Hey everyone!
I've been off the grid and away from internet the last couple of days, so let me get caught up with posts and what I've been learning!
Day #6: Thursday, June 19
Yet another great, thought provoking day!
We started off with a final nice breakfast at the great boutique hotel where we have been staying the last couple of nights. Everyone has been so friendly, we've met some nice fellow travelers, and it's been nice (though tiring as well) to be right in the heart of Cape Town. Then, off to do some exploring in the Bo Kaap neighborhood.
Bo Kaap literally means "above the cape." It was one area where former slaves (black Africans and colored people) were allowed to reside, as at that time the neighborhood on the side of Signal Hill was far out of the city of Cape Town, a whites-only area. Because slaves were forbidden from wearing colored clothes, they chose to live vibrantly in their new, free lives - painting their homes the most beautiful vibrant colors. Now, as Cape Town has grown, Bo Kaap is right in the heart of the city. It is home to the Muslim community of Cape Town, and such a lovely place to walk around. I don't think I've seen such brightly colored homes one right after another! Of course I went crazy with my camera! :-) We learned also that Bo Kaap is facing issues with gentrification. What was once an area considered far from anywhere desirable to live, is now a beautiful and vibrant community right in the heart of Cape Town. Some of the original residents fear being pushed out of their homes by others looking to get a spot in this picturesque community. I do hope that this community won't lose its heritage and its originality, and that those who choose to call it home will always have the opportunity to! (And...I'm reflecting on changes in my own neighborhood as I think about this. So many connections between here and there!)
We spent the rest of the morning at the Slave Lodge museum - going back in time from Bo Kaap into the world of slavery in SA. This museum is located in a building that was literally called The Slave Lodge - described as a "shameless fortress of human misery." It's exactly what its name implies - a fortress of a building that where the slaves of the 17th and 18th centuries lived, worked, and died. After slavery was banned in the British colonies, the Slave Lodge became home to government buildings, but it has now returned to an echo of its former space - using halls once filled with anguish and torture to teach about the past and advocate human rights. Poignant...
The history of slavery in South Africa is very reminiscent of the slavery of American history. The museum pointed out that slavery was present in many different cultures, in many different locations around the globe, from ancient times to present day. What an awful stain on the history of humanity! Slavery took root in Cape Town when the Dutch East India Company needed workers to tend the gardens, build, and repair ships at the "refreshment station" on the Cape. Spice traders would stop at the Cape en route to their shipping destinations, and slaves were "needed" to build the infrastructure to make this happen. Many of the slaves housed at the Slave Lodge worked in the Company Gardens - a large garden area where a stream was rerouted from Table Mountain and fruits and vegetables were grown (A portion of these gardens remains today - they are outside of the parliament building and absolutely gorgeous!)
The majority of the African slaves came from Mozambique and Madagascar, although there were also slaves from Asia and Indonesia, and eventually the local Khoikhoi were used as indentured servants. Interestingly (and absolutely bizarre!), because the slaves were so diverse, it was impossible to tell walking down the street who was a slave, and who was not. (If you can't tell that someone is different from yourself, how can you possibly feel it's acceptable to enslave them?!) As a result, slaves were not allowed to wear shoes, colored clothing, and many wore wide straw hats as a symbol of their status. Slaves outside the lodge were also required to carry pass books - an erie foreshadowing of what was to come...
As in American history, slaves in SA were treated horrendously. Many, many died in the horrible conditions on the slave ships, and those who made it to the Cape lived an awful existence - working from sun up to sun down, losing their children or spouses to the slave trade, physical punishment and torture, rape, imprisonment...the list goes on... One quote in the museum reflected on those involved in the slave trade. "When they (the slave traders) embark on this unworthy trade, they must divest themselves of every human idea; their hearts must be steeled by insensibility and their crew must be equally callous to the finer feelings of humanity." ~Samuel Hudson, Cape Town resident.
One of my favorite little sections of the museum was a column filled with names of some of the slaves of the Slave Lodge (poor records make it impossible to know all of those who were enslaved there). It had rings like trees, and really brought to mind the depth of injustice and the ripple effect it has on individuals, families, communities, and countries. In the background was a portion of a poem commissioned for the musuem. It really rang true to me, to why it's important to consider the history of injustice, and take the time to look back even as we so strongly desire to move forward:
In the light of memory and remembering
Through the streams of our senses
Reconnecting
Recollecting
We find our way home
~from Slave Dream by Malika Ndlovu
Another highlight was an artistic installation by Keith Dietrich called "Fragile Histories - Fugitive Lives." It was a beautiful recollection of the humanity behind injustice - drawings of human hearts overlaid with names and criminal sentences of those enslaved.
