In the midst of writing about the creation and undoing of apartheid by the South African government, I can't help but retreat into my own thoughts about the absurdity of apartheid. The question that keeps making me laugh with frustration is: if the Afrikaner and British people in South Africa hated each other so much, why did they keep making laws that explicitly keep them together?
It seemed to me that in South Africa, the very idea of white supremacy was riddled with contradiction. Didn’t the British consider the Afrikaners lowly peasants and didn’t the Afrikaners see the British as leaders of an evil empire? Did the Afrikaner government really want to give the white British equal opportunity? Or did they simply forget that their British rivals were also “white?”
On our second visit to Pretoria, we went to various historical sites around the city. One such place was the Voortrekker Monument, opened in 1949 by the Afrikaans-dominated South African government. The marble walls are engraved with depictions of the Great Trek from 1835 to 1852 made by Afrikaner pioneers. Though the events give a heavily biased Afrikaner perspective, demonizing the Zulu people and the British, there is no denying the suffering that the Afrikaner pioneers endured during this time. If I learned anything from this monument, it was the stark contrast in histories of the Afrikaners and the British. The Afrikaners, whose ancestors had escaped from political oppression in Europe, were tough farmers who lived closely with the land. The British were privileged colonizers who came to South Africa to establish influential sea-ports and reap the benefits of the natural resources.
The sentiment surrounding this monument expressed the Afrikaner feeling of entitlement to the lands of South Africa. At the time of colonization and expansion in South Africa, the only people greedy for private property and mass accumulation of wealth were the only two white groups around. Yet, when the 1948 Afrikaner government came into power and established apartheid as a national policy, it succeeded in denying black South Africans the equal rights and entitlements but it failed to suppress the British, the Afrikaner people’s most serious competition for gold, land, and power.
Thinking about this just adds another of layer of absurdity to the concept of apartheid. I am glad for everyone’s sake that it was abolished; what foolishness the South African people had to endure.
-Emily Haghighi
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
I Heart Wits
During our two weeks in South Africa we visited two primary schools, three secondary schools, two Saturday schools for students in their final year of high school, and four universities. Our visit to University of Witwatersrand (Wits)—its campus lovingly referred to as a concrete jungle—particularly stands out in my mind. Although we only had a short time to look around the campus, I had a good feeling about the school.
We met with Nazir Carim and Misheck Ndebele, two professors at the School of Education. Dr. Carim described how Wits was a significant location for the anti-apartheid struggle. Winni Mandela led many rallies on the campus, in spite of the armored military vehicles that closed in on her and the crowd. Now I knew why I liked this school so much, its history was entrenched with the spirit of justice and forward thinking.
In our discussion with the two professors, we discussed policies of the newly democratic government, school curriculum, effect of HIV/AIDS on teachers and students, rural versus urban education, etc. A topic that particularly interested/upset me related to the literacy rates of students. Dr. Carim noted that any student, from primary level on, can engage in an informed conversation about rights and liberties, current events, and their opinions about the government, but just don’t ask them to write it down. According to the international TIMS study, an average sixth-grade student in South Africa has a second grade reading level and a student in third grade struggles to simply sound out words.
Then I wondered, what about the university students? Do they have decent reading and writing skills? Students that Drs. Carim and Ndebele encounter are brilliant thinkers but many still struggle to connect sentences together. Dr. Ndebele stressed that reading and writing are basic human rights that every person requires. If the professors at universities must go back to the very basics in order to equip their students with reading and writing skills to survive, then so be it.
Talking with these two extremely knowledgeable professors and learning more about the legacy of Wits, I left the school optimistic about the future of education in South Africa. Obviously students on all school levels are critical thinkers and thirsting to learn. The fact that many struggle with basic literacy is a large problem, a problem that may threaten to halt the growth of the country. However, with people like Carim and Ndebele and their young students, it feels like an obstacle that is possible to surmount.
-Emily Haghighi
We met with Nazir Carim and Misheck Ndebele, two professors at the School of Education. Dr. Carim described how Wits was a significant location for the anti-apartheid struggle. Winni Mandela led many rallies on the campus, in spite of the armored military vehicles that closed in on her and the crowd. Now I knew why I liked this school so much, its history was entrenched with the spirit of justice and forward thinking.
In our discussion with the two professors, we discussed policies of the newly democratic government, school curriculum, effect of HIV/AIDS on teachers and students, rural versus urban education, etc. A topic that particularly interested/upset me related to the literacy rates of students. Dr. Carim noted that any student, from primary level on, can engage in an informed conversation about rights and liberties, current events, and their opinions about the government, but just don’t ask them to write it down. According to the international TIMS study, an average sixth-grade student in South Africa has a second grade reading level and a student in third grade struggles to simply sound out words.
Then I wondered, what about the university students? Do they have decent reading and writing skills? Students that Drs. Carim and Ndebele encounter are brilliant thinkers but many still struggle to connect sentences together. Dr. Ndebele stressed that reading and writing are basic human rights that every person requires. If the professors at universities must go back to the very basics in order to equip their students with reading and writing skills to survive, then so be it.
Talking with these two extremely knowledgeable professors and learning more about the legacy of Wits, I left the school optimistic about the future of education in South Africa. Obviously students on all school levels are critical thinkers and thirsting to learn. The fact that many struggle with basic literacy is a large problem, a problem that may threaten to halt the growth of the country. However, with people like Carim and Ndebele and their young students, it feels like an obstacle that is possible to surmount.
