information offer a unique window into our past. They are gateways to documents and records that were created by people who passed away long ago. These old records from days gone by are commonly known as archives.

A confluence of unfortunate historical forces was shaping the lives of South African women of colour for centuries. Since the founding of a white colonial society at the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, or VOC) in the 17^th century, domestic labour was performed by the indigenous Khoikhoi.