Week 7: Peer Research

This week, I poked my head into three items that my classmates researched last week.

The busts of Paul Kruger, JBM Hertzog, DF Malan, JG Strijdom and Hendrik Verwoerd overlook the town of Orania.

As Americans, and hence historically anti-apartheid (credits to Bianca Alcorta for finding that article), we rarely hear from the pro-apartheid side, namely those of Afrikan decent. Elisa Benavidas found what I found to be a fascinating article on an all white, ethnically Afrikan town of Orania. Afrikaners are the descendants of the original French, Dutch, and German settlers who settled in South Africa in the 17th century and eventually came to establish the apartheid system to maintain dominance in the country. Orania was established just shortly before the end of apartheid in 1991, and has been a mecca for Afrikaners who felt displaced by the heralding of the new democratic system. Amide interesting facts about the independent infrastructure of the town, low crime rate, strict rules, and eerie atmosphere emerges the Afrikan view of apartheid. Many in the town found nothing wrong with the system and felt displaced by the end of it. One man complained of "reverse racism" and having difficulty find a job. Whereas most of the world praise FW de Klerk for helping to bring an end to apartheid before Nelson Mandela succeeded him as president of South Africa, the owner of the local bar blames him for "the plight of [the Afrikan] people." Oriania even has busts of old Afrikan leaders overlooking the town, a testament to how the spirit of apartheid still lives on.

I have heard the term "the lost generation" used in several contexts now. In an article that Denice Carpenter shared, it refers to the generation after apartheid who still struggle to get an education. Not only do about half of all students drop out at some point with many failing matric exams but many schools also end up shutting down from lack of funding, especially in rural areas and small provinces. Thus many of the Lost Generation ultimately do manual labor or criminal/gang activities. Fortunately, generous efforts from individuals like Oprah Winfrey and nonprofit organizations have made strides to provide for the education of South Africa, but much work remains.

In another look at the young adults of South Africa today, a short documentary that Connie Garza found titled "South Africa's Post Apartheid Generation" examined where many people in my own generation are in life and their viewpoints on politics and apartheid. Many of the young men and women interviewed are now working in the arts and were born near the end of apartheid. Their parents all grew up and lived in the apartheid system with some who participated in anti-apartheid movements and one mother who was nearly killed. It still strikes me how recently apartheid was abolished, and how the varying opinions on the degree of change since. Nearly all who were interviewed showed a drive to become successful in this New South Africa.

Week 6: Layers of Complexity

"She will never give up." This was one of the most striking lines to me as I watched Winnie Mandela, a major motion picture based on Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography Winnie Mandela: A Life. I remember in some of our blog posts last week that the movement against apartheid was not simply led by Nelson Mandela but was also greatly contributed by other great figures, one of whom was Winnie Mandela. Although the movie didn't go in depth on many aspects of her life, it does give a very solid impression of what this women suffered through in her fight against apartheid.Her relationship with Nelson Mandela marked her as a political threat very early in their marriage, leading to police harassment, being fired from her job, banishment to a small Free State town, and even betrayal and violence within her allies. After watching both Winnie Mandela and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, I want to read the books that inspired the two movies to learn more about the complexity of these two historical figures' lives.


But life is rarely black and white. Lindsay Johns wrote an excellent piece titled "Say It Loud, I'm Coloured and I'm Proud," which dives headfirst into the layers of identity and labels that the South African people align with. Hundreds of years of a métissage (mixing of blood) between a multitude of hertiages has produced the Coloured identity, which is distinct from being Black or White. What surprised me the most is how adept South Africans can be at identifying what to call other South Africans, whereas a foreigner (who will be me this summer) may not see the characteristics that set the groups apart. For example, Johns used Denzel Washington and Usher, two prominent black men in America, as an example of who South Africans would call Coloured. Unfortunately, the politics of apartheid and the new Afrocentric ANC Government have put Coloured people at a disadvantage. However, Johns ends on the hopeful mission to first focus on being " children of the universe and citizens of the world" before worrying about labels and races.

We have parallels in our own backyard with America not being simply black nor white. An essay titled "A Hispanic Civil Rights Movement" by Juan Williams explores the struggle of our nation's largest minority group in their own fight for equality. The movement is a great example of the power that organization of many diverse groups can have to create change. Hopefully racial tensions can be set aside in America as minorities band together in great movement for equality.

[Congrats, you made it through my long rambling! Here's a fun article as your reward: 
How to Spot an American Anywhere in the World]