The trip to Johannesburg was a great way to put
visual evidence behind what we have been learning throughout this semester. Not
only have I learned what is relevant to the courses we are taking, but also for
life in general.
Regarding issues of race, class, and gender in Jo’burg
there was a lot which was relevant to our courses. First, I noticed that there
were not a lot of people who would necessarily be classified as “coloured” in
Jo’burg, but there were a lot of people who would be classified as black. There
were also more wealthy black people in Jo’burg than I see in Cape Town. Also, it
was still prevalent that all of the workers were people of color while it wasn't
mostly white customers. This was prevalent in the museums we went to, when we
went out to eat and also at Nelson Mandela Square. Not only that, but all of
the people living in townships and working on the street were also people of
color. This also shows the relation between people who are of color and those
who are not in Johannesburg.
For gender, it still seems that similar to Cape Town
it is the men who are working and out while you see way fewer women out.
Another observation I made was how women are way less forceful when selling
things. Lastly, about gender, one of the women that worked at Kruger told us
about African tradition of Lobola. This is where the man has to buy things or
pay the parents of the woman he wants to marry. I found this problematic, but I
don’t think I am able to judge the tradition because it is not my culture. I
just think that the act might further implications that women are weaker than
men. It is just hