Marissa Watts

The Triumph of the Human Spirit

The third leg of our journey in South Africa brings us to Cape Town. Unlike our work at the University of Zululand or Cato Crest and Mayville Primary schools we have been visiting important and historic sites like, Table Mountain, The Cape of Good Hope, City Hall, Robben Island and the District Six Museum.

In preparation for this trip to South Africa, Professor Haniff made sure that we were aware of South Africa’s history. And I admit that after reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography and other texts describing the apartheid system, I thought that I knew and could really understand what happened here. But after visiting Robben Island and looking into Mr. Mandela’s cell, after going to the District Six museum and hearing the words of Joe Schaffers, who lived through the displacement of his entire community, I felt like I was seeing the effects of apartheid for the first time. Words cannot fully describe how profoundly different reading and experiencing something can be. I realize now that I never truly understood or could truly picture Nelson Mandela’s cell until I saw it with my own eyes. Mr. Schaffers, our guide at the District Six Museum, explained how apartheid worked like a systemic disease dividing and conquering a community. Before apartheid District Six was a melting pot of sorts, it had a lot of racial and religious diversity and like many neighborhoods it had extensive social networks – all of which were destroyed when the government decided that people should live according to racial categories. Mr. Schaffers took great care to explain the historical significance of the museum’s location. The building was once a church and a place of refuge for protesters fighting the forced displacement of people from their homes. The museum itself was established as a living memorial to celebrate the community that once inhabited that neighborhood. The thing that amazes me more than all the illustrations of the triumph of the human spirit is the extraordinary ability to forgive. We had the honor of meeting Mr. Ahmed Kathrada one of the founding fathers of the New South Africa, who spent 26 years in prison including his time on Robben Island with Mr. Mandela. Mr. Kathrada not only spoke about forgiveness he also demonstrated it. When we first met him he felt compelled to introduce us to a dear friend of his, Christo Brand, who was his warder when he was imprisoned on Robben Island. This moment was astonishing for me, Mr. Kathrada, a man who was deprived of his freedom, and treated as less than human for a large part of his life was able to reconcile and forgive the man who was his warder. Mr. Kathrada chose not to emphasize the horrible and dehumanizing acts he endured but the small acts of kindness and humanity that Mr. Brand showed him. He explained that harboring feelings of anger and being unwilling to forgive only serves to keep people from moving forward with their lives.

Our time here has really helped me to understand what it’s like to witness a historical moment. As we travel across this beautiful country the effects of apartheid are still apparent, but it is important to note that South Africa is a country in transition. Yes there are many problems that exist and many changes are yet to be made, but we are inspired by the hope, faith and spirit of the New South Africa.

Signing off, Marissa Watts – Teammate of Pedagogy of Action, 2007