Cassie and Ava more than half way through their time in Cape Town
Well, we have already reached the
halfway point. In fact, we have fewer days here in Cape Town than we have been
so far. Amazing. Time seems to fly here. Before coming, this trip was a distant
memory. I thought to myself, “This day is never going to come. This trip is so
far in the future that I can’t imagine it happening”. And then, I was packing.
Then, I had said goodbye to my friends. Then, I was hugging my mom at the
airport, crying. I can’t believe I will be home soon. I don’t think I’ve been
away long enough to really miss anything. I thought I would be upset missing my
bed, mom, and mom and grandma’s delicious food, but I am actually dreading the
day we have to leave (except missing the food—that has been hard). I think a
small part of all of us came on this trip to revive parts of our souls that
have been chiseled away by surviving in America. Before being in Cape Town, I
felt that life had beaten me. Now, I feel more alive than I ever had in my
life. I have done a lot of self-reflection while being here, and though I have
not noticed a day-to-day change, overall I feel different. In the words of
Kgebetli Moele’s, “Room 207”: “You and the city are in perfect connection with
each other. Your blood runs in its veins as it runs in your blood”. Cape Town
was in my blood and I am hooked on this lifestyle, the people and Ubuntu.
With all of my self-reflection, I
have also been thinking a lot about topics that we have been discussing in
Marita’s class. I continue to battle with my feelings and thoughts about
America. How to can I be proud of such a place with a dark history? Today, in
our South African Politics Class, we talked about the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission. All of the perpetrators from the apartheid government are able to
apply for pardon by the government, on condition of a few requirements. While
discussing, we talked about how America seems to sweep all of its wrongdoings
under the carpet. We never want to look bad, never want to have to publically
acknowledge that we did something wrong; a pure violation of human rights.
Should I be proud of that?
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| Ava (top far right ) |
On the topic of human rights, this
past weekend was spent at an olive farm, for Africa Unite Human Rights Training
Weekend. We spent the weekend with Africans from all over the continent, learning
from each other (a real example of co-education). We had done several
activities centered on learning about human rights. One of them involved
creating a “new world” after Earth had been destroyed. Two countries had moved
to another planet years prior, cultivating the land and establishing their
countries. Now, the rest of Earth must leave Earth to go to this new planet.
Those countries that are established, and the countries that need to be
established, must come up with rules for their own country and the other
countries in the new world. I was one of the countries that had to move and
become established on the new planet. My team and I came up with universal
rules and an idea to create a united planet with a committee of leaders from
each country to represent that country’s interests. We had planned to use the
fertile land, cultivate it and try to sustain the inhabitable areas. We wanted
to ask for permission to enter this planet and have land, and expected it would
be granted so long as everyone cooperates in a peaceful manner. When each
country had to present their rules, I was utterly shocked to hear some of them.
Both of the previously established countries were mostly reluctant to give up
their fertile land and had rules such as a 10% land grant and 50 year check
points for the new countries to see how productive they are being to society.
The other country allowed us to live on their land, cultivate it and
participate in society without any rights, and then in five years we could
become citizens of their country. This shocked me to see that they were not
willing to give up land so that we may keep our culture identity. Under such a
law, we could not be our own country, our own people, but we need to assimilate
into a culture we did not understand. The country kept talking about
needing to be protective and on guard for their country’s goods and people when
letting in strangers on the new planet. I found it amazing that a little bit of
power (owning the resources of the new planet because they established it
first) could turn people. The breaking factors for entry were based on fear and
individual country success instead of the success of the human race.
Ava's group working on plan
An interesting concept was explored
in this exercise: what it means to be in power, and to be in the position to
beg from those in power. As our group was forming rules (recall, we are part of
the group that has to enter the new planet), we automatically assumed a role of
weakness, believing our rules had to be flexible so that as not to upset the
host countries. The countries already there were given a position of power: the
ability to refuse us entry. Through this exercise, I feel now that I can almost
understand where those in power believe they get their power. There is an
interesting concept that concerns being the “first”. Why is it that people seem
to feel entitled to things just because they had them first? Why should my
country be seeking permission to enter this new planet just because others
arrived first? Who grants them ownership of all the land and resources?
What makes a land a property? The same questions could be asked about the
mentality behind apartheid. Why did Dutch settlers believe they were true
Africans? Many Questions to be answered in this last month- I hope I’m able to
understand it all before I leave.
Until next time.
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| Ava receiving her Africa Unite Human Rights Training Certificate from Ntombi Mcoyi |
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