Midweek Cultural Expedition

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Team USA Explores History and Culture

This year's CPC has placed emphasis upon understanding the history of South Africa that has led to the development of communities like Diepsloot and a sensitivity to the socioeconomic conditions that the residents of Diepsloot--and especially our residents of Extension 1--live with every day.

Team USA did some preliminary reading and viewing of videos, from different perspectives, to see if we could determine some of the underlying themes that recur when Diepsloot is mentioned in the press or even in casual conversation. Nothing truly prepares anyone to come here and see the community, so as I hope to pull some of my thoughts about all this together for you when we get home and I have had time to reflect.

Learning the history of a place other than one's own country can be very tough--although I would also say that many of us are woefully underexposed to the history of our own homes as well.  Visiting the Apartheid Museum on Wednesday morning was one of those times when I had to focus on what I know about South Africa and also what I don't know.  Several people asked me if Americans knew about Nelson Mandela.  I can say that yes, most Americans know of him and that he is important to South African history.  Doug told me that he knew about Mandela but came from a family that was not overly engaged in world events.  My experience was somewhat different--I did grow up with a family that talked about apartheid and about Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko, and I went on to work with college students during the 1980's, when students built and lived in shelters on college campuses to protest the situation in South Africa.  I also have spent a large part of my career working with multicultural education, which has probably given me a perspective on things somewhat different than many Americans my age.  

So, this is my background for going into the cultural expedition we took on Wednesday.  For many of our young people on the trip--even our South Africans--the events we saw happened before they were born.  The speed of the world we live in is not conducive to memory or reflection.  I think if we do not look and learn we run the terrible risk of reliving horrors, perhaps in a new way, but horrors nonetheless.  (I say that with the backdrop of the American election season framing this post--no matter what one may personally believe, there should be concerns.)

The Apartheid Museum had a similar level of impact to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC,  for me at least.  I wish there had been a way to take picture inside--all I have is outside pictures to share with you.

After that we went to Vilakazi Street in Orlando, in the heart of Soweto, and to a traditional African ‘Chisa Nyama’ restaurant for lunch. Vilakazi Street is a popular tourist destination, and world-famous as being the former home of not one but two Nobel Peace Prize laureates: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  On the way to Soweto, we saw the World Cup soccer stadium and commented somewhat irreverently about how unattractive we thought it was.  It turns out that it was designed to look like a traditional kind of pottery.  I saw the traditional pottery later in the afternoon, and it does look exactly like it--but to my mind the pot looked better!

Our first stop in Soweto was the James Mpanza House, which is being restored as a heritage site.  James Mpanza is recognized as the founder of Soweto.  His grandson was in the yard, so I got to shake his hand, and our team members got to play with some of the children who were in the yard.  

Kerri and Pete

Lila and Tyler

Then we went down the block to have lunch.  I have to tell you that spicy grubs are really not bad!

Talking outside the restaurant on Vilakazi Street

View of cooling towers in Soweto

After lunch we went to the courtyard and monument in front of the Soweto Historical Museum to hear about the 1976 killing of school children who were demonstrating the implementation of Afrikaans and English as dual medium of instruction in secondary schools in a 50:50 basis. (Wickipedia) 

Then we had a chance to shop for gifts and artisan items.  It was another beautiful day to be out and meet people and to see traditional crafts.

While we were doing all of these things, Doug went with a group from WASSUP, Healthabitat, Stick Solutions and the CPC to meet with the Johannesburg Water Council to present data in support of the dramatic  impact that projects like the CPC can have on public health.  Then they went to visit the Plumbing Academy South Africa, owned by Sam Dubazana, one of the coaches for Team South Africa.  They also had a very productive day!

I think it did everyone a great deal of good to get some larger appreciation for the cultural context of South Africa.  We were all ready to go back to work on Thursday with renewed enthusiasm.