Grahamstown was founded by Lieutenant-Colonel John Graham, and was turned into a British military outpost that aided in colonizing other areas of South Africa. The British were forcing out the native Xhosa people from their land in the process. Roughly 20,000 Xhosa people were removed from their land. This resulted in war between the two groups, and led to battles that left the Xhosa people disadvantaged and the loss of life high.

In one of the largest attacks by African people against the British, 6,000 Xhosa warriors, natives to the area, attacked 350 British soldiers on April 22, 1819. The Xhosa were defeated and it resulted in the death of over 1,000 men. This battle is nicknamed “Egazini” which means “Place of Bloodshed” because they say that there was so much blood it turned the nearby river red. The Xhosa pwere driven out of the area, and the British settled.

The Egazini Outreach Project began in 2000, with the goal to educate local artists on the Battle of Grahamstown, and then using their art to create their own interpretation of the long history. The art that was then on exhibit at the National Arts Festival that takes place in Grahamstown each summer.  The artwork was an inspiration and resulted in a new community identity that empowered and brought peace to a dark past.