ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the complexities that emerged around the local history project, through which Ronald Ngilima's grandson Farrell Ngilima, art student Hemisha Bhana and attempts to reconnect' a photographic collection from the 1950s with the present-day residents of Actonville. The Ngilimas were far from being the only photographers in the neighbourhood; few photographers kept their archives after retirement. Considering that the photographs showed 'the pioneers of our community', the depicted people surely deserve a more honourable and respectable form of exhibition. Despite the various disagreements with certain Actonville residents, the experience of organizing a street exhibition with the Ngilima photographs was both exhilarating and productive, not least in its ability to reveal assumptions about the role of photographic collection in the production of local history. Identifying an ethnic history focusing solely on Indians becomes a priority over embracing a common 'rainbow-colour' past, in a context where South African Indians are figuring out citizenship and entitlement in a post-apartheid South Africa.
