Mingling with New and Old- Museums and the World Cup

Today’s agenda covered several very significant things, one from South Africa’s past- the Apartheid museum- and one from its future- the nearly completed world cup stadium in Johannesburg. The day became an interesting juxtaposition of the country’s very real and imposing past, and the situation today, where South Africa has been given the honor of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, an event recognized and celebrated in every aspect of life here as we sit about a month away from the beginning of the tournament.

One thing that is important to recognize about South Africa is its love of symbolism- the Apartheid museum is no exception. The moment you walk in, you are greeted by a long reflecting pool, representing the future, and huge pillars depicting the rights dictated in the constitution, such as dignity, freedom, and responsibility. Quotes from Nelson Mandela abound, and for good reason- after walking through the temporary exhibit about his life, I felt much more connected to the story that I’m following in his book. It’s literally the words jumping off the page, giving us visual details and artifacts from the life of this incredible leader. I think I am just now beginning to grasp the gravity of Mandela’s actions and leadership for the country of South Africa, and the more I do so, the clearer the path to the ending of Apartheid becomes. I keep understanding the history in different pieces, and through different mediums and people born in different time periods- Even just today, I went from the many accounts presented by the Apartheid museum from people who lived through it to talking to a ten-year-old girl who had just recently visited the Hector Peterson Memorial and the Apartheid Museum herself.

I am continuously frustrated that I am just learning about Apartheid now, although I wasn’t alive for its reign. I think it is perhaps because I realize that my parents would have heard about it, and am feeling eager to question them on what kinds of information about it they were getting in the United States as it was happening.

Shifting gears a bit, we started off the morning with a tour of the newly minted world cup stadium. What an amazing experience! I was so impressed by the whole structure, as well as by the insider access we got- even touring the locker rooms and presidential sweet! It’s amazing to be in the mindset of analyzing the country for hints of Apartheid’s effects, yet be so immersed in situations like this where it appears that South Africa has been extremely successful, at least in some respects, at overcoming Apartheid’s economic and societal effects. The whole trip we’ve been doing jumping, from seeing the shadier parts of Soweto and the townships to being at the University just a few minutes later. The disparity is confusing, and can sometimes be frustrating. It makes it hard to summarize the country, and to tell what it’s like, but I think that that’s part of most of Africa- unique societies, economic situations, and environments all working very closely together towards functioning as one society. It’s changing how I view the continent as a whole and how I’m adjusting to dealing with these huge differences, which will hopefully become easier as the course goes on.

Touring Constitutional Court

Today was an interesting day- when we first left for our first venture into Johannesburg to tour the Constitutional Court, I was expecting something very different from what we experienced. I was anticipating the hustle and bustle that is usually seen in American government buildings, with something constantly going on and many people purposefully headed somewhere. The prison was not something I had connected with the Court, although it probably should have rung a bell from reading the Mandela autobiography.

Jail tours, no matter how well-created they are (and this one was the best I’ve ever been on) can never completely convey to a visitor the horrendous feeling of being locked away with your thoughts and under oppressive, abusive rule, but this one seemed to rise above this fact by using prisoner’s direct accounts of what happened to describe the situation.

I am always awestruck at the way that people persevere through inequality and horrendous conditions- the tour of the prison could perhaps be compared to my tour of Dachau, a former prison camp in Germany.

As we ended our prison half of the tour and continued into the constitutional court, the guide mentioned at every turn the ways in which the prison’s building materials, as well as themes of unity had been incorporated into literally every aspect of the new building. Bricks from the old prison were used in the courtroom, and everything was symbolic, down to the lack of mortar between the bricks representing the passing of freedom easily into the lives of the people.

After lunch, when we got to go the University of Witwaterswand, it felt like we had walked through a time warp back to the states. The number of white people we were seeing increased drastically, and the quality of the buildings, sidewalks, even gardens were far more reminiscent of a European campus than what I expected of Johannesburg. The ethnic groupings seemed to be in mixed groups of friends amidst all non-whites, but white students appeared isolated in their own social pockets. It amazes me how the more I learn about Apartheid, the more integrated and successful the United States seems to be at combating racism, although it is still evident.

