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SOURCES OF REFERENCE
Now available
The latest volume of the
South African Genealogies
It Covers the rest of the W- surnames and is still priced at R360.
Place your orders for A - W by contacting our Stellenbosch office.
GISA
115 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch or PO Box 3033, Matieland 7602
Tel: 021 887-5070 Fax: 021 887-5031
E-mail: gisa@sun.ac.za Web: http://www.gisa.org.za
WHERE AND WHAT IS GISA
The Genealogical Institute of South Africa (GISA) was founded during September 1997 in Franschhoek by seven founding members and is since 1 March 1918 situated at 115 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch. The aim of this institute is threefold and is thus worded in the constitution: (1) the collection and preservation of genealogical data, (2) research from available sources and (3) compiling of genealogical publications (the continuation and completion of the series South African Genealogies which has priority). With the termination of the Genealogical Division at the HSRC in Pretoria, the genealogical collection of books and manuscripts including the copyright of the HSRC publications and those manuscript intended for publication was legally handed over to GISA.
Through the goodwill of institutions like Het Jan Marias Nationale Fonds, Naspers, Sanlam and the Rupert Stigting GISA was fortunate to receive ample donations. Furthermore during the formative years the University of Stellenbosch aided GISA by providing functional infrastructure while the Genealogical Society of Utah was instrumental in donating microfilm readers together with valuable microfilms and DVD’s of church records. Since October 2006 GISA was accepted as an affiliated library of the GSU. Without the aforementioned support, for which we are very grateful, the Institute would not have been able to reach the target.
Collection and preservation of genealogical sources
The Institute has the most comprehensive collection in the world with regard to the oldest families in our country commencing with the first settlement at the southern end of Africa in 1652. As GISA has access to the records (baptism, marriage and membership) on microfilm of the three Afrikaans churches (NGK, NHK and GK) it can claim to have the genealogy of South Africa under one roof, supplemented by a considerable database, death notices, publications, manuscripts, genealogical magazines and family files. Registration of births, marriages and deaths were only made compulsory by law during the 1890’s in the Cape Colony (1900 for the rest of South Africa) therefore the church records are the main (sometimes the only) source to trace information of births and marriages.
Since the birth of the first white baby at the Cape metioned in Van Riebeeck’s diary, every birth, baptism, marriage and new member was meticulously documented and this valuable data in the form of church records was preserved. The Dutch Reformed Church was the only recognised church at the Cape until 1780 when the Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded. The origin, growth and dispersal of the oldest Cape families can therefore be traced with fair accuracy. This is a rather unique situation with few similar occurences in the rest of the world. Also available at GISA on microfilm are the records of the oldest Evangelical Lutheran communities namely Cape Town, Wynberg and Stellenbosch.
A number of private collections were donaded or bequeathed to GISA and the Institute also strives to obtain at least one copy of every new genealogical publication for the library. This includes town, regional and parish histories which usually have some relevant information on residents or church members. Genealogical manuscripts (computer printouts or typed documents) are bound and made available while loose pages with genealogical data (no matter how insignificant) are kept on family files for future reference.
(2) Research of available sources
Research done by the Genealogical Institute is confined to the sources available on the premises. As a result of the large volume of enquiries received, the Institute as a matter of principle, made a decision that they would only concentrate on single requests (eg. one baptism, marrriage or death record) and that more comprehensive enquiries would be channeled to freelance researchers. Family researchers living in a radius of approximately 150 km. from Stellenbosch are advised to visit GISA in person and do their own research with assistance from the staff.
Tariffs per hour, a week, or a month are payable to GISA and a yearly tariff is raised for long term researchers, known as Friends of GISA which enable them to come in daily for that specific year - thereby ensuring them of a considerable saving. Members of the various branches of GSSA get a reduction on the hourly tariff. To accommodate researchers who cannot visit GISA during weekdays, the Institute is open one Saturday per month for which arrangements should be made in advance.
(3) Genealogical publications
GISA’s first and foremost directive for GISA was to complete the so called Heese & Lombard series of which the first four volumes (surnames A to K) were published by the HSRC in Pretoria. This unique series South African Genealogies under the auspices of GISA is nearing completion and will eventually consist of 17 volumes. This present new challenges to the Institute as it will also have to face the everchanging world of information technology.
Updating and augmenting of the first volumes is already underway. Researchers are therefore requested to send in contributions and corrections. This should be regarded as a combined effort to save genealogical information for the generations to come.
Free lance Researcher at GISA Stellenbosch
Cecile van der Westhuÿsen [Email: cvdw@sun.ac.za]
GISA
Banghoekweg 115, Stellenbosch of Posbus 3033, Matieland, 7602
Tel: 0215070 Faks: 0215031
E-pos: Web: http://www.gisa.org.za
WAAR EN WAT IS GISA
Die Genealogiese Instituut van Suid-Afrika (GISA) wat reeds in September 1997 op Franschhoek deur sewe stigterslede tot stand gebring is, is sedert 1 Maart 1998 by Banghoekweg 115 op Stellenbosch gevestig. Hierdie instansie se doelwit en funksie is drieledig van aard en word dit ook so in sy grondwet uitgespel: (1) Bewaring en versameling van genealogiese bronne, (2) navorsing uit die beskikbare bronne en (3) die uitgee van genealogiese publikasies (veral die voortsetting en afhandeling van die Suid-Afrikaanse Geslagregisters-reeks geniet hoogste prioriteit). Met die sluiting van die voormalige Afdeling Genealogie van die RGN in Pretoria is hul genealogiese versamelings en boekery tesame met outeursregte van genealogiese publikasies deur die RGN uitgegee, asook van manuskripte geoormerk vir publisering, regtens aan GISA oorgedra..