-Emily Haghighi
Cry Freedom
There are countless images exploding in my mind, as this life transforming journey advances into its twilight hour. There are so many emotions swirling within me that I struggle to translate feelings to words.
I can only think…
I think of forty fists, every shade of brown, from ebony to milk tea, thrust proudly upward in Bonarto High School’s ninth grade classroom, honoring the struggle against Apartheid.
I think of the chill, shooting up the backs of my calves to the nape of my neck, as forty impassioned voices filled the room with the South African National anthem in the beautiful native tongue of Setswana.
I think of Flora, the principal who created a vibrant oasis of knowledge of the once desolate Ikaneng Primary School, empowered by her ability to “take the T out of can’t”.
I think of the Apartheid Museum and the courage of unflinching throngs of women, marching to free their husbands and children of the bondage of racism.
I think of Steve Biko and Nelson Mandela, leaders, political prisoners, examples of courage and perseverance in the face of injustice.
I think of maropeng, a Setswana word meaning “returning to our roots”. I think of how we are all fundamentally the same.
I think of the seven pillars of the new South African constitution: Democracy, Reconciliation, Respect, Diversity, Equality, Responsibility, and Freedom.
I think of kicking a soccer ball on streets of iron rich, red earth with the children of Soweto. I think of their smiles and youthful laughter.
I think of the future…
I think of Africa…
I think of hope…
~Orpheus
I can only think…
I think of forty fists, every shade of brown, from ebony to milk tea, thrust proudly upward in Bonarto High School’s ninth grade classroom, honoring the struggle against Apartheid.
I think of the chill, shooting up the backs of my calves to the nape of my neck, as forty impassioned voices filled the room with the South African National anthem in the beautiful native tongue of Setswana.
I think of Flora, the principal who created a vibrant oasis of knowledge of the once desolate Ikaneng Primary School, empowered by her ability to “take the T out of can’t”.
I think of the Apartheid Museum and the courage of unflinching throngs of women, marching to free their husbands and children of the bondage of racism.
I think of Steve Biko and Nelson Mandela, leaders, political prisoners, examples of courage and perseverance in the face of injustice.
I think of maropeng, a Setswana word meaning “returning to our roots”. I think of how we are all fundamentally the same.
I think of the seven pillars of the new South African constitution: Democracy, Reconciliation, Respect, Diversity, Equality, Responsibility, and Freedom.
I think of kicking a soccer ball on streets of iron rich, red earth with the children of Soweto. I think of their smiles and youthful laughter.
I think of the future…
I think of Africa…
I think of hope…
~Orpheus
Friday, August 10, 2007
Celebration of National Women's Day in South Africa
August 9th was a national holiday in South Africa. It was National Women's Day in honor of the fight for a free South Africa that it's women undertook in many ways during the Apartheid era and since. Their famous 1956 protest march to the Union Building in Pretoria wherein they burned their racially designated passport books and demanded equal and human rights for all was one highlight of their leadership.
We visited a classroom of middleschool students in which students read poems that they created to honor their mothers and women in South Africa. The boys were very enthusiastic in sharing thier poems. South African President Thabo Mbeki wrote an article in the Johannesburg daily newspaper (The Star 8/10/07) saluting women and acknowledging their struggle and "fight for freedom and justice" and their role in shaping democracy in South Africa. He also said that, "It is important for the South African male population to join the fight against gender oppression;" and that "the struggle to emancipate, empower and liberate our women cannot be completed without the meaningful participation of our men." I think we can learn many things from South Africa.
Our SUA group also joined comrades in South Africa in an HIV AIDS community outreach project on National Women's Day. We contributed and helped distribute towels, soap, blankets, and clothes to families of AIDS and cancer patients who were homebound and who lived in the Soweto Township. In one instance, the patient died the night before. Health issues, and especially HIV are very serious and visible issues here. However, there are lots of policies and education around the latter.
Despite all the struggles and the multiple challenges and issues involved in the transition to and buildinng of a "New South Africa," the spirits and hope of the people that we continue to meet in general appear high and hopeful. They continue to say that Mr. Nelson Mandela has been and remains the source of their inspiration. I'm impressed with how one person can have such an impact. I'm also impressed with the number of languages and dialects that are spoken among the South African people. Being able to communicate with people in their language is indeed an important asset and increasingly so in our expanding global village.
If you can, visit South Africa and explore the continent and the world apart from your own local village. As I've said before, it's one of the best forms of education. But also, I think it's important to explore corners and places in our own countries that takes us out of the familiar and our comfort zones. We don't have to travel to South Africa to learn about poverty and AIDs. Also, there are many similarities that we share with South Africa apart from being a member of the same human family.
I've a lot of ongoing and more serious self-reflecting to do. It is often the case when I step outside of my culture to experience another.
More later perhaps or maybe not as we have limited time left on our journey and still much to do and learn.
We visited a classroom of middleschool students in which students read poems that they created to honor their mothers and women in South Africa. The boys were very enthusiastic in sharing thier poems. South African President Thabo Mbeki wrote an article in the Johannesburg daily newspaper (The Star 8/10/07) saluting women and acknowledging their struggle and "fight for freedom and justice" and their role in shaping democracy in South Africa. He also said that, "It is important for the South African male population to join the fight against gender oppression;" and that "the struggle to emancipate, empower and liberate our women cannot be completed without the meaningful participation of our men." I think we can learn many things from South Africa.
