Week 9: The Ultimate Top Ten List

The idea of crowd-sourcing a top ten list of resources for us to have before our departure to South Africa is brilliant. No single movie or article is going to give us enough context on the nation's past, present and future, but aggregating a spectrum of things to look into is a step in the right direction.

I'm familiar with most of what's on the list, but "'Winnie' fails to capture the essence of Mrs. Mandela" and "Cape Town: Gangs, Race and Poverty 20 years after Apartheid" are new to me. That goes to show there's always something to be learned. I encourage everyone to use Twitter to keep up with South African news! I know Twitter has a bad reputation for being a soapbox social platform (aren't they all?) where people rant about stuff that no one cares about, but the news aspect of it is All UT-Austin journalists are required (or strongly recommended) to create a public Twitter account at one point during our four years here and use it as a professional platform. Follow me @LarisaManescu, y'all! Promise that I share interesting content, and it'll probably become more and more related to South Africa as our trip nears. 

Now that we're well-read, I'm ready to land in Capetown and live it.

Week 8: Top 10 Resources for Understanding South Africa

Here's my aggregated list of the top ten resources to look at before we depart for South Africa:

1. Interactive PBS timeline: In the case of studying an entire nation's history, context is important to be able to digest any contemporary news. This one pinpoints significant political and social events in South Africa that led up to the collapse of the apartheid system.
2. South Africa's Ticking Time Bomb: Not the most encouraging title, but an important read about the reality of youth unemployment and the country's economic crisis. 
3. Factbox: South Africa since Apartheid: For the best story-telling, a mix of anecdotal and hard evidence is needed. This article provides the gritty details of what the ANC has managed to improve (or not) in the nation since 1994. 
4. Not White Enough, Not Black Enough: The history of the word "colored" in the United States is starkly different from what it means to be "colored" in South Africa. This is an important (and well-written!) op-ed that explains the history of the arbitrary way in which racial identity was - and still is - determined in South Africa.
5. Realizing Women's Humans Rights in South Africa: You would think that the collapse of the apartheid system would advance human rights for black men AND women, but an unintended dynamic has emerged: "Women feel they have to choose between preserving culture and promoting human rights. In a society where the majority of its citizens’ culture was assaulted for centuries, cultural preservation is a priority in black African communities. Today women discuss the way men use their desire to preserve culture as a reason for continued gender violence."
6. Here's how South African students talk about race and gender: This article - made up of interviews with a variety of South African students - demonstrates that young people are conscious of what is left to be improved in the nation.
7. Op-Ed: In South Africa, it's often said that being gay is a "Western" thing: We've talked race and gender. Now it's time to discuss sexuality. This article states that the stress on "cultural identity" post-apartheid emphasizes traditional, conservative family values and that homosexuality is viewed as a legacy leftover from colonial westerners.
8. Invictus trailer: Let's take a break from all the heavy reading. This movie tells the story of how Nelson Mandela used the unifying power of sport to bring together apartheid-torn South Africa. His challenge? Rallying the national rugby team to the 1995 World Cup Championship match in the fresh aftermath of the collapse of the apartheid system. 
9. Ultimate Bucket List Trip: South Africa: Let us not forget that South Africa is a beautiful country - not only its people, but the land itself. This article goes beyond the typical safari recommendations and suggests tips for appreciating Capetown's landscape.
10. District 9: A must-watch. Not only because it's just a good movie, but because it reflects the ugly parts of the human experience that manifest when we maintain an "us" vs. "them" mentality (i.e. xenophobia, segregation). The premise is that aliens (named 'Prawns') land on Earth with no malicious intent; their planet is dying and they're seeking a new home. Instead, they're confined to a militarized ghetto called District 9 in apartheid-era South Africa. I'll hold my tongue about the rest, but here's a fun fact: The producer is Peter Jackson, same guy that produced the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

Week 7: Exchanging Ideas

I'm really glad we spent time doing independent research on South Africa. I'm always down for reading contemporary news articles or feature stories on current events and issues.

After taking a look at the blog's of my peers, I decided to read the PRI story "Here's how South African students talk about race and gender" that Maria posted because I wanted to hear the thoughts of young people in the country we'll be visiting. I appreciated the simple format of the article, of expressing the thoughts of each of the students edited for conciseness. They brought up a lot of relatable issues, from cat-calling/objectification to gender norms (i.e. women and men expected to like certain things, work in certain fields, etc.) to rape. The students' thoughts were very developed making it clear they had discussed the issues of gender, race and class/privilege before - as many of them mentioned, it's a daily conversation in South Africa. I appreciate their openness and their acknowledgement of their personal identities.

The prevalence of rape in South Africa makes me angry... My mum brought it up on the phone with me the other day when we were discussing my upcoming trip. I know she wants me to be aware of my surroundings and think about protection, which is all good advice. But I have always been of the mindset that it shouldn't be my responsibility to be constantly watching my back, so I can get defensive when someone pushes the topic of self-defense on me. I suppose I'm too idealistic (naive?) and we don't live in an ideal world, so taking into the context where I am is the smartest idea.