Die Instituut is gelukkig om ruim skenkings te ontvang van welwillende instansies soos Het Jan Marias Nationale Fonds, Naspers, Sanlam en die Rupert Stigting. Voorts het die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gedurende GISA se vestigingsjare gehelp met die daarstelling van ‘n funksionele infrastruktuur, terwyl die Genealogical Society of Utah ook behulpsaam was met die beskikbaarstelling van mikrofilmlesers, asook van waardevolle mikrofilms en DVD’s van kerkregisters. GISA is sedert Oktober 2006 aanvaar as ‘n geaffilieerde biblioteek van die GSU. Sonder die voorafgenoemdes se daadwerklike ondersteuning sou die Instituut beswaarlik in sy doelwitte kon slaag en is ons hulle steeds dankbaar.
(1) Bewaring en versameling van genealogiese bronne
Die Instituut beskik oor die grootste versameling bronne ter wêreld veral wat betref die oudste families in ons land wat sedert die volksplanting in 1652 hul weg na die suidpunt van Afrika gevind het. Aangesien GISA oor die kerkregisters (d.i. dope, huwelike en lidmate) op mikrofilm van aldrie die Afrikaanse susterskerke (NGK, NHK en Gereformeerde Kerk) beskik, kan daar aanspraak gemaak word op ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse genealogie onder een dak wat aangevul word deur ‘n omvangryke databasis, sterfkennisse, publikasies, manuskripte, tydskrifte en familielêers. Omdat die registrasie van geboortes, huwelike en sterfgevalle in die 1890’s vir die Kaapkolonie (1900 vir die res van Suid-Afrika) volgens wet verpligtend gemaak is, is kerkregisters die vernaamste (in sommige gevalle die enigste) bron waarvolgens geboortes en huwelike opgespoor kan word. Vanaf die geboorte en doop van die eerste blanke baba aan die Kaap waarvan in Van Riebeeck se Dagboek melding gemaak word, is elke doop, huwelik en nuwe lidmaat sorgvuldig gedokumenteer en het die waardevolle dokumentasie in die vorm van kerkregisters behoue gebly. Tot en met die stigting van die Evangelies-Lutherse gemeente in Kaapstad in 1780 was die Nederduits-Gereformeerde die enigste erkende kerk aan die Kaap. Sodoende kan die ontstaan, aanwas en verspreiding van die oudste Kaapse families redelik noukeurig gevolg word. Hierdie is ‘n unieke situasie met byna geen gelyke in ander wêrelddele nie. Terloops is die kerkregisters op mikrofilm van die oudste Evangelies-Lutherse gemeentes Kaapstad, Stellenbosch en Wynberg, ook by GISA beskikbaar.
Verskeie privaatversamelings is aan GISA geskenk of bemaak, terwyl die Instituut probeer om ten minste een eksemplaar van elke nuwe familiegeskiedenis wat verskyn vir sy biblioteek te bekom. Dieselfde geld vir dorps-, - streeks- en gemeentegeskiedenisse wat gewoonlik waardevolle inligting oor inwoners en lidmate bevat. Genealogiese manuskripte (in die vorm van rekenaaruitdrukke of getikte dokumente) word gebind en op rak geplaas, terwyl los bladsye met genealogiese besonderhede (hoe gering ookal) op familielêers gebêre word vir toekomstige verwysing.
(2) Navorsing uit beskikbare bronne
Om navorsing te doen kan die Genealogiese Instituut hom uiteraard slegs bepaal tot daardie versamelings waartoe hy toegang het m.a.w. dit wat op sy perseel beskikbaar is. Weens die groot volume navrae wat aan die Instituut gerig word, is ‘n beginselbesluit geneem om slegs versoeke vir ‘n enkele dokument te hanteer (bv. een doopinskrywing of huweliksinskrywing of sterfkennis) en omvangryke navrae vir afhandeling na vryskutnavorsers te verwys. Voorts word familienavorsers wat bevoorreg is om binne ‘n radius van 150 km vanaf Stellenbosch woon, versoek om liefs self hierheen te kom waar persoonlike hulp en aandag aan hulle verleen sal word.
‘n Uur- dag- en weektarief is betaalbaar deur besoekers aan GISA, terwyl langtermyn navorsers ‘n jaargeld betaal as Vriende van GISA wat hulle in staat stel om elke weeksdag vir ‘n betrokke jaar hier navorsing te doen. d.w.s. dis lonend om meer dikwels en langer GISA te besoek. GGSA lede kry ‘n korting op dis uur tarief waanneer hulle GISA besoek. Die Instituut is ook een Saterdag per maand oop vir navorsing vir diegene wat weeksdae voltyds werk.
(3) Genealogiese publikasies
GISA se eerste en vernaamste opdrag was om die sg. Heese & Lombard reeks, waarvan die eerste vier dele (vanne A tot K) deur die RGN in Pretoria uitgegee is, te voltooi. GISA se unieke publikasiereeks Suid-Afrikaanse Geslagregisters (SAG) nader afhandeling en sal uiteindelik uit sewentien dele bestaan. Dit bied nuwe uitdagings aan die Instituut wat ook genoodsaak word deur die snelontwikkelende informasie-tegnologiese wêreld.
Die hersiening van die eerste vier volumes geniet tans aandag wat gevolg sal word deur die res van die reeks. ‘n Beroep word op alle familienavorsers gedoen om bydraes, regstellings en bykomende inligting en ook nuwe stambome uit die breë Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking aan GISA beskikbaar te stel vir insluiting. Sien dit as ‘n gesamentlike poging om ons stambome te boekstaaf vir die nageslag.