1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: Now we're staying quite close to home in our travels 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: today we're only going as far as the South Peninsula. 3 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: But I want to introduce you to a museum which 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: I have to confess I didn't know existed until one 5 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: of its enthusiastic volunteers reached out to me a few 6 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: weeks ago to say, please let people know that we're here. 7 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the Fishook Valley Museum, which offers insights 8 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: into the history of Fishook and surrounding areas, the development 9 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: of the area, its people, and its natural attractions. And 10 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: this museum has just launched a new virtual reality three 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: D experience which we want to tell you about as well. 12 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: So it's a huge pleasure to have with us in 13 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: studio Sue Maud, who is the curator of the Fishok 14 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: Valley Museum. Sue, thanks for coming all the way through 15 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: to town to. 16 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: Be with us today. 17 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 3: Welcome, Thanks Papa. 18 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: Let's start with the most important thing. Where do people 19 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: find this museum. 20 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:49,840 Speaker 3: Well, we are in Fishhook in Central Circle, Fishook, which 21 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 3: if you not from Fishook that won't mean much to you. 22 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 3: But basically at the Civic Center where the vehicle licensing 23 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 3: department is, which many people visit. We're just to the 24 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 3: right of the Civic Center parking lot there. 25 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: And it's located in so it looks like a suburban house. 26 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: From the art. 27 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,119 Speaker 3: Yes it does, Yes, it does. 28 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 2: Okay, Now, how long has this museum actually been there. 29 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 3: We've been open since nineteen ninety. 30 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 2: Four gosh, so a long long time. 31 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: Yes, And so let's talk a little bit about what 32 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: it is and what sort of material you've created inside 33 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: that museum first, I mean, what was the sort of 34 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: founding idea. It's the history of Fishook, but more than. 35 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 3: That, yes, it's actually the Fishook Valley. So our remit 36 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 3: is the whole valley from Fishook to komikin Nuduk and 37 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 3: even down as far as Scarborough. So one of the 38 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 3: sort of most significant sites within that is of course 39 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 3: Pier's Cave, which is one of it's the only site 40 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 3: in Cape Town that has rock art and has evidence 41 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 3: of presence there for over two hundred thousand years. So 42 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 3: that's our kind of our pride and joy. The rest 43 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 3: of our collection is preserving the story of the valley 44 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 3: and all. We're a very small museum, independent, totally staffed 45 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 3: by volunteers, and we we just house. We're a house 46 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 3: of curiosity. So we've got we've got our whale Room, 47 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 3: which which talks about whaling and the fishing in the 48 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 3: bay because Fishook started as the fish utpost for the 49 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 3: Dutch East India Company. Of course, whaling was was very 50 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 3: big for about two hundred years, and Fishook Bay was 51 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 3: littered with whale bones, a lot of which ended up 52 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 3: in the museum. We've got a big star own tool 53 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 3: collection from Piers Cave, and then we've got what I 54 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 3: like to call our modern tools room. We've got all 55 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 3: sorts of old kitchen gadgets. We've got an old bookkeeping 56 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: machine from the eighteen hundred, so we've got the first 57 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 3: desktop you could call it, which is a comptometer which 58 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 3: was used in the fifties. We've got an old typewriter 59 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 3: for kids to get their hands on, and telephones through 60 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 3: the ages, so a little bit, and then of course 61 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 3: the story of the growth of the valley. 62 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you've got the old telephones because it 63 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: gives such absolute delight to modern kids. We've only ever 64 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: own cell phones to see the old sort of ring 65 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: dial phones that we all grew up using and for granted, 66 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: they find them so curious. 67 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 3: It's the most popular, one of the most popular exhibits 68 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 3: with the kids. 69 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 2: I'm not at all surprised to hear that's so now, 70 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 2: I mean Peers Cave. 71 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: Let's just circle back to that, because I don't know 72 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: if everybody knows the particular significance. 73 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: Mentioned the rock art. But I mean the description that. 74 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: You've used on your website, is this being an archaeological 75 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: treasure treasure. 