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I also looked into this The Economist article suggested by Katie about coloured people in South Africa, which powerfully leads with "If Barack Obama lived in South Africa, he might be called a coloured. Under apartheid, the government decided to which of four racial categories a South African belonged - black, coloured, Indian/Asian or white - depending mostly on looks" to show how arbitrary that classification is.  The term itself is confusing given the history of the word "colored" in the United States. The article confirms a point Austin brought up in class, that coloured people are now perceived as being at the "bottom of the ladder" in terms of economic development post-apartheid, because blacks get priority. But who makes the identification?

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Lastly, I can't stress enough the importance of the Power & Privilege Definitions document that Joshua provided. The resource is so helpful, because even though the meaning of some of the words may seem obvious, having all of the relevant terminology laid out like that clears away any doubt or confusion. For example, I knew what internalized oppression was before reviewing the document but I don't think I could have coherently verbalized it on my own.

Week 6: So, What's the Real Story?

After watching Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, there's still many questions I had left unanswered. A movie - even a two and a half hour one -  cannot comprehensively convey decades of history. Luckily, the Internet exists and we all have the privilege of access to open information.

An Umkhonto poster calling women to rise up against the anti-apartheid regime.

One lingering thought I had watching the film was about Mandela's approach to the anti-apartheid movement. The movie, which focused heavily on Mandela's time in prison, didn't give much context about his activities beforehand and starkly contrasted Mandela's "peaceful" nature compared to his then-wife's violent approach. But Mandela was actually labeled a "terrorist" in the past by the West, although no one dares call him that nowadays. I was surprised to find this Washington Post article  that talked about the misconception that Mandela was a peaceful revolutionary, like India's Gandhi. On the contrary, the article states that Mandela advocated violent resistance against the apartheid government when peaceful efforts had failed (he specifically stated "only then did we decide to answer violence with violence" at his 1964 trial). After the massacre in the Sharpeville township in 1960, Mandela co-founded the paramilitary arm of the African National Congress, called Umkhonto we Size or "Spear of the Nation," which sabotaged economic and political institutions (i.e. state buildings and infrastructure).

With so much mention of the Sharpeville massacre as a critical turning point in the fight against apartheid in my research, I wanted to know the specific details of what occurred that day to understand the context of its effects. 

What happened?

Source from ANC archives, unknown photographer, 21st March 1960

A crowd of 5,000 to 7,000 black South Africans assembled in front of a police station in the township of Sharpeville to protest against the Pass laws (internal passport system designed to enforce segregation and limit/control the movement of black South Africans). Police shot into the crowd, killing 69 people and injuring about 180 (children, men and women). 

What came of it?

The significance of the massacre was massive. Internally, anti-apartheid groups such as the African National Congress and the Pan-Africanist Congress grew militant and demonstrations, riots and marches abounded in the following weeks. International criticism of the apartheid regime grew, including UN condemnation.

Many of the protestors were gunned down while running away from the police officers, with their backs turned. Photo: Bailey's African History Archives

And now we arrive to the now.

When Mr. David Gilmour spoke to our class, he told us that all South Africans are friendly people but he wished that they would interact with one another more. That isn't to say that people of different races are UNfriendly, more that they occupy different spaces. I wanted to look more into race relations in today's South Africa, and found an NPR article that painted a country that still has a lot of work to do but is moving in the right direction. From it, I learned that young black South Africans born after the fall of apartheid in 1994 are known as "Born Frees" and that they are "colorblind, focusing not so much on the once-divisive issues of race and color, but on economic opportunities and development." I'm going to take the word "colorblind" with a grain of salt, because the legacy of apartheid and race divisions in the nation are inevitably intertwined with current socioeconomic realities. Additionally, the article only represents a handful of testimonies from black South Africans. But it is good to see that the younger generation seems hopeful for the future.

Week 5: Civil Rights in Pop Culture

This blog title isn't mean to minimize the gravity (and excellence!) of the two films I watched this week, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Selma. I say "pop culture" because the films made it into the public realm, or mainstream media.

With that disclaimer out of the way, watching these films back to back on a bitterly cold Monday is an emotional way to start the week.

It's difficult to translate my emotions evoked by the films into full, coherent sentence so I'll just take the easy route and lay out some words that come to mind: Anger. Sadness. Disbelief. Solidarity. Hope. Togetherness. Notice the transition? Three bad, three good. That has to do with the fact that the civil rights movements of both the United States and South Africa were ultimately successful, but at a huge human cost.

Simply put, I learned a lot from the films about both the details surrounding the movements and the personal lives of their two iconic leaders.

I knew that Mandela had a wife while he was in prison, but I knew nothing of Winnie's political action. Watching the rift develop between her and Nelson about the nature of the movement (Nelson's non-violent approach vs. Winnie's more radical, militant perspective) throughout the film was interesting and sad.

