BIOGRAPHY April 2023   Traditional Leader Aaron Martin William Messelaar is a citizen of South Africa. He, since 1993, is owner and Managing Director of Faith Funeral Services and as such Reverend at Faith Workers Pentecostal Church. Born within a small Griqua population in Campbell, a town in the North of South Africa named after Rev John Campbell in 1813, inter alia, a Missionary to the Griqua people. Aaron being the traditional leader of the Griqua Royal House and a dedicated Historian, in particular a researcher on the Griqua history, has written books with focus on the Griqua culture titled DIE GRIEKWA IS NOG, GRIQUA CULTURE AND SUPERSTITIONS and FORGOTTEN BUT NOT BURIED. Aaron further puts his heart and soul into a collection of indigenous history and art effects and as such became the curator of the Griqua legacy Museum. It was in 2017 when Messelaar was appointed Deputy Secretary General of the “Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa”, CONTRALESA, prior to this having represented the traditional leaders as SA provincial chairperson for the Western Cape. The Traditional Leader further is director of the Afrikaans Language Board. High Commissioner Messelaar since 2007 is advisor to the “Indigenous Peoples Society of Southern Africa NPC”, IPSOSA, and since 2023 Indigenous ambassador to IPSOSA.