Reflections

Tags

1976, celebrations, challenges, change, commemorating, Culture, education, future, Hector Pieterson, History, honour, hope, June 16, looking back, rising up, south africa, soweto uprising, stronger, Thankful, youth day

Rising

Out

Of

Yesterday’s

Debris

A

Bold

Generation

Creating

Platforms

For

Growth &

Development

Tapping into

Higher

Education

Taking

Nothing

For granted

Privildged

That those

who went

before us

Laid a path

However crooked

It may have seemed

We are – Tomorrow

because

They were – Yesterday

© Melanie Arendse

Photo credits * (Hector Pieterson’s dead body being carried – jeffsouthafrica.blogspot.com)

Advertisements

Death by Disease

Tags

Africa's Aids Pandemic, alone, black women, blood spilled, Culture, death, emotional, healing, HIV/AIDS, hope, humanity, illness and disease, life stolen, loneliness, mother, People, People need people, pregnancy, real life, Relationships, sad heart, sickness, society, stigma, truths, young lives

1. Cynthia ….

No one knew her pain

The disease had caused

Yet she smiled through the rain

Although her body disintegrated

To nothing but a blood stain

2. Buki …. 

Full of life , friendly , ambitious 

Flamboyant, funny and courageous

She fought through single motherhood

And then pregnancy knocked on her door

Again, alone scared and afraid

Yet boldly she displayed

life within that soon died

Cause YOU showed your ugly face

In the same old sly and cunning way

Taking two lives

As many mourned and prayed

AIDS please go away

© Melanie Arendse

Heritage Day/National Braai Day

Tags

accents, ancestry, Black and White, cape town, celebrations, conversations, Culture, heritage, Life, nationalities, proudly south african, reality, south african, speech, train rides, truth

I woke up this morning thinking what do I really know about my heritage? What does heritage mean to me? For some reason that struck a chord within my soul and reminded me of an experience I had. If anyone tried to put me in a box again by asking  ‘what race are you?’ I’d probably chuckle and my response would be the same as it was about two weeks ago when I think about that conversation I had with that single minded individual.

While minding my own business and trying to relax he overhears me speak and suddenly asks ‘what are you?  in my head I had a thousand responses that included ‘I don’t know? I think I might be an alien? So I tried to handle it gracefully knowing where this conversation was heading I responded “all you need to know is that I am South African” , he then shifted his gaze to me, while I was desperately trying to avert his and asked “What language do you speak” , aha! he had to ask a different question this time and was waiting on my answer so he could place me in box I saw the look on his face that has been placed there by society – that look that our society has created by pushing aside intelligence ,creativity, individuality, identity  … So who? What am I ? You might still ask and wonder??

Well I am a South African woman who was born to a light coloured skin mother and a dark skinned father (an egg donor I like to believe) whom I have never met/seen. I have a heritage of white, black, and even of the San people/ Bushmen. Yes my heritage and family lineage races back to the ancient times when Jan Van Riebeeck and the Dutch came to Colonise the Cape hence I have an English name with a Dutch surname. Therefore I have come to the conclusion I am South African in every sense of the word African. Don’t judge me on the colour of my skin, the ethnic hair I wear on my head,  the languages I speak or don’t speak and most importantly on the way I speak .

I am Black. I am White. I am Heritage.

© Melanie Arendse