A reflection on family genealogy and legacy
By ASLAM FATAAR
ON Saturday morning, December 7, I embarked on a profoundly personal journey through history at the Western Cape Archives and Records Service, 72 Roeland Street, Cape Town. This followed a workshop organised by the Salt River Heritage Society (SRHS) and facilitated by Abdud-Daiyaan Petersen, genealogist, UCT postgraduate student and chair of the Cape Family Research Forum.
The workshop provided invaluable insights into the importance of preserving family histories, setting the stage for my emotional encounter with the Death Notice and associated documents of my grandmother, Fatima Fataar, née Hendricks.
Lutfi Omar, chair of the SRHS, introduced the workshop in this poignant and powerful way:
‘Family genealogy is not just about tracing our lineage – it’s about understanding who we are, where we come from, and the stories that have shaped our identities. By delving into the lives of our ancestors, we uncover the struggles, triumphs and traditions passed down through generations. This journey is deeply personal, but it also connects us to the broader human experience.’
Let me turn to my grandmother’s hitherto elusive, now-illuminated story.
Fatima’s story is one of resilience and sacrifice. Her death notice shows that she passed away on March 11, 1946, at the young age of 37. Her mother, my great-grandmother, was listed on the death notice as deceased, and this woman remains elusive, imposing an imperative on me to search for her records and story shortly.
Fatima Fataar, née Hendricks’ father, is listed as Ebrahim Hendricks. Remarkably, my search for my grandmother’s story thus also led me to the death notice of my great-grandfather, who passed away shortly after his daughter Fatima, as his death notice shows, on December 3, 1946.
According to family folklore, Ebrahim Hendricks hailed from the Malay slave-descendant Hendricks family, who were building construction workers in Swellendam in the 19th century. This thread, too, must be followed up in the Slave Office (est.1816), Opgaaf Rollen (Taxation Census), court cases and church records in Swellendam and Cape Town, where the Hendricks family came to settle in the late 19th century. Ebrahim Hendricks was born in 1881 and died aged 65.
Grandmother Fatima Fataar, née Hendricks, was listed on her death notice as divorced from her previous spouse, Toyer Fataar (my grandfather), who had remarried Fatima Scello, our beloved step-grandmother. Toyer’s first wife’s children later seamlessly and lovingly joined his second wife’s family to become a very tight Fataar family unit.
Grandmother Fatima Fataar, née Hendricks, left behind no immovable assets but 26 pounds as part of a life assurance policy held with the African Assurance Society. I speculate that this policy must have been attached to her employment.
Poignantly, she left behind seven children – Ismail, Janap, Sadiya, Ebrahim, Galiema, Solayman, and Gaya – who were between four and 17 years old at the time of her passing.
The death record included a heartfelt letter from Fatima’s sister, Amina Hendricks, fondly known as Ana. In this letter addressed to Imam Lalie, who lived at 58 Aspeling Street, District Six, Ana pledged to settle Fatima’s debts and raise her children as her own. This selfless act epitomises the strength and love of the Hendricks sisters, who stepped in during a time of immense loss to ensure the well-being of their young nieces and nephews.
The seven Fataar children were raised at number 7 Richmond Street, District Six, a vibrant yet challenging environment that became the bedrock of their upbringing. The devotion of the Fataar children to the Hendricks sisters is a testament to their gratitude and love for these remarkable women. My late father, Ebrahim, adopted the Hendricks surname before reverting to Fataar in his twenties. I saw a birth certificate listing him as Ebrahim ‘Hendricks’.
The Hendricks sisters’ influence extended far beyond the immediate family. Their nurturing spirit and unwavering commitment to family created a foundation of resilience and love that continues to shape our lives. My late father and his siblings maintained a deep connection to them. They were affected by their passing, particularly Ana and Aunt Gaya, both of whom succumbed to diabetes in the 1970s. Their loss marked the end of an era, but their legacy lives on in the values and strength they instilled in us.
As I reflect on the life of my grandmother, Fatima Fataar, née Hendricks, and the sacrifices made by her sister, Ana, I am filled with gratitude for their enduring legacy.
Abdud Daiyaan Petersen’s workshop facilitation was a meaningful reminder of the importance of honouring and preserving these histories. I strongly encourage people to begin tracing their family history by accessing the records at the Western Cape Archives and Records Service. This task has only just started for my own family.
May Fatima, Ana, and the Hendricks sisters’ stories inspire us to live with kindness, unity, and resilience. Their tale is one of courage, sacrifice, and love – a legacy that we are privileged to carry forward as their descendants.
Aslam Fataar is Research Professor: Higher Education Transformation and a member of the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University.
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