Firstly I’ll say this; when I first heard the term uttered by former South African president Thabo Mbeki, I’d simply taken it on face value. I’d simply used my understanding of the word Renaissance and applied it to an African context. This is not an idea that's grasped easily since the images and thoughts immediately infiltrating our minds when one mentions the word Africa, is poverty, war, animals, rundown cities, corruption, unspoilt terrain, lots of dark skinned people, the Sahara desert, the Pyramids, lots of brown skinned people, colourful flags, a Kenyan winning an Olympic runners medal, “indigenous culture” and perhaps for a privileged enlightened few, the images of everything that may or may not be loosely defined and envisioned as the idea/concept/entity known as “soul”. So then, the term Renaissance doesn’t really gel with all of that; and so it remains, for the time being, a fragile idea, shared by a dedicated few. Then again, ideas and ideals that bring about greatness and great change, is usually started by one. Much like Ghandi’s “be the change” saying – a model that is noticeably void in society today. “A dream is not a dream until it is a dream of a community” – Khoi San saying So anyway, here is the clinical definition and description of what the African Renaissance is and how the Renaissance Foundation (RF) hopes to go about achieving its goals: African Renaissance “It is the regeneration, reclamation, reawakening and a rebirth for the furtherance of the Pan-Africanism within the global context.” (Definition according to the RF.)
[It’s pretty ‘wordy’ I know, but intellectuals will always put it a certain way. Note: furtherance in this context alludes to what all Africans want the world to know about us, as appose to what the media from outside quarters has fed the world.]
What occurred through colonization was that many Africans fail to identify with their own heritage and culture, effectively disowning it because they were led to believe it was inferior to all others. Liberation movements fought physically for our freedom, but the after hundreds of years of pain, war, annexation, migration and subjugation et al, the mental scars run deep, and will only be fully absolved through the next generations; but it’s crucial that the current and future generations retain their heritage. - “Give us sanctuary in the blood of our people.” A message from a Khoi San chief… He knew war was coming (with British settlers) and that survival was unlikely. Fully prepared to die, he sent portions of the tribe to all parts of the country to seek shelter with any who’d accommodate them, with the goal being that, though the tribe would be all but wiped out, there would be a small part of them within the generations to come – an attempt to continue living through and in the children of all the peoples of our nation. Ultimately there are still portions of first nation people living in the Northern Cape, as well as those that fled further north into Namibia. So, there are many facets to the vision, concept and philosophy of African Renaissance, but at the heart of it lies the desire to preserve, and to then grow the consciousness of the African people (All Africans including the diaspora), to positively express ourselves and take action, to eventually correct the wrongs of our past and turn our weaknesses into strengths… … This is a vision that can only be executed if ALL Africans are united. (Another part in realizing this vision is the formation of the African Union to seek, at the very least, political independence in the road to establishing safety, peace and security across the continent. As many know, the complexities within Africa are vast, and thus the best suited to resolve our issues, are ourselves. Although the RF is run by many people, an undeniable driving force in its inception has been apartheid struggle icon and poet/novelist Dr. Wally Serote) Definitions are taken as defined by the Renaissance Foundation (2012). If you're skeptical about the term African (especially since there are so many people from different religions, races, creeds and countries within this continent, we take inspiration from Thabo Mbeki's speech "I am an African" - poetic it may be, but it perfectly encapsulates the beauty, complexity and diversity of what makes us Africans. For the speech, click here
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Loyiso Gola: host of Late Night News by Steven Benjamin "Writer's circle - worse than writer's block, sometimes anyway." The road was wet last night from fresh rains, but the clouds had already dispersed overhead, revealing a clear starry sky. I was standing in the middle of the road waiting for my two dogs to finish their late night walkabout. In my neighborhood one can still walk around in the middle of the night without much concern – it’s not advisable, but there’s not much trouble, particularly on a cold winter’s night (sorry about the cliche). Sadly though, not all neighborhoods in South Africa can say the same. Earlier in the day I did something I rarely ever do – I sat through watching a live broadcast of Parliament, where Lonmin, the Police “service” and the Marikana Massacre was at the center of debate. In these troubled times of our nation’s legacy I’ve been quite inspired to write about current events, but somehow nothing seemed to stick. I wrote an unpublished piece a month or two ago about the ills of our society and where the roots of the problems lie, within the foundations of our 18 year old democracy. Now, I started writing a piece on the ‘culture of violence’ bred within our land… I didn’t finish it as things morphed into a piece about frustration in a country with so much potential and equally as many failings. Even listening to the parliamentarians complaints and calls for ‘heads to roll’, particularly in the policing structures, I felt the overwhelming drench of frustration. Inevitably in a debate, issues are only discussed and contended, with a few harsh words hurled at certain quarters, true action and resolution though is still illusive, and seemingly far off. So, expecting little change I scrapped the piece and continued with other writing ventures. This is NOT the Rainbow Nation you often hear and read about. There was no honeymoon period just after the fall of apartheid – in my opinion; there was no courtship, no marriage, just breaking down of barriers – the barriers in plain sight… What we really need is a clean slate… A new government made up of young educated individuals unburdened by the scars of the country’s dark past, looking to forge a healthy new future. Though I feel it will be a while before we see the backs of the numerous struggle icons. What was that saying? “… you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain…” especially if you were an icon, only to then take up a seat in parliament. Where are the leaders of the caliber of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Steve Biko and Oliver Tambo et al…? *LEFT FIELD*: Recently, on a satirical show (Late Night News), they claimed that for the next democratic elections, the poor and uneducated masses should be barred from voting, because they will – as the trend indicates – inevitably vote the current and largely ineffective ANC government (rife with corruption and mismanagement) back into power. They claimed that since those voters were clearly unqualified to vote, on the grounds that they were not making logical decisions, based largely on emotion and ANC propaganda (the major portion of voters are made up of the impoverished, and thus it is their say that determines the future leaders of our country). If the ANC does not deliver, then do not vote for them. Instead it should be the qualified and educated few who should determine the eventual leaders… A brave sentiment that sadly carries a lot of sense but will never be implemented. It begs the question though: Is conventional democracy really the answer for the diverse and unusual landscape of South Africa? Instead, should we then not lean on a model better catered or adapted for the unique dynamic within this country, considering our warped past and its ill legacy we have to contend with? --> Something to distract you from the woes of times of now… |
[Banner illustration by Joel Kanar]
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