76 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 2: Trope tell us a little bit more. 77 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: I mean, the name Piers Cave signifies the two explorers 78 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: who discovered more than just rock paintings in that cave. 79 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,119 Speaker 1: What have we learned from what we says found there? 80 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,679 Speaker 3: So it was known as Skill dis Hut before the Peers, 81 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 3: a father and son team who were early residents in 82 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 3: Fishuok in the twenties, discovered this cave on the mountain 83 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 3: that was strewn with seashells. Now, this is high up 84 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 3: in the mountains, so that already suggests that these shells 85 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 3: had been brought up there. So they learned some archaeological 86 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 3: skills from the newly forming archaeology department at duct and 87 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 3: then Bertie and Victor Piers excavated in the cave for 88 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 3: ten to fifteen years off that they found. They dug 89 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 3: to a depth of six meters, which is quite significant. 90 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 3: It was strewn with stone age tools going back to 91 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 3: the Early Stone Age, which tells you that people have 92 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: been there or pre early man has been there since 93 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 3: for over two hundred thousand years, and a whole lot 94 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 3: of skeletons were found buried there, the oldest of which 95 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 3: caused great excitement in archaeological circles in the late twenties. 96 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 3: The skull was called fishook Man was thought to be 97 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 3: fifteen thousand years old. Recent studies have carbon dating has 98 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 3: kind of put it not quite as old, but probably 99 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 3: six thousand years old. So we're still we're still looking 100 00:05:54,839 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 3: at presence in the valley that goes way back. 101 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 102 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: Now you're using modern technology to boost I mean, it's 103 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,919 Speaker 1: this wonderful combination. So you've got a treasure trove of 104 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: artifacts and collectibles and those very tangible old phones, typewriters, 105 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: remnants of things found in caves, but you're also tapping 106 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: into very modern technology to help tell the stories behind 107 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: those objects. Won't you tell us about how the museum 108 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: has used the improvement in virtual reality and three D storyteller. 109 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 3: Yes, we've been very delighted to partner with Digital Heritage Africa, 110 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 3: which is a group at UCT who have American funding 111 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 3: and have the most incredible equipment, equipment, budget and equipment, 112 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 3: and they have created for us first a digital walkthrough 113 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 3: of the of the museum itself and then they've created 114 00:06:53,080 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 3: a three D model of Peer's Cave and with that 115 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 3: we have a little YouTube clip using that three D 116 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 3: So the three D model itself is accessible on the 117 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 3: site for anyone who wants to use it, and with 118 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 3: that you can navigate yourself around the cave. What is 119 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 3: most excited about is the rock art in the cave 120 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 3: has faded a lot over time. The cave is not protected, 121 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 3: it's still used. What the three D imaging has done 122 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 3: is using sort of technology the photography of the walls 123 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 3: of the cave they've done with color editing, the rock 124 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 3: art pops out. So using your the three D model, 125 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: you can really get a feel for the rock art 126 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 3: on the walls. 127 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 2: Okay, fantastic. So to say, I've only been to Pairs 128 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: cave once. 129 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: I hid there probably ten years ago, and as you say, 130 00:07:57,880 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: a lot of the art you have to really Peer 131 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: and us can see a faint fit outline of something 132 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: that was there, and to have the experience of seeing 133 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: it pop out in color with this sort of overlay 134 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: digitally is extraordinary and really helps you understand what you're 135 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: looking at. Okay, let's sorry, just to to reiterate it 136 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: for those who are just joining us. My guest in 137 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: studio with us Sue Moord, the curator of the Fishook 138 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: Valley Museum, which is located in Central Circle, Fishook and 139 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: houses artifacts that tell the story of the Fishook Valley. 