TRADITION AND STUDENT LEGACY AT STAKE

Abygail Smit 

@abysmit06

The recent painting of the North-West University (NWU) West-Campus Duikweg roof and poetry wall sparked a recent conversation among students. In July, the iconic West-Campus Duikweg was not only filled with students on their way to and from class, but also with maintenance workers who were repainting its ceiling. 

A few weeks later, painters were seen removing the art on the side walls at the entrance and the exit of the Duikweg. In addition, the Duikweg now has added signage that instructs people not to write, paint or display pictures, signs, symbols or any form of writing inside or outside of its walls without permission from the NWU Arts Council. People who violate these demands will be subject to disciplinary action. 

The NWU is a beacon of student life in South Africa. Without our symbolic traditions, vibrant culture and lively expression, our campus would be lifeless and dull. Students have worked tirelessly to build our campus through art and expression to make it what it is today – simply iconic. Prospective students travel far and wide to visit our campus and among other things, see our West-Campus Duikweg. Removing the boldly handprinted names from the roof ultimately removes history; it erases student legacies. 

This project seems to be the start of something big on our campus, and students are worried about where it will lead. It is important to note that one art piece has also been painted over with black paint, but students quickly used the blank slate to write their names and quotes on the wall. Barry McGee, an American street artist and pioneer of the Mission School art movement, describes graffiti this way: “Some people are enraged, and some people are applauding. If there were a mission statement for graffiti, that would be it.” 

It is safe to say that our campus is changing, either for better or for worse. We cannot stop students from expressing themselves, but the question is, can we control it? Although our art is beautiful, expressive, and captivating, people might find it offensive and unnecessary. Is this the issue that our Arts Society is trying to address? Nevertheless, our Duikweg stands tall as a beacon of student expression and as part of the purple army, we should all be proud of the expressiveness it represents.

Two signs prohibiting graffiti (Source: Abygail Smit)

Edited by Kyle Bauermeister