Visitors to the Long March to Freedom Exhibition at Century City, Cape Town are now able to learn more about the history behind South Africa’s most iconic shoe, the veldskoen (field shoe).

This quintessential South African footwear, a world-renowned brand manufactured in Paarden Eiland by a company of the same name established in 2016, has been recognised and honoured with a Veldskoen Plaque at the exhibition. Long March to Freedom unveiled the permanent plaque on 7 July, and it is where visitors can get an insight into the history of the handcrafted shoe.

Speaking to TygerBurger at the exhibition this week, Sarah Haines, director of the National Heritage Project Company, the non-profit that has developed, owns and operates the exhibition, said earlier versions of the veldskoen had first been worn by indigenous people. It has developed over the years into what today is a sought-after shoe.

History

According to the plaque, the origins of the veldskoen can be traced back to the leather-working traditions of the indigenous Khoekhoen communities. “Long before European settlement, their practical, beautifully crafted rawhide footwear was engineered to traverse the rugged African terrain,” it pointed out.

The plaque, which depicts how earlier versions of the shoe looked and relates the origins of familiar companies such as Strassberger Skoene in Wupperthal, is located near to the entrance of the exhibition.

The plaque will serve as a permanent reminder of the role the iconic shoe has played in the country’s evolving story across generations and communities, a statement reads.

“From its origins in indigenous craftmanship to its place today as a globally recognised symbol of South African creativity and entrepreneurship, the veldskoen has become part of South Africa’s journey and remains, in many ways, the sole of South Africa,” said Adrian Moors, director of Veldskoen Shoes. “Today [the Veldskoen brand] is worn by entrepreneurs, creatives, adventurers and everyday South Africans, demonstrating how heritage continues to find expression in contemporary life. This partnership allows us to celebrate and reserve that heritage while sharing it with future generations.”

Leaders

The Long March to Freedom Exhibition is a monumental procession of 100 life-size bronze statues, dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of the people who shaped South Africa’s democratic journey, a statement reads. They include such illustrious as names Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Helen Suzman, Albert Luthuli, Heile Selassi, Martin Luther King Jr and Johnny Clegg.

Visit www.veldskoen.com

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