Our SUA group also joined comrades in South Africa in an HIV AIDS community outreach project on National Women's Day. We contributed and helped distribute towels, soap, blankets, and clothes to families of AIDS and cancer patients who were homebound and who lived in the Soweto Township. In one instance, the patient died the night before. Health issues, and especially HIV are very serious and visible issues here. However, there are lots of policies and education around the latter.
Despite all the struggles and the multiple challenges and issues involved in the transition to and buildinng of a "New South Africa," the spirits and hope of the people that we continue to meet in general appear high and hopeful. They continue to say that Mr. Nelson Mandela has been and remains the source of their inspiration. I'm impressed with how one person can have such an impact. I'm also impressed with the number of languages and dialects that are spoken among the South African people. Being able to communicate with people in their language is indeed an important asset and increasingly so in our expanding global village.
If you can, visit South Africa and explore the continent and the world apart from your own local village. As I've said before, it's one of the best forms of education. But also, I think it's important to explore corners and places in our own countries that takes us out of the familiar and our comfort zones. We don't have to travel to South Africa to learn about poverty and AIDs. Also, there are many similarities that we share with South Africa apart from being a member of the same human family.
I've a lot of ongoing and more serious self-reflecting to do. It is often the case when I step outside of my culture to experience another.
More later perhaps or maybe not as we have limited time left on our journey and still much to do and learn.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Jackson speaks
My educational outlook in the United States, presently, is pretty… idealistic, just ask Orpheus. I have no problem waxing eloquently and at great length about cultivating wisdom, encouraging personal involvement with class materials, and moving beyond the classroom to contribute to society. This is Soka education. This is humanistic education. I have the luxury to spend my time contemplating these personal ideals. What happens to a child’s education when their time is spent worrying about personal safety?
Jackson is an unassuming 20-something University student in Johannesburg with a bright future. But don’t ask him his name unless you brought your reading glasses. Jackson does not speak. He has not spoken for years. Jackson grew up in Rwanda and witnessed some horrible atrocities at too young an age. Unable to deal with the stresses of young life in a war zone, Jackson shut down and shut up. Children are not concerned with quality education when family members are dying atrocious deaths left and right. I relate to him. Speech is the first thing to leave me when I find myself in tense situations.
Last week in a kindergarten in Langa, Capetown, we were serenaded by 40-plus five year-olds. Due to the thickness of the accent, it took me a moment to realize they had begun singing in English, after a stream of traditional tunes. But the chorus hit me loud and hard: “It is my body! Don’t touch it, don’t touch it!” My mind screamed, “what abuses must they be encountering for this song to be of importance to them?” At the conclusion, one teacher explained that these children experience much physical and sexual abuse in the community and therefore the song aims to arm them with some degree of self-respect and self-worth at a young age with which to fight back against their aggressors, if not physically then spiritually. What child could take education seriously in the classroom with the constant fear of being attacked upon return home?
One educator made these dire circumstances crystal clear today. He said, in some areas of South Africa, the likelihood that a female student can walk to and from school safely in one day, without the incident of rape during the walk, is not very high. Students are attacked regularly. Who would want to go to school?
So my mind aches. How can I justify thinking in such idealistic terms universally when the basics of safety are taken for granted in much of the world? How do we create the circumstances so all may become philosophers in a renaissance of life when many would be satisfied with the guarantee of personal security, and rightly so??
I return to Jackson. He moved to South Africa as a refugee to attend high school. Jackson couldn’t focus on his studies in Rwanda, but once removed from those desperate circumstances, Jackson thrived. Save for the special arrangements made to allow for his continued silence, Jackson dominated the chess scene, made good marks, and now enjoys much success at the University level. Give him the guarantee of safety and education becomes the focus. One down, a million to go. Thank you Jackson; you have instilled hope in an overly-fortunate idealist.
-Karla Meier
Jackson is an unassuming 20-something University student in Johannesburg with a bright future. But don’t ask him his name unless you brought your reading glasses. Jackson does not speak. He has not spoken for years. Jackson grew up in Rwanda and witnessed some horrible atrocities at too young an age. Unable to deal with the stresses of young life in a war zone, Jackson shut down and shut up. Children are not concerned with quality education when family members are dying atrocious deaths left and right. I relate to him. Speech is the first thing to leave me when I find myself in tense situations.
Last week in a kindergarten in Langa, Capetown, we were serenaded by 40-plus five year-olds. Due to the thickness of the accent, it took me a moment to realize they had begun singing in English, after a stream of traditional tunes. But the chorus hit me loud and hard: “It is my body! Don’t touch it, don’t touch it!” My mind screamed, “what abuses must they be encountering for this song to be of importance to them?” At the conclusion, one teacher explained that these children experience much physical and sexual abuse in the community and therefore the song aims to arm them with some degree of self-respect and self-worth at a young age with which to fight back against their aggressors, if not physically then spiritually. What child could take education seriously in the classroom with the constant fear of being attacked upon return home?
One educator made these dire circumstances crystal clear today. He said, in some areas of South Africa, the likelihood that a female student can walk to and from school safely in one day, without the incident of rape during the walk, is not very high. Students are attacked regularly. Who would want to go to school?
So my mind aches. How can I justify thinking in such idealistic terms universally when the basics of safety are taken for granted in much of the world? How do we create the circumstances so all may become philosophers in a renaissance of life when many would be satisfied with the guarantee of personal security, and rightly so??
I return to Jackson. He moved to South Africa as a refugee to attend high school. Jackson couldn’t focus on his studies in Rwanda, but once removed from those desperate circumstances, Jackson thrived. Save for the special arrangements made to allow for his continued silence, Jackson dominated the chess scene, made good marks, and now enjoys much success at the University level. Give him the guarantee of safety and education becomes the focus. One down, a million to go. Thank you Jackson; you have instilled hope in an overly-fortunate idealist.