Despite its atrocities, the history of slavery has contributed to the culture of South Africa. South Africa refers to itself as a melting pot - a fascinating combination of African, Dutch, British, Indonesian, and Indian cultures. The evidence of this convergence can be seen in the street names and architecture, heard in the language and music, and tasted in the food. It's a really fascinating place!!! As the Slave Lodge reminds visitors, "we are, because of them." Ubuntu...
On a side note, we ran into a group of 8th grade students and their teachers at the museum. We were able to chat with them a bit and learn about their school and education system. They were from a Cape Town public school, made up of diverse students from the surrounding area (though very few white students were in the bunch.) The teacher shared with us that their school became "multicultural" even before it was law. Believe it or not, schools in SA were legally segregated until 1994. This school chose to desegregate in 1990. (It's harrowing to realize that I could, and probably would, have attended a segregated school for part of my life had I been born a South African!) She also shared that as students can choose any school they wish to attend, there is a trend where everyone tries to go further and further "up the chain" to get to the best schools. As a result, those who could moved away from their school and towards a school they thought was better. Then, students at a school "below" this one, moved "up" and so on. I am interested to learn more about this as I get into more education conversations next week...
The teachers were just over a week away from their 3 week holiday, and exhausted as teachers are everywhere when the end is in sight! They also shared a lot about how hard they work - all the overtime that they put in without compensation and how much work they take home. Sounds like an international truth of teaching - the dedication always outweighs the hours in the contract! :-) The students were in the midst of a unit on slavery and were eager to share their knowledge with us of the Underground Railroad and Harriet "Hubman," as one student proudly shouted out. It was a fun surprise chance to chat and learn and share!
We decided to grab lunch on a patio at the V&A Waterfront again - it's so beautiful and fun to stroll and people watch there - reminds me a lot of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I was also able to connect and finalize plans with a few of the education contacts I will be seeing while I'm here - 3 visits confirmed with educators/those in the education world for next week! I'm greatly looking forward to connecting the backdrop of what I'm learning with their qualitative perspectives on life and education in SA today!
It's amazing to think I left home just one week ago today! I've been able to fit in a lot of learning, thinking, and adventuring in the last seven days. The next couple of days we will explore Stellenbosch, a lovely area less than an hour outside of the city (though it feels like a different world altogether!), home to the seminary where Apartheid was advocated as a religious ideal, and also home to the heart of the Cape Town wine country. Even in winter, it's an absolutely gorgeous area! I'm looking forward to a few nights in a country cottage as a midway time to reflect on all that I've been able to see and learn this last week! No internet there, so I'll post as I can.
Connect again soon!
~emily~
I've been off the grid and away from internet the last couple of days, so let me get caught up with posts and what I've been learning!
Day #6: Thursday, June 19
Yet another great, thought provoking day!
We started off with a final nice breakfast at the great boutique hotel where we have been staying the last couple of nights. Everyone has been so friendly, we've met some nice fellow travelers, and it's been nice (though tiring as well) to be right in the heart of Cape Town. Then, off to do some exploring in the Bo Kaap neighborhood.
Bo Kaap literally means "above the cape." It was one area where former slaves (black Africans and colored people) were allowed to reside, as at that time the neighborhood on the side of Signal Hill was far out of the city of Cape Town, a whites-only area. Because slaves were forbidden from wearing colored clothes, they chose to live vibrantly in their new, free lives - painting their homes the most beautiful vibrant colors. Now, as Cape Town has grown, Bo Kaap is right in the heart of the city. It is home to the Muslim community of Cape Town, and such a lovely place to walk around. I don't think I've seen such brightly colored homes one right after another! Of course I went crazy with my camera! :-) We learned also that Bo Kaap is facing issues with gentrification. What was once an area considered far from anywhere desirable to live, is now a beautiful and vibrant community right in the heart of Cape Town. Some of the original residents fear being pushed out of their homes by others looking to get a spot in this picturesque community. I do hope that this community won't lose its heritage and its originality, and that those who choose to call it home will always have the opportunity to! (And...I'm reflecting on changes in my own neighborhood as I think about this. So many connections between here and there!)
We spent the rest of the morning at the Slave Lodge museum - going back in time from Bo Kaap into the world of slavery in SA. This museum is located in a building that was literally called The Slave Lodge - described as a "shameless fortress of human misery." It's exactly what its name implies - a fortress of a building that where the slaves of the 17th and 18th centuries lived, worked, and died. After slavery was banned in the British colonies, the Slave Lodge became home to government buildings, but it has now returned to an echo of its former space - using halls once filled with anguish and torture to teach about the past and advocate human rights. Poignant...
The history of slavery in South Africa is very reminiscent of the slavery of American history. The museum pointed out that slavery was present in many different cultures, in many different locations around the globe, from ancient times to present day. What an awful stain on the history of humanity! Slavery took root in Cape Town when the Dutch East India Company needed workers to tend the gardens, build, and repair ships at the "refreshment station" on the Cape. Spice traders would stop at the Cape en route to their shipping destinations, and slaves were "needed" to build the infrastructure to make this happen. Many of the slaves housed at the Slave Lodge worked in the Company Gardens - a large garden area where a stream was rerouted from Table Mountain and fruits and vegetables were grown (A portion of these gardens remains today - they are outside of the parliament building and absolutely gorgeous!)
