Historisches Institut: Dr. Evander Ruthieri Da Silva (Federal University of Latin American Integration): Global Questions, Local Knowledges: Zulu Histories in Colonial Archives

Da Silva’s research addresses three central questions. First, it examines the relationship between memory and orality in the oral testimonies documented in the James Stuart Archive, with particular attention to the identity and power dynamics between Zulu communities and others affected by these historical processes. Second, it investigates how these testimonies facilitate a reinterpretation of the past, particularly within the interactive dimensions of colonial encounters. Third, the project problematizes recurring categorizations in the oral accounts of Zulu power formation, exploring the self-identifications and cross-community relations that shaped these narratives. It also considers stories of migration, new power configurations, and (in)voluntary subjugation, shedding light on the dynamics of displacement and identity transformation.