-Karla Meier
From Johannesburg!
On August 7th (Tue), we departed from our beloved Cape Town and flew to Johannesburg, our next research spot and also our fellow South African Wandile’s hometown. The hotel we are staying right now is actually just 15mins walk from his former work place, and he has been a fabulous guide to this world-known metropolis. Jo’burg is particularly famous for being a capital of commerce of the country. From what our driver told us, Johannesburg is like New York in the US in a sense that it’s a commercial center of South Africa, as Pretoria, political capital of the country, can be compared to Washington DC. Of course, Johannesburg is not just about big corporations and businessmen, as it is also very close to a site called Cradle of Mankind, where oldest fossils of human being were found.
Since my group members are sharing about different session that we had so far in this city, I will just quickly go over the schedule for our study tour this week. (And I’m writing this in the night of second day here…sorry for the delay on the update!)
Aug. 7 Arriving at Jo’burg
Aug. 8 Visit to Barnato Park High School, Ikeneng Primary School, and Wits University
Aug. 9 Community Assistance Work
Aug. 10 Visit to University of Pretoria
Aug. 11 Arranged Pretoria Tour
Aug. 12 City Tour of Jo’burg
Aug. 13 Departure to the US!
Stay tuned with our hot blog cite!
-Haru Irie
Since my group members are sharing about different session that we had so far in this city, I will just quickly go over the schedule for our study tour this week. (And I’m writing this in the night of second day here…sorry for the delay on the update!)
Aug. 7 Arriving at Jo’burg
Aug. 8 Visit to Barnato Park High School, Ikeneng Primary School, and Wits University
Aug. 9 Community Assistance Work
Aug. 10 Visit to University of Pretoria
Aug. 11 Arranged Pretoria Tour
Aug. 12 City Tour of Jo’burg
Aug. 13 Departure to the US!
Stay tuned with our hot blog cite!
-Haru Irie
Monday, August 6, 2007
Can I be like Melane?
“No, because you work so hard and you don’t get paid. I don’t want to be broke like you.” This was the response of a young twelfth grade, or “matric” student at Zonnebloem NEST high school, when asked by his instructor Heather, whether he’d like to be a teacher himself someday. He was not alone in his opinion. Not one of the twenty odd learners in her class room answered “yes”. This is why Melane, a soft spoken young man undergoing a teacher training program through ASSET (an NGO I mentioned in a previous blog entitled Cape Town Contradiction) in Khayelitsa, is special. He said to me: “I want to uplift my people. Many students want to go overseas. I want to stay and help my country.” When he spoke those words, a destitute and crime ridden sea of squatter settlements, where he had been mugged days earlier, sprawled out behind him.
When I return to the States, I am going to find ways to involve our student body in taking responsibility to help less fortunate students, right there at home, receive help. After all, isn’t that part of living the “contributive life” that our “steady stream of global citizens” aspires to?
~Orpheus
August 3 at Parliament
On Friday, August 3rd, Haru, Wandile and I went to parliament to meet two friends who work there, Sipho and Ernestine. Inside the parliament building, we visited the House of Assembly, the Chamber of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), and the Chamber of the National Assembly (NA). A story Ernestine told about the Chamber of the NA especially impressed me. When she first began working at Parliament three years ago, she was assigned to usher for a National Assembly session. In these chambers, the majority party sits on one side of the room and the opposing parties sit on the other. The balcony level is reserved for the general public. As an usher, Ernestine waited outside during the proceedings. Standing in the quiet halls, waiting for the meeting to end, she began hearing, what was at first a chorus of a few individuals, turn into a groundswell of noise resonating from the entire chamber inside. The doors opened and a wave of sound and color hit her as the black South African delegates—many dressed in their best traditional African clothing—of the majority party, the African National Congress (ANC), poured out of the room. Joyfully, they sang and danced as they left the chambers. Ernestine could also see from her position that the minority party, all white men who had been the ruling elite prior to 1994, standing still and silent, watching the scene before them somberly. Above this was the public, some singing and dancing along with the new ruling party and some quietly looking down, empathizing with the minority. Experiencing this entire situation, Ernestine could not help but feel overwhelmed with pride for her country and her fellow countrymen. Being in
- Emily Haghighi
August 6th in Cape Town
What is clear is that traveling and seeing and learning from different people are the best forms of education. Our study team visited the University of Cape Town (UCT) today amidst a typical rainy, windy winter Cape Day. Gail gave an invited lecture on "The Status of Race, Ethnicity and Social Class in American Education." As usual, she over-prepared, had pre-nervous syndrome; but it went well. We had hoped to spend more time with Dr. Pumla Gobodo-Madikezela, a prominent psychologist in the Psychology Department at UCT and member of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. However, she was super busy. UCT ( a historically White university) was clearly a more upscale university than the University of the Western Cape (a historically Coloured university). One can visibly see the lingering influence of Apartheid.
Yesterday we went to Robben Island off the shores of the Cape where Mr. Mandela (who spend 18 years there) and other political prisoners were incarcerated. It was a very emotional experience for me as many experiences here. Our guide was an ex-political prisoner and ex-member of the ANC. He told us about the harsh conditions and treatment that he and Mr. Mandela and others underwent. Racial stratification was maintained in the prisons. Mr. Mandela and others in his cell block had no bathroom; only a bucket in their cell which they had to carry all day. Too many other things to tell here so I will defer other details. Despite the harsh treatments and the various physical and psychological effects of their incarceration, our guide, again 7 year ex-prisoner said that he had forgiven all of his violators and was proud of his fight and struggle for a free South Africa. I've much to learn about forgiveness from him!
