Restitution : Intergenerational dialogue as a way of remembering together while creating our future

Abstract

The lyrics of the song Another Country by Mango Groove, released in 1993, inspired and informed this reflection. The overarching aim of the paper is to engage with restitution by focusing on two central aspects, namely remembering together (collective memory) and intergenerational dialogue as an example of collective memory. The complexity of remembering is underscored by discussing the importance of both the past and the future as non-negotiable aspects thereof. It is argued that keeping a creative tension between remembering the past while creating our future, is essential. Besides diversity constituted by race, class, and geographical or spatial context, the discussion highlights the significance and urgency of intergenerational dialogue especially in a post apartheid’s South Africa.