Motsane Getrude Seabela

Biography

Getrude works for the Ditsong Museums of South Africa, an amalgamation of eight national museums in Tshwane and Johannesburg. She is responsible for assisting the Senior Curator with caring for the anthropology collection. This includes: cataloguing, marking, inventorying, photographing and digitisation of objects; writing proposals for new projects and managing projects; conducting fieldwork, transcribing and translating collected material; translation of exhibition catalogue texts from English to indigenous languages and vice versa; supporting the education department in the development of educational programmes; assisting both undergraduate and postgraduate students in accessing the collection for various projects; inspecting objects and reporting to conservation department when there is a need for intervention; and writing research papers.

Getrude’s professional interests range from intangible heritage, ceremonial objects, and rituals to popular culture, the homeless and music. She is very passionate about preserving the history of previously marginalised communities, which affords her the opportunity to work in close engagements with local communities.

At the British Museum
During her time on the International Training Programme in 2016, Getrude was based in the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas. Her UK Partner placement was spent at Manchester Museum and Manchester Art Gallery.

Getrude’s exhibition project proposal was entitled Not only for its aesthetics: uncovering the South African Xhosa snuffbox.

Getrude’s place on the International Training programme was generously supported by the Leverhulme Trust.

ITP Newsletter Publications
ITP Newsletter Issue 7 (2020), Towards an inclusive museum A perspective on DITSONG Museums of South Africa