Archbishop Desmond Tutu at Maropeng: Following the footsteps of humankind
31 July 2013 was a very special day at Maropeng: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu added his footprint to those of a unique group of presidents and Nobel Prize laureates.
Tutu arrived at Maropeng in the morning with his foot in a cast, jokingly telling attendees at the function: “I fell for a woman. Hulle het my muti gegee (They gave me traditional medicine).” He later explained he was suffering from tendonitis. Accompanying him were his daughters, Nonthombi Tutu and Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe.
His visit started with an above-ground tour at the Sterkfontein Caves, led by University of the Witwatersrand Professor Francis Thackeray, which left him humbled and fascinated by the discoveries made of the evolution of humankind: “Isn’t it fantastic that there is a mind that oversaw this incredible journey so that eventually we emerged, that God should have taken so much trouble.”
He then proceeded to Maropeng, the official visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind, where he was taken on a guided tour by Maropeng marketing and communications manager Lindsay Marshall.
“I took for granted the magnitude of the man himself,” said Marshall. “It was a profound and humbling experience to share with him what I love about Maropeng and what the Cradle of Humankind is all about.
“His ability to connect science and religion was beautiful, and had a profound impact on all who attended this event,” she said.
The archbishop thoroughly enjoyed the tour, and was awed by the experience: “It is very humbling walking through here [Maropeng] and thinking that we emerged only 200 000 years ago, and that the universe is 14 000-billion years old.”
It was then time for the grand moment – a ceremony to honour the distinguished Nobel laureate’s contribution to humanity, in which his footprint was cast in concrete and later placed on a walkway outside the Tumulus building, along with those of other distinguished honourees.
The archbishop joins former South African president Thabo Mbeki, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, President Jacob Zuma, former president of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus, and Nobel Prize laureates Sidney Brenner and Peter Agre in this exclusive club.
Social media was abuzz with posts on the day, giving followers and fans a glimpse of the prestigious event:
Tutu expressed his gratitude to Maropeng for honouring him in such a significant manner. “I am incredibly honoured to be here. God has an incredible sense of humour. There are those who think they are superior because they have lighter skin. The greatest joke is every single one of us is from Africa. It has been scientifically proven that we belong in one family, the human family,” he said.