The majority of the African slaves came from Mozambique and Madagascar, although there were also slaves from Asia and Indonesia, and eventually the local Khoikhoi were used as indentured servants. Interestingly (and absolutely bizarre!), because the slaves were so diverse, it was impossible to tell walking down the street who was a slave, and who was not. (If you can't tell that someone is different from yourself, how can you possibly feel it's acceptable to enslave them?!) As a result, slaves were not allowed to wear shoes, colored clothing, and many wore wide straw hats as a symbol of their status. Slaves outside the lodge were also required to carry pass books - an erie foreshadowing of what was to come...
As in American history, slaves in SA were treated horrendously. Many, many died in the horrible conditions on the slave ships, and those who made it to the Cape lived an awful existence - working from sun up to sun down, losing their children or spouses to the slave trade, physical punishment and torture, rape, imprisonment...the list goes on... One quote in the museum reflected on those involved in the slave trade. "When they (the slave traders) embark on this unworthy trade, they must divest themselves of every human idea; their hearts must be steeled by insensibility and their crew must be equally callous to the finer feelings of humanity." ~Samuel Hudson, Cape Town resident.
One of my favorite little sections of the museum was a column filled with names of some of the slaves of the Slave Lodge (poor records make it impossible to know all of those who were enslaved there). It had rings like trees, and really brought to mind the depth of injustice and the ripple effect it has on individuals, families, communities, and countries. In the background was a portion of a poem commissioned for the musuem. It really rang true to me, to why it's important to consider the history of injustice, and take the time to look back even as we so strongly desire to move forward:
In the light of memory and remembering
Through the streams of our senses
Reconnecting
Recollecting
We find our way home
~from Slave Dream by Malika Ndlovu
Another highlight was an artistic installation by Keith Dietrich called "Fragile Histories - Fugitive Lives." It was a beautiful recollection of the humanity behind injustice - drawings of human hearts overlaid with names and criminal sentences of those enslaved.
Despite its atrocities, the history of slavery has contributed to the culture of South Africa. South Africa refers to itself as a melting pot - a fascinating combination of African, Dutch, British, Indonesian, and Indian cultures. The evidence of this convergence can be seen in the street names and architecture, heard in the language and music, and tasted in the food. It's a really fascinating place!!! As the Slave Lodge reminds visitors, "we are, because of them." Ubuntu...
On a side note, we ran into a group of 8th grade students and their teachers at the museum. We were able to chat with them a bit and learn about their school and education system. They were from a Cape Town public school, made up of diverse students from the surrounding area (though very few white students were in the bunch.) The teacher shared with us that their school became "multicultural" even before it was law. Believe it or not, schools in SA were legally segregated until 1994. This school chose to desegregate in 1990. (It's harrowing to realize that I could, and probably would, have attended a segregated school for part of my life had I been born a South African!) She also shared that as students can choose any school they wish to attend, there is a trend where everyone tries to go further and further "up the chain" to get to the best schools. As a result, those who could moved away from their school and towards a school they thought was better. Then, students at a school "below" this one, moved "up" and so on. I am interested to learn more about this as I get into more education conversations next week...
The teachers were just over a week away from their 3 week holiday, and exhausted as teachers are everywhere when the end is in sight! They also shared a lot about how hard they work - all the overtime that they put in without compensation and how much work they take home. Sounds like an international truth of teaching - the dedication always outweighs the hours in the contract! :-) The students were in the midst of a unit on slavery and were eager to share their knowledge with us of the Underground Railroad and Harriet "Hubman," as one student proudly shouted out. It was a fun surprise chance to chat and learn and share!
We decided to grab lunch on a patio at the V&A Waterfront again - it's so beautiful and fun to stroll and people watch there - reminds me a lot of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I was also able to connect and finalize plans with a few of the education contacts I will be seeing while I'm here - 3 visits confirmed with educators/those in the education world for next week! I'm greatly looking forward to connecting the backdrop of what I'm learning with their qualitative perspectives on life and education in SA today!
It's amazing to think I left home just one week ago today! I've been able to fit in a lot of learning, thinking, and adventuring in the last seven days. The next couple of days we will explore Stellenbosch, a lovely area less than an hour outside of the city (though it feels like a different world altogether!), home to the seminary where Apartheid was advocated as a religious ideal, and also home to the heart of the Cape Town wine country. Even in winter, it's an absolutely gorgeous area! I'm looking forward to a few nights in a country cottage as a midway time to reflect on all that I've been able to see and learn this last week! No internet there, so I'll post as I can.
Connect again soon!
~emily~
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