become relevant in any initiative to bring about community healing, as they thrive on unifying people through the creation of tension- and trauma-free environments. The power dynamics or focal points of traditional approaches are traditional leaders who hold designated positions at various levels within the community. Viewed as the custodians of culture and tradition, these leaders are revered. It therefore becomes of paramount value to the community if these leaders execute their duties in a non-partisan manner. The traditional approaches that can be employed vary from community to community, but can take the following forms: Memorialisation (Brainstorming, group discussion and mini lecture) Memorials ease the pain of losing our loved ones and show that our sad memories are recognised locally and nationally. They keep a record of past suffering in our history, which educates and reminds the living to prevent human rights violations in future. Memorialisation seeks to aid in the preservation of memories by remembering the lives of people whose demise was brought about during war or incidents of human rights violations. Times of civil unrest often cause chaos such that it becomes very risky for people to meet and hold a proper funeral service for the deceased. Furthermore, displacement and forced migration as a result of conflict often interrupt funeral services, as family members are forced to flee from areas where fighting is prevalent. Memorials are therefore important in restoring honour and value to the deceased whilst giving encouragement to surviving victims. The displacement process also means that people are deprived of the right to mourn. As witnessed in Rwanda, the number of deaths and displacements was so high that it resulted in paupers or mass burials. In areas where burials took place in a rushed and haphazard manner, it is important that the affected families be afforded a chance to hold a memorial night or tombstone unveiling where they can pay homage to, and perform rites relating to, the life and spirit of the deceased. The unabridged essence of memorialisation is to afford people the opportunity to grieve for their loved ones in a safe environment and to express their varied emotions. Memorials aid in restoring one’s mental and emotional state of mind. Bickford (2005) states that memorials increasingly draw attention to injustice, celebrate the struggles of those who fought against the injustice and publicly acknowledge the individuals, groups, victims and survivors who suffered and fought. They also reveal and make visible the names and stories, and sometimes the faces of victims, and force societies, by the process of conceiving and developing memorials, to look inward and critically examine what happened in a horrible time and why. Depending on common national and local practices, as well as the cultural, ethical and moral fabric of a society, memorialisation can occur in various forms. Apart from burial sites or the building of shrines, memorialisation can also be facilitated through the naming of things and places that have historical significance, such as battle lines or public spaces, or by commemorating events or people by way of memorial days. Memorialisation can also be expressed through art or music or be emphasised in museums or public archives, either on a short-term basis or permanently. However, it is important that memorialisation be undertaken in conjunction with other transitional justice mechanisms, such as truth-telling, in order to avoid tension and resistance on the part of communities that fear victimisation. For memorials to be successful, both state and non-state actors need to collaborate. The state must provide the resources to support community activities, for instance by building Module 2: Approaches to community healing 21 2