The conditions in the townships and informal structures of the poor (i.e. squatter camps) and the housing, schools and amenities for the well to do still clearly shows the vast disparities between the rich and the poor. As Gandhi said, "progress at a snail's pace."
We leave from Johannesburg tomorrow morning for "Act II of our journey. If time permits a blog forthcoming from there.
Cheers,
Gail
Yesterday we went to Robben Island off the shores of the Cape where Mr. Mandela (who spend 18 years there) and other political prisoners were incarcerated. It was a very emotional experience for me as many experiences here. Our guide was an ex-political prisoner and ex-member of the ANC. He told us about the harsh conditions and treatment that he and Mr. Mandela and others underwent. Racial stratification was maintained in the prisons. Mr. Mandela and others in his cell block had no bathroom; only a bucket in their cell which they had to carry all day. Too many other things to tell here so I will defer other details. Despite the harsh treatments and the various physical and psychological effects of their incarceration, our guide, again 7 year ex-prisoner said that he had forgiven all of his violators and was proud of his fight and struggle for a free South Africa. I've much to learn about forgiveness from him!
The conditions in the townships and informal structures of the poor (i.e. squatter camps) and the housing, schools and amenities for the well to do still clearly shows the vast disparities between the rich and the poor. As Gandhi said, "progress at a snail's pace."
We leave from Johannesburg tomorrow morning for "Act II of our journey. If time permits a blog forthcoming from there.
Cheers,
Gail
University of Cape Town
Today, we had a late start and gathered at our hotel lobby at 11:30am to go to University of Cape Town (UCT), one of the most well-known universities in South Africa, if not in the entire African continent. Prof. Gail Thomas was invited to give a lecture at the university. Our contact person was Prof. Gobodo-Madikezela, who teaches at UCT and have an experience of working with Truth and Reconciliation Committee of South Africa. Honestly, I did't know a whole lot about the committee, but I knew it was very important political organization that contributed in dismantling Apartheid cuz its name popped up mutiple times in a book that I was reading on Peacebuilding in Post-conflict societies.
Gail's lecture was very successful, and though we had limited time to get feedbacks from the audience, we were able to hear precious inputs from a South African gentleman on his perspectives on the racial integration within educational institutions. He was saying that the "integration" that South Africa is experiencing is actually a process of Black "assimilation" to the White schooling system. His viewpoint was very intresting for me because he seemed to be looking at the reality of his country from very realistic point, not just an idealistic perspective that we all hope to have happened.
Since this internet cafe makes you pay so much, I'll quickly turn over to my personal impressions on the Africa Tour in general now. Also this is my first post on this blog, so it might be good to write some of my personal feelings that I had so far.
One thing that I want to mention is an emotion that I had from interacting with primary and secondary school students in local schools. To be very honest, I experienced a bit of culture shock when I entered the first classroom filled with Black African students. Being brought up in Japan, I was too used to a classroom filled with students that looked like me. It was just a very new experience for me. But after visiting the second classroom and had more exchange with the students, I felt that these kids share a lot of commonalities with kids in Japan. They both aspire for their future, they both have hope toward making and living better society, and of course, they all had dreams. This was really eye-opening experience for me who always looked at Africa as a place very far away, physically, emotionally, and culturlly. They share many things in common, and especially for youths, we all aspire for a bright future.
I have some more to say, but I'll stop here for today...thanks for reading our blog!
-Haru Irie
Gail's lecture was very successful, and though we had limited time to get feedbacks from the audience, we were able to hear precious inputs from a South African gentleman on his perspectives on the racial integration within educational institutions. He was saying that the "integration" that South Africa is experiencing is actually a process of Black "assimilation" to the White schooling system. His viewpoint was very intresting for me because he seemed to be looking at the reality of his country from very realistic point, not just an idealistic perspective that we all hope to have happened.
Since this internet cafe makes you pay so much, I'll quickly turn over to my personal impressions on the Africa Tour in general now. Also this is my first post on this blog, so it might be good to write some of my personal feelings that I had so far.
One thing that I want to mention is an emotion that I had from interacting with primary and secondary school students in local schools. To be very honest, I experienced a bit of culture shock when I entered the first classroom filled with Black African students. Being brought up in Japan, I was too used to a classroom filled with students that looked like me. It was just a very new experience for me. But after visiting the second classroom and had more exchange with the students, I felt that these kids share a lot of commonalities with kids in Japan. They both aspire for their future, they both have hope toward making and living better society, and of course, they all had dreams. This was really eye-opening experience for me who always looked at Africa as a place very far away, physically, emotionally, and culturlly. They share many things in common, and especially for youths, we all aspire for a bright future.
I have some more to say, but I'll stop here for today...thanks for reading our blog!
