I watched the sun rise over Dakar and set in Cape Town. I am in Africa!!! Cape Town's beauty is unimaginable, its complexity unspeakable. Shocking as it may sound I have gone almost silent. From the airport I passed acres of shanty shacks held together by little more than tin cans (literally) and ascended through the city to gated colonial homes and trendy shops. Immediately I felt the weight, the anger, the shame of Apartheid oppression and its not even my home. What does post South Africa look like? I don't think I can say yet. I see the segregation and tentative relationships across cultural lines and it reminds me of 60's era U.S. I also see beauty, and this strange sense of accomplishment and hope, a newness, a sense of rebirth. However, I can't truly say what it is that I am seeing. I have not been inside this place long enough to see if these initial perspectives are accurate, if they are my own American lens. It could be that there may be much I can't see because of where I come from. Hence the silence, I will see what I can. I can say with definite certainty that I am have an experience unlike that of my group. What I feel here is heavy, pulling, speaking to me so that I cannot yet speak.
These first few days of this learning experience have been about framing the history of colonialism, South Africa and Apartheid. We have already perused downtown, traveled by Kombi (a van like Taxi run by Black South Africans) all the way to the Black Townships and visited the water side tourist spots. This initial part of the journey is the "White South African" experience. We are living in a beautiful bed and breakfast in a pristine White neighborhood, guarded by gates, alarms and patrolmen. Soon we will go to live with our families in the Black Town Ships and experience another South Africa all together.
Black or White, South Africa is fecund and vital. Something has happened here, something is happening, something will happen. I could not be more grateful to be here.
LOVE!
Forgot the USB cord so no pics this time :-( But promise to post some from here on out.
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2 comments:
I'm glad you got there safely. I understand the silence-- the complexities, surroundings, and nature of south africa make it almost inexplicable and tawdry to try to form it into words. I miss it deeply and dearly, and I can't wait to hear more about your journey. :)
-g
Aunti Ki, I am very glad that you are being enlightened. I couldn't be more proud of you!!!! I love you and wish you a safe experience in Cape Town. Love you forever.-Demarco
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