Walking to the shop with Zama on the first day, I was told about how romantic relationships between white and black Africans are developing and changing, and other examples of how racism was still apparent in his every day life. I was slightly taken aback- I hadn’t expected the stories and effects of Apartheid to come forth so readily, but it is truly a part of how the country is operating and trying to advance itself today. Zama told me stories of Afrikaners at his University were about to be expelled for racist actions, but were allowed to graduate and stay at the school because black Africans deemed the punishment too harsh. Zama reasoned, “That is their future, and we do not want to take away their future.” I am struck time and time again by the ways in which bit by bit, people are moving closer towards equality and respect, even in small ways like Zama’s story. In every Apartheid tale we hear, there seems to be a desire to move forward as a united country, versus a bitterness that I would expect, at least on a personal level. It is extremely challenging to forgive grievances as horrendous as those from Apartheid, and I think that this alone demands a level of respect from the international community. I am appalled by the actions of these people, and it almost feels embarrassing to me as well to possibly be associated with this kind of behavior because of my skin color.

I like how straightforward the Africans seem to be in dealing with the problems that their country faces. Racism and Apartheid’s effects are discussed openly with the intent of reaching an understanding of the situations at hand, as well as how to improve them. We passed a PSA billboard today that read “If you see a water main break, report it. Don’t waste fresh water.” Messages are conveyed simply, honestly, and accurately- and always attempt to identify the problem and fix it. I get the impression that there are few problems you can bring to the table without getting the help of the people around you in fixing it or finding a solution.

I have been struck here thus far by an endless and enduring positive attitude of the residents of Soweto. As we were on our way to the museum this morning, Chris commented on the seeming impossibility of Johannesburg finishing all the construction and road work that was slowing us on our way before the World Cup began. Chris said, “How are they going to finish all of this? There’s only twenty days or something until the World Cup, right? Our driver Patrick, a native of Soweto, simply smiled and replied, “Yes, but a lot can happen in 20 days.” I’m looking forward to the rest of our stay in comfortable and homey Soweto, and to more of the smiling faces and enthusiasm that greet us each day we are here.

Arriving in Africa

The first glance I got of Africa was a vast, dry, barren land, out the window of a plane, 12/15 hours through a sleepy, disorienting flight spanning two states and the Atlantic Ocean. It felt foreign, and new, and strange, and completely different. It was a blank slate- like a picture of the world at night, in which Africa is usually engulfed in darkness as the rest of the world burns the midnight oil, my mental picture of Africa as a continent, or South Africa as a country didn’t exist.
The passengers around me were unimpressed and continued to be buried in their books, and shows, and meals, and sleeping. I always feel like a child in planes, mostly because it’s a bit of a lonely environment.
Getting off the plane in Johannesburg, I was struck by the sheer delight of A) Getting to stretch my legs and B) Absorbing the first few glimpses of a country I knew nothing of. World Cup fever was evident from the moment we disembarked the plane, and as we walked out of the airport our first taste of this inexplicable African friendliness was exemplified in an invitation from a security officer to take a few shots on a sample soccer goal set up as an ad for Kinder chocolate.
I was struck by my lack of recognition when scanning the arrivals board at baggage claim- I only recognized the names of a few cities on the list! It was very humbling to realize I was truly in a new environment, one which I had no idea was going to embrace me so quickly.
Meeting up with Alphonse and Issac, our driver, was nice- it was good to head back to the hostel. As we walked in the direction of the car, I asked Issac- “Are you from Soweto?” Issac, ever the accommodating and friendly guy I now (sort of!) know him to be, said with a smile, “Yes, born and raised.” I smiled and conveyed my interest, but was silent the rest of the walk- in this situation, with a man whose life had been so extremely different form anything I had ever known, I didn’t even know what to say or ask about on our two minute walk to the car. Again, a humbling experience.
I’m curious, excited, nervous, intrigued, anxious- so many things- to begin class and getting to know the people here. Everyone seems so friendly and welcoming, and the traces of Apartheid I expected to be evident instantly were not. Looking back, this probably should have been obvious- the signs, restricted areas, and lack of any meaningful inter-racial interaction have long since been taken down and overcome, at least in some respects. Similar to a path grown over with weeds, Modern South African society has begun to grow, heal and forgive for the horrendous situation of the Apartheid era, although its effects still show through when you least expect it.