-Haru Irie
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Sparks and the elephant
Anger. It boils in my chest and erupts in my brain. It makes my muscles tense, toes and teeth clench… This is a feeling that I embrace all too often. In fact I’m just trying to release it now through writing this Blog and reflecting on my day. The fact that a Cape Town cab driver just overcharged me and my American friends, for a short ride back to the hotel (after a quick size-up), really irked me. I’d seen his like before in the Bronx, and I’d always walked away for a better deal. This time I had no alternative. So I ended up chipping in what amounted to a mere fraction over a dollar for the ride. Still, the thought of being ripped off had me seething. But now, I think of Sparks…
This afternoon the SokAfrica study group hopped onto the Susan Kruger, a ship headed to the breathtakingly gorgeous, though infamous Robben Island. The interstitial stretch of sea separating Cape Town and the island glittered under a cloudless sky, and was liquid playground for sea lions, dolphins, whales, and bobbing packs of penguins (it’s true, there are penguins in Africa). The equally diverse menagerie on the island itself would have been just as enthralling had it not been for the grim reality of its history.
Robben Island used to be a prison for individuals in opposition to the apartheid government. In fact, it was there that Nelson Mandela served 18 of his 27 years behind bars. When we landed, the green hills, wild rabbits, and spring bok that greeted us on the shore all faded to the background in the presence of a former political prisoner named Sparks.
Sparks was seventeen in 1983, when he found himself incarcerated as a terrorist. He’d joined the military wing of a banned political party, the African National Congress (ANC), and had been found guilty of possessing illegal munitions and explosives. It’s easy to profess a willingness to jump into the revolutionary fray if only it were some romantic bygone time. It’s another thing to see the three by three meter cement floor cell that Sparks suffered in, or to hear of the solitary confinement, the beatings, the “special” thirty day diets of twice daily porridge, and the countless, demeaning psychological trials that he and his compatriots endured within those walls.
I watched this humble man speak on Robben Island, seventeen years after his release, with my mouth agape as he told his audience that he had befriended his former prison guards. How can I hold a grudge about someone looking at me the wrong way, stepping on my shoes, or overcharging me for a cab fare when Sparks can look his look his former tormentor in the eye without a glimmer of malice? This remarkable man said that he never sought revenge because he did not want South Africa to be a war zone, and that forgiveness was part of the healing process for him and his country. Wow.
One more remarkable person that I met today is another South African native named Rob. I’ll have to paraphrase his eloquence, but when I asked about his hopes for South Africa’s future in the next ten or twenty years he said that he hoped South Africa would be a beacon of hope, and an example for the rest of the world. He feels that the problems of his country are a highly visible microcosm of those that plague the globe at large. For that reason, he believes that his home nation holds an important key to unlocking the solutions for peace in our world. Unbridled anger is an unneeded ingredient for such solutions.
Dr. Melvin November, a Professor of the University of the Western Cape, recently told our study group that unchecked anger is like a rogue elephant destroying everything in its path. Even petty anger can balloon into the sort of hatred that has left a crippling legacy in South Africa today. After reflecting on what I’ve just heard and learned, I have serious reason to reign in my own elephant. I think Sparks would agree.
~Orpheus
This afternoon the SokAfrica study group hopped onto the Susan Kruger, a ship headed to the breathtakingly gorgeous, though infamous Robben Island. The interstitial stretch of sea separating Cape Town and the island glittered under a cloudless sky, and was liquid playground for sea lions, dolphins, whales, and bobbing packs of penguins (it’s true, there are penguins in Africa). The equally diverse menagerie on the island itself would have been just as enthralling had it not been for the grim reality of its history.
Robben Island used to be a prison for individuals in opposition to the apartheid government. In fact, it was there that Nelson Mandela served 18 of his 27 years behind bars. When we landed, the green hills, wild rabbits, and spring bok that greeted us on the shore all faded to the background in the presence of a former political prisoner named Sparks.
Sparks was seventeen in 1983, when he found himself incarcerated as a terrorist. He’d joined the military wing of a banned political party, the African National Congress (ANC), and had been found guilty of possessing illegal munitions and explosives. It’s easy to profess a willingness to jump into the revolutionary fray if only it were some romantic bygone time. It’s another thing to see the three by three meter cement floor cell that Sparks suffered in, or to hear of the solitary confinement, the beatings, the “special” thirty day diets of twice daily porridge, and the countless, demeaning psychological trials that he and his compatriots endured within those walls.
I watched this humble man speak on Robben Island, seventeen years after his release, with my mouth agape as he told his audience that he had befriended his former prison guards. How can I hold a grudge about someone looking at me the wrong way, stepping on my shoes, or overcharging me for a cab fare when Sparks can look his look his former tormentor in the eye without a glimmer of malice? This remarkable man said that he never sought revenge because he did not want South Africa to be a war zone, and that forgiveness was part of the healing process for him and his country. Wow.
One more remarkable person that I met today is another South African native named Rob. I’ll have to paraphrase his eloquence, but when I asked about his hopes for South Africa’s future in the next ten or twenty years he said that he hoped South Africa would be a beacon of hope, and an example for the rest of the world. He feels that the problems of his country are a highly visible microcosm of those that plague the globe at large. For that reason, he believes that his home nation holds an important key to unlocking the solutions for peace in our world. Unbridled anger is an unneeded ingredient for such solutions.
Dr. Melvin November, a Professor of the University of the Western Cape, recently told our study group that unchecked anger is like a rogue elephant destroying everything in its path. Even petty anger can balloon into the sort of hatred that has left a crippling legacy in South Africa today. After reflecting on what I’ve just heard and learned, I have serious reason to reign in my own elephant. I think Sparks would agree.
~Orpheus
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Capetown Contradiction
8/4/2007
My name is Orpheus. I’m in South Africa. This is my first Blog.