Here's a quote I admired from Winnie, after she was released from 18 months of solitary confinement:

"I say to my jailers, Thank you'. And I say to the government 'Thank you.' You've helped me grow up. I was very young when I married Nelson. I'm not young anymore. And I am not afraid anymore."

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The march scene in Selma - and also ones leading up to the big march - was amazing. The overlap of the shots and the music was phenomenal. I cried.

If anyone is interested in learning more about Spider Martin, the photojournalist whose photos inspired many of the scenes in the film, check out this New York Times article. 

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I have to mention, some details about the personal lives of Mandela and MLK was uncomfortable and confusing to process. As someone who takes domestic violence extremely serious, my heart dropped during the scene where Mandela pushed his first wife. On that same note, the scene between MLK and his wife that hinted at an extramarital affair was tough to watch.

Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that these men were actual human beings. Sounds simple, but the idea is that because they are complex beings (and not picture-perfect characters in a book) they're not going to be perfect. Their imperfections don't downplay their incredible historical significance and selflessness for the improvement of South African and American society.

Having watched Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, I definitely feel more knowledgable about the nature of the anti-apartheid movement. The film especially contextualized its complexities (non-violent vs. violent sects) and the public perception of Mandela - before, during and after prison.

Week 4: Mandela & MLK

It's impossible not to drew parallels between South Africa's Nelson Mandela and the United States' Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., both key leaders in their nations' respective civil rights movements. 

As iconic as these names have been, I haven't studied either of them in depth. I knew that King wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" during his eleven days in prison, and while I could have guessed that Mandela made the most of his time in prison (a shocking 27 years), I had no idea he earned a bachelor of law degree from the University of London. Perhaps it was common knowledge, but you learn something new every day.

Other similarities I see among them include a religious background and non-violent resistance as a method of protest.

In terms of power and political influence, Mandela became president of South Africa in 1994 but the reality of a black American president didn't happen until 2008. That's an interesting contrast considering that legal segregation ended decades earlier in the United States but it makes sense in the context of South Africa's free elections and blacks being the majority.

Another obvious (but significant) difference between the two is the fact that MLK was assassinated in 1968 while Mandela died from a respiratory infection in 2013 at the age of 95.

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"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." - Nelson Mandela (Madiba)

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" - Martin Luther King Jr. 

It's hard to zero in on just one quote by each man. From looking at a collection of both their thoughts, they are on the exact same page about various concepts: the power of education, combating hate with love (and working with your enemy to get a job done) and perseverance in the face of seemingly important obstacles. 

That being said, I choose these two quotes because they reflect the bigger picture of why they were who they were and did what they did. 

Week 3: There's Always Something to Learn

Before reading up on some history and current events, I've decided to lay out what I know about South Africa point blank.

• Apartheid, the word for systematic racial segregation in the country, ended in 1994. I was one year old. 
• I've never been to any African country. From observations of friends who have been to Cape Town (and by observations I mean stalking Facebook photos), the geography of Cape Town reminds me a lot of Rio de Janeiro's landscape. Meaning beautiful, but also starkly unequal. When you're on the beach in Rio, you can look up and see the favelas (slums) in plain view. I wonder where the townships in Cape Town are situated. 
• South Africa has eleven official languages, one of them being Afrikaans (which sounds similar to Dutch). The wealth of culture is pretty overwhelming but equally exciting. 
• The people I'm met from South Africa have really cool accents. 
• Has anyone gone through a Die Antwoord phase? I know they're a controversial group, and I'm curious to see what people in South Africa think of them. Putting this out there: 

• 25 years ago today, Nelson Mandela was released from a 27-year prison sentence. Here's a photo of him raising his fist in triumph with his then-wife Winnie on that sunny Feb. 11, 1990 afternoon in Cape Town.

Although I knew the general idea behind apartheid, reading details about specific laws in the 20th century emphasized how much of a parallel can be drawn between the history of the United States and the history of South Africa. Knowing this, and considering the current issues still facing the United States, I'm curious to see race relations as they exist in South Africa.

Both a strength and a challenge for the nation is its diversity. Richness of culture is a beautiful thing, but the society suffers from stark economic inequality. Since it's so freshly democratized, it will take time for the legacy of decades of oppression to lift. It's shocking to think that the Afrikaners of Dutch, French and German descent make up only eight percent of the population and have such few points of contact with South Africa's black majority.

The African Union (AU) Summit just occurred in late January, and I'm happy to hear the main issue on the agenda was the empowerment of women (with a focus on ending child marriages). Since women make up half the population (aka, half the work force!), their contributions to the continent should be valued and their rights protected. It's a fundamental issue. Not only because we should respect all human beings regardless of their gender, but because women are significant players in Africa's growing economy.

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Background on our guest speaker Mr. David Gilmour, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs:

He managed academic and professional exchanges and cultural presentations during South Africa's transition to democracy in the early 1990s.

It's been 21 years since the official end of the apartheid system. A question I had for him is what kind of specific economic changes have taken place in those years to advance the poor socioeconomic reality of South Africans?