Tragedy, Turmoil and Hope
This week we read a book that was not an academic account of the historical events that occured during the Apartheid in South Africa. We have been reading books from theologians who have fever and passion about shifting the narrative back to its origins. The origin of our Christian faith which belongs now and has always been in Africa. The westernization and white washing of our Christian heritage is very daunting. Going beyond the African orign of our Christian heritage, this term we have focused on the henious systematic debacle of the apartheid in South Africa. In Mark Mathabane’s autobiography, Kaffir Boy, he gives a first hand account of how black families and people of color lived in the mist of the Apartheid. These families faced racial injustice, social injustice, violence, displacement, economic and educational inequality for decades. His account is real, raw and disturbing but truth. In reading this book, I could not help but correlate his experience with black families and people of color in America. I find it interesting that many white Americans would see the Apartheid as tragic and horrible but cannot see the very impact of racism that plagues America since it was founded. For centuries people of color have face horrifying tragedy and turmoil. They continue to be depicted as less than human and are forced to make their oppressors feel justified in their oppression by placing the blame elsewhere. From the evasion of America to slavery of Africans, to the 13th Amendment, to Jim Crow legalizing segregation to laws enforcing “Law and Order” ,the legislation and systematic oppression is America is very real and continues to perpetuate inferiority amongst people of color and white Americans. So when I read Mark’s story I didnt have to step into his shoes , I am among those already wearing them. In the beginning reading about the police brutality hit home even more. Our young black men and women are brutally murdered by the hands of law enforment. You can barely go a day without reading about someone losing their life in this manner. To make matter worse, justice is a far off thought because the system that is designed to ensure people of color do not have equal access continues to renders verdicts that indicate that the lives of those individuals do not matter and consider their deaths a day in the life of law and order. It was difficult reading Mark’s accounts of the raids and how many neighborhoods were treated all because of the color of their skin but it was even more disheartening to know that this is a real depiction of accounts of people in our own country.
Within this book there were some key themes that I want to highlight in my post. The first is the importance of cultural tradition, Religious implications in light of tradition and christian narrative and the concept of hope in the midst of oppression. While I am aware that my summary will not even grace the surface of such heavy and important subject matters. My hope is to just continue in bringing awareness to the dialogue.
- Importance of Cultural Tradition- In Part one it was aparrent that despite being displaced from their tribes the families still upheld tribal traditions and social norms in addition to creating new ones. When his father had went to jail, his mother in desperation sought help on her own but refused to move in with her own family because of customary tradition to be that once you marry you are property of your husbands family. Women are paid for by their in laws. So for her to seek refuge from her own family would be a form of treason or cultural fopaux. Furthermore, his fathers push for him to be like him is also customary. The men are to raise the men. Mark was less than pleased in his youth with having to live up to his fathers expectations despite knowing that this was a tribal custom. The displacement removed his generation from having a connection to their African tribal heritage. For him as a young boy he wanted no parts of it. He saw it as bad and negative. This leads me to my next point of religion and origin of faith.
- The religious implications from the western Christian narrative is very great. Generations of Africans have seen Christianity as a white western religion that has been forced upon many countries and people within the African continent. Because the Christian narrative refused to depict the truth that Christianity began in Africa and from Africans they no longer saw themselves in the narrative of the Christian faith. It was interesting to read how they were uneasy about the evangilists and emphasis imposed upon them to become “Christians”. Based on the history they were given, it was foreign to them and even when introduced it was seen as something new and outside of their tradion of faith and not inclusive and affirming to their theological understanding of God or the spiritual realm. One telling moment in the book was when his mother provide her explaination of Christianity “Christianity is essentially the religion of white people, therefore it makes sense that the Christian God should be thought of as a white person. Just like we, in our religions, have our black God.” “But why should the Devil and all the sinners be black?” I asked.”
- Hope in the midst of oppression. Mark being able to read books and learn tennis which became his “silverlining”. Even in that he had to deal with the systematic oppression and government which did not advocate for people of color in sports. Despite the odds he continued to prevail. While his story offers hope admist tragedy and turmoil, the aftermath of the Apartheid much like the aftermath of racism systems in America still has people of color systematically oppressed due to lack of equality. Changing laws doesn’t change minds and hearts nor does it immediately fix the generational impacts of injustice.
About the Author
Christal Jenkins Tanks
9 responses to “Tragedy, Turmoil and Hope”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Great themes you identified Christal! Yes, the “hope in the midst of oppression” was a reoccurring theme throughout the book that really stuck out to me. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did! And yet, there was often a small, (emphasis on “small”) shred of hope to get in through life’s challenges. His strength of mind and spirit was astounding to me.
I really like your approach to the book review, Christal. Mark gave us a story that included both the reality of the brutal apartheid and the truth about the help from a few whites who were ashamed of how they (especially those who called themselves Christians) treated blacks.
I think the laws have at least helped blacks to get equal treatment for jobs, housing, etc… in America. But the perception of blacks hasn’t changed. You mentioned in an earlier post how people are surprised when they find out how educated you are. I agree with you that there still remains a “white supremacy” attitude.
Help me and others know what we can do to change things.
Mary, I think I would say that the laws may have helped African Americans get better treatment than they may have faced in the past, but that treatment is by no means equal. Just as women are not yet considered or valued as equals to men in this country (as seen by statistics surrounding pay, position, and power), African Americans are not yet considered or valued as equal. The systems in place simply do not allow for that type of equity or equality.
I would agree with Kristin, Mary, that laws may be in place to provide “equal treatment” no matter a person’s color or ethnicity. But the unfortunate reality in America remains practices that are underhanded, such as redlining, which is a common discrimination practice in financial institutions to prevent certain populations from obtaining loans or moving into certain areas of a city. Another example is for job openings, identifying names of applicants that “sound black” and not interviewing them. These are just a few examples of people or institutions staying within the law, but perpetuating unequal treatment.
A very interesting post Christal. Your experience in America is a long way from mine in Britain and adds depth and some poignant correlations to what you read in this account of apartheid. Thank you.
Some good reflections. I remember having a conversation with my mother, who grew up in the Mountains of Tennessee. She told “I like black people you know, but I never saw one until after I graduated high school and moved to Nashville.”
While we don’t have LAWS of segregation, we still have divisions in our society. We have communities that are almost 100% white. We also have churches that are all white or all black (but that is another discussion).
Mark Mathabane he benefited from his relationship with his white friends, and I believe that they benefitted from their relationship with him.
Laws need to be changed, but more importantly, hearts need to be changed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyRwrrggxok
“I find it interesting that many white Americans would see the Apartheid as tragic and horrible but cannot see the very impact of racism that plagues America since it was founded.”
This is a thought that rolled through my mind when Mathabane talked about athletes and artists who boycotted South Africa but continued to play and perform in areas of America where oppression remained (and still remains?) thick and heavy. It is so much easier for us to paternalistically offer pity and support to “them” “over there” rather than examining our own hearts and issues.
“Importance of cultural tradition”– this is something that continues to resonate among many Kenyans, too; some who want to cling to the “old ways,” a government that advocates “Kenyanization” in the school system (that is, to identify as a Kenyan first, before tribal affiliation), and the younger generations disparagement of the grannies and elders because they aren’t “modern.” While Mathabane experienced the negative stresses of cultural tradition at the hand of his father, the balance between two worlds is one that’s not easy to navigate.