Presently, my neck is propped by a plethora of plush pillows and my bare heels are cradled in the folds of fine linens-- courtesy of the Southern Sun, a luxury hotel that’s nestled between the picturesque majesty of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and the bustling commercial harbor. Just hours ago, on my way back to this waterfront haven, I watched from the highway as the South African sun glinted over an infinite jumble of plastic bags and corrugated iron that served as makeshift rooftops for far too many families. I sat, troubled by the juxtaposition of this impoverished township of Khayelitsa and my own accommodations, which were nearby and worlds away at once. There is a local saying that the White South Africans of Cape Town “live in the shade of the mountain”, which is to say that they are unscathed by the hardships confronting their Black, Colored and Indian counterparts. My group’s Thompson’s Tour Bus bumped on, approaching the comforting cool of that very shade. Although I feel that I am a tourist in name only, and a learner by intent, I was conflicted about my own fortune and wondered what Tembokaze would think about the superfluous sixth cushion in my hotel room, or about the large screen laptop computer on which I am currently typing.
Tembokazi and Babalwa are two vivacious twelfth grade girls that I approached during a break in classes at a High School today, a Saturday. During our introduction Babalwa was careful to give me her wrist to clasp instead of the hand that she’d been using to munch on chips. I asked both girls why they chose to attend school on a Saturday, and Tembokazi spoke up: “I want to be an accountant, and I don’t mind coming to school today. If they told me to come on Sunday, I would come. Here, I can get the help that I really need.” Babalwa and Tembokazi are taking advantage of a program run by an NGO called ASSET, which gives a limited number of disadvantaged but eager students the opportunity to get additional tutelage on the weekends. This opportunity of huge benefit to these students’ learning. Still, many of these young South Africans commute to these intensive sessions from townships where their families are crowded into tiny rooms right on top of other families, or crammed into small and scrappily constructed “informal housing”. As Mr. Leslie Bird, a fifteen year veteran teacher of the ASSET program told me this afternoon, “Apartheid is over, but it is taking time for things to change.”
Although these students readily acknowledge that their access to education is superior to that of their parents, it is evident that the South African government and the nation’s educators have much work to do to create educational equity for all in South Africa. When I think of the broken windows and huge classes in Zonnebloem NEST High School, or the weary but hopeful expressions in teachers’ lounge at Fairmount Secondary School, I am angry and inspired at once. In the face of a changing school system, under staffing and lack of funds, teachers and students alike, are fighting to make South Africa a place where the dreams of every Black Colored and Indian child can bloom. The awe that I felt to see children happy to sit at a desk on a Saturday, starving for a just a scrap of knowledge, is indescribable. To hear: “Education is everything”, from an 18 year old boy makes me feel lucky for my privilege and ashamed for treating my opportunities as mundane reality.
Aboard the bus, Leo, the Capetonian driver of our day’s tour, told me to listen carefully to a song about Nelson Mandela entitled Jacarda Bougainvilla. He sang along with reference to his native country:”Mandela… Makin' a home for everyone…” I jingled the Rand in my pocket to the Afro-Jazz rhythms, staring at the mailing address I’d gotten from Babalwa. She has no email access, but who knows what she’ll be able to accomplish with her bright smile and big dreams.
My name is Orpheus. I’m in South Africa. This is my first Blog.
Presently, my neck is propped by a plethora of plush pillows and my bare heels are cradled in the folds of fine linens-- courtesy of the Southern Sun, a luxury hotel that’s nestled between the picturesque majesty of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and the bustling commercial harbor. Just hours ago, on my way back to this waterfront haven, I watched from the highway as the South African sun glinted over an infinite jumble of plastic bags and corrugated iron that served as makeshift rooftops for far too many families. I sat, troubled by the juxtaposition of this impoverished township of Khayelitsa and my own accommodations, which were nearby and worlds away at once. There is a local saying that the White South Africans of Cape Town “live in the shade of the mountain”, which is to say that they are unscathed by the hardships confronting their Black, Colored and Indian counterparts. My group’s Thompson’s Tour Bus bumped on, approaching the comforting cool of that very shade. Although I feel that I am a tourist in name only, and a learner by intent, I was conflicted about my own fortune and wondered what Tembokaze would think about the superfluous sixth cushion in my hotel room, or about the large screen laptop computer on which I am currently typing.
Tembokazi and Babalwa are two vivacious twelfth grade girls that I approached during a break in classes at a High School today, a Saturday. During our introduction Babalwa was careful to give me her wrist to clasp instead of the hand that she’d been using to munch on chips. I asked both girls why they chose to attend school on a Saturday, and Tembokazi spoke up: “I want to be an accountant, and I don’t mind coming to school today. If they told me to come on Sunday, I would come. Here, I can get the help that I really need.” Babalwa and Tembokazi are taking advantage of a program run by an NGO called ASSET, which gives a limited number of disadvantaged but eager students the opportunity to get additional tutelage on the weekends. This opportunity of huge benefit to these students’ learning. Still, many of these young South Africans commute to these intensive sessions from townships where their families are crowded into tiny rooms right on top of other families, or crammed into small and scrappily constructed “informal housing”. As Mr. Leslie Bird, a fifteen year veteran teacher of the ASSET program told me this afternoon, “Apartheid is over, but it is taking time for things to change.”
Although these students readily acknowledge that their access to education is superior to that of their parents, it is evident that the South African government and the nation’s educators have much work to do to create educational equity for all in South Africa. When I think of the broken windows and huge classes in Zonnebloem NEST High School, or the weary but hopeful expressions in teachers’ lounge at Fairmount Secondary School, I am angry and inspired at once. In the face of a changing school system, under staffing and lack of funds, teachers and students alike, are fighting to make South Africa a place where the dreams of every Black Colored and Indian child can bloom. The awe that I felt to see children happy to sit at a desk on a Saturday, starving for a just a scrap of knowledge, is indescribable. To hear: “Education is everything”, from an 18 year old boy makes me feel lucky for my privilege and ashamed for treating my opportunities as mundane reality.