140 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: And yeah, as we referenced, okay, Neil saying the language, 141 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: the peers didn't discover the cave. No, they didn't it, 142 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: as Sue has referenced, it's going back to two hundred 143 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: thousand years plus that we know Mankind's ancestors were using 144 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: the cave. The cave was renamed in their honor thanks 145 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: to the work they did exploring in that cave in 146 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: the nineteen twenties. Apologies if that was not clear to 147 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: anybody listening. Sue, let's get back to the story of 148 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: Fishook that is told and of the valley within this 149 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: this museum. The geographical story itself is fascinating. If you 150 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: look at a sort of a bird's eye view of 151 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 1: the Fishook Valley, you get a much better understanding of 152 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: the fact that it was once entirely underwater, that this 153 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,959 Speaker 1: would have been the division between islands rather than the 154 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: land mass. 155 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 2: We know today. Is that something the museum explores as well. 156 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 3: We do. We have a little bit with our Peers 157 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 3: Cave exhibition, because you can picture back, going back a 158 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 3: sort of eighteen thousand years, the sea levels were actually 159 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 3: much lower than they were today. So going back even 160 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 3: before that, the sea went through Fishok Valley as it 161 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 3: did the cave flat, and as I took a group 162 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 3: of youngsters up to the cave on Monday, and we 163 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 3: are described to them because the walk up there is 164 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 3: over huge sand dunes, and that is the evidence of 165 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 3: the sea being there. About eighteen thousand years when people 166 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 3: would have been using the cave. The opposite would be true. 167 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: The sea levels were much further out than they are today, 168 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 3: and in fact what is now False Bay would have 169 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 3: been open grass fields. So you can actually you can 170 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 3: picture being in the cave looking down. You have the 171 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: most incredible view in every direction of grass fields that 172 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 3: would have been covered with grazing animals. You can well 173 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 3: understand why Pier's Cave was a chosen site. 174 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: Absolutely besides offering sub shelter, it offered a viewpoint, which 175 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: brought with its security protection for the elements, et cetera. 176 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 2: Fascinating. 177 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: I mean, the kind of storytelling we're enjoying on air 178 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: here is what you and fellow volunteers bring to the 179 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: experience of a visit to the museum. Who are your volunteers, 180 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: Who are are there local residents with a passion for history? 181 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 2: How does it work? Yes, yes, we have. 182 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 3: A modeled crew of Fishook locals, and yes, that is 183 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 3: what unites us. I suppose is this interest in history 184 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 3: and also the interest in sort of adding to history 185 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 3: as it were. You know, we've got archives and we're 186 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 3: continuing to sort of try to expand the story and 187 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 3: tell the story and fill in the gaps and include 188 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 3: as many stories within the valley as we can. 189 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: Okay, once again, if you're just tuning in, we're talking 190 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: about the Fishook Valley Museum. The address for those who 191 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: are asking is at nine Central Circle in Fishook. Quite 192 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: a few people asking about the entrance fee. 193 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 3: So twenty rand donation, Yes, a. 194 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: Twenty rand donation at the door to get access to 195 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 1: all of this, And I mean it sounds like this 196 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: would be a sort of an academically interesting space. Do 197 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: you have researchers in the like coming to use the 198 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: museum as part of their research for doctoral thy season 199 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: the life. 200 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 3: Yes, we do. We have journalists and researchers coming. We've 201 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 3: also got you know, we've got every edition of the 202 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 3: Fishook Echo going back to the fifties, so we've got 203 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 3: a sort of a wealth of old newspapers. We've got 204 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 3: a very large photo collection of the valley and all 205 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 3: the way down to Musenberg. So yes, very much so 206 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 3: we and we also have a lot of locals who 207 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 3: come in to find out, you know, information about their 208 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 3: house or you know, businesses in the area or whatever. 209 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: So okay, yes, So, whether you're interested interested in the 210 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: development of mankind, in archaeological history, in geographical history, or 211 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: in the more recent history of the development of the 212 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: settlements at Fishook through to cormick Y, Scarborough, et cetera, 213 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: please do make a point of visiting the Fishok Valley Museum. 214 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,839 Speaker 1: Only twenty rand requested as a donation to enter, and 215 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: as I mentioned again, it's at nine central Circle in Fishook. 216 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: Let's close by telling listeners where they can find your website, 217 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: please suit yes. 218 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: It's Fishook Valley Museum dot co dot. 219 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: Fishcook Valley Museum dot co dot Yes sooth been great 220 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: to have you with us, Somored, the curator of the museum, 221 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: and thanks for taking the time to come through and 222 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: share the story with us. 223 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me, great pleasure.