Anna grappling with the contradictions she's witnessing

This past weekend was Human Rights Weekend.  I had no idea what to expect as we drove onto the beautiful olive farm property, which gave me the opportunity to keep an open mind through each activity.  I really enjoyed meeting other people my age from around South Africa; they provided insight into the problems of South Africa that I could not have received from books or online research.  One of my favorite parts of the weekend was the New Planet activity.  We were split into four groups – Kenya, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria (my group).  Each group had to create rules for their country and decide where they would live on the new planet.  The entire planet was desert except for a small area of fertile land full of resources.  I thought all countries should live in the desert and import food and materials from the fertile land.  This way, the good land would not be as likely to become destroyed, and the animals already there would not be harmed.  After I presented this idea, Karen told me she had the same exact plan.  I guess vegans think alike!

Something that bothered me about this weekend was the presence of cultural appropriation in our country presentations.  I was surprised that we were told to dress-up in the traditional clothing of our country when none of us actually brought anything that would be appropriate.  People ended up wrapping flannels around their heads and attaching table cloths or blankets to their waists.  These costumes were based on a stereotype of “African” clothing.  We don’t know the history or cultural background of these clothes, so we don’t have the right to wear them.

My family came to Cape Town on Sunday, and it’s been so much fun!  We explored Company’s Garden and went to the South African National Gallery.  I love art museums, and at this particular one, there were a plethora of pieces made by African artists – something you don’t get to see very often.  The exhibit “Our Lady” was particularly interesting.  It is supposed to show the evolving image of women in art, with an emphasis on modern art as a way for women to reclaim their power.  However, because most of the artists in this exhibit are male, and the art still portrayed women as inferior and domestic, many of the female artists withdrew their work from the exhibit.  “Our Lady” (which is now covered in tape to say “I Am No Lady”) currently shows a mix of degrading female imagery juxtaposed against South Africa’s culture of protesting.