Poverty, Chastity and (Dis)obedience: New documentary of Irish Missionaries in South Africa
News
13 October 2020
In 2019, the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa – with support of the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs - began documenting the oral histories of the Irish Missionary Diaspora in South Africa focusing in particular on their work under apartheid, and the contribution to peace, justice, health, education and anti-apartheid activism over the decades.
Based on the stories collected, the documentary film Poverty, Chastity, and (Dis)Obedience - the Irish Missionaries in South Africa highlights a previously untold story of the Irish diaspora in South Africa and presents a new aspect of Irish solidarity with South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle. Researched by Dr. Ciarán Reilly and directed by Adam Asmal, this film is dedicated to the generations of Irish missionary men and women who devoted their lives to South Africa, standing in solidarity with its people and their struggle.
To celebrate Heritage Month in South Africa and the Dublin Festival of History, the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa has collaborated with EPIC Museum and Liliesleaf Heritage Centre in South Africa to share this story.
Premiered on 24 September 2020, the documentary has now been made available to watch on the DFA YouTube channel from anywhere in the world, by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnb-hXjkjuM&feature=youtu.be