Aboard the bus, Leo, the Capetonian driver of our day’s tour, told me to listen carefully to a song about Nelson Mandela entitled Jacarda Bougainvilla. He sang along with reference to his native country:”Mandela… Makin' a home for everyone…” I jingled the Rand in my pocket to the Afro-Jazz rhythms, staring at the mailing address I’d gotten from Babalwa. She has no email access, but who knows what she’ll be able to accomplish with her bright smile and big dreams.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
A Whirlwind Tour of South African education!
After one day of rest and becoming accustomed to the city, we officially began our study. Today, we visited two high schools, Zonnebloem NEST (New Era Schools Trust) and Fairmount, and the University of Western Cape. At each high school, we were introduced to the history and philosophy by the principal, we discussed the present challenges and hopes with the staff members, and we visited class rooms to talk with students about their opinions of education, their personal experiences, and their hopes for the future.
At the University of Western Cape we were able to attend a lecture by one professor, Harold Hermann, Vice President of United Nations Association. He provided a great overview of the history of education during and after apartheid, as well as insights as to the challenges to create a South African system which supports all citizens equally. We also spent some time conversing with University students following the lecture.
A lot of information was provided today, giving us a great foundation for further inqueries. If today is any indication, our journey will be extremely successful.
- Karla Meier
The students today at the two high schools and the University of Western Cape impressed me deeply. Although these students face many challenges finding employment or financial stability in South Africa, they have high aspirations for their futures. At Zonnebloem, for example, many students are interested in the dramatic arts, specifically becoming actors, directors, or screenwriters. In addition, one boy in a 10th grade class told us his life and future is poetry. Others had very specific interests in civil engineering, human resource management, accounting, and child psychology.
The university students we interacted with were well informed about the struggles of the past and the future challenges they face to overcome the legacy of apartheid. Their eloquence and enthusiasm motived me to think more critically about my own education.
- Emily Haghighi
At the University of Western Cape we were able to attend a lecture by one professor, Harold Hermann, Vice President of United Nations Association. He provided a great overview of the history of education during and after apartheid, as well as insights as to the challenges to create a South African system which supports all citizens equally. We also spent some time conversing with University students following the lecture.
A lot of information was provided today, giving us a great foundation for further inqueries. If today is any indication, our journey will be extremely successful.
- Karla Meier
The students today at the two high schools and the University of Western Cape impressed me deeply. Although these students face many challenges finding employment or financial stability in South Africa, they have high aspirations for their futures. At Zonnebloem, for example, many students are interested in the dramatic arts, specifically becoming actors, directors, or screenwriters. In addition, one boy in a 10th grade class told us his life and future is poetry. Others had very specific interests in civil engineering, human resource management, accounting, and child psychology.
The university students we interacted with were well informed about the struggles of the past and the future challenges they face to overcome the legacy of apartheid. Their eloquence and enthusiasm motived me to think more critically about my own education.
- Emily Haghighi
Crossing the Atlantic and arriving in the Mother City
We left Soka University of America at 5pm on Monday 30 July 2007.
The trip to Cape Town via London was really wonderful.
This is the first time that Orpheus Richards has left the USA. Everybody was really happy to arrive in Cape Town, The Mother City, although we spent the whole of tuesday on either an airplane or Heathrow Airport.
We witnessed a glorious African sunrise while we were on the plane and we touched down in Cape Town at 7:45 on Wednesday, 1 August 2007 (South African time).
We were greeted by Prof. Melvin November of the University of the Western Cape and other South African friends who will be supporting our trip.
The first day in South Africa has been really warm and wonderful. For me, Wandile, it feels just like home. The only surprise are the high prices of goods. I hope that life has not gotten more difficult for South African citizens.
We can't wait to see more of this country!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
On the Eve of Departure
From July 30th to August 12th, five students from Soka University of America will travel to South Africa to participate in the inaugural effort in a five-year Africa Study Tour program, of which, this year's theme is "Educational Equity in Higher Education in Post-Apartheid South Africa."
Emily Haghighi, Haruyuki Irie, Karla Meier, Wandile Mkhulise, and Orpheus Richards will be accompanied by Professor of Sociology, Gail Thomas, to spend one week in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively. They will be engaging students, professors, and administration in a number of educational institutions to gain perspective and insight as to the condition of South African education at present.
They will be posting daily reflections in order to keep you, the interested community, in the loop as to the progress of this historic initiative! Please enjoy.
A special thanks to the Nieves Foundation for making this trip a possibility, and to the vision of Daniel Habuki, President of Soka University of America, for making this trip a reality.
Emily Haghighi, Haruyuki Irie, Karla Meier, Wandile Mkhulise, and Orpheus Richards will be accompanied by Professor of Sociology, Gail Thomas, to spend one week in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively. They will be engaging students, professors, and administration in a number of educational institutions to gain perspective and insight as to the condition of South African education at present.
They will be posting daily reflections in order to keep you, the interested community, in the loop as to the progress of this historic initiative! Please enjoy.
A special thanks to the Nieves Foundation for making this trip a possibility, and to the vision of Daniel Habuki, President of Soka University of America, for making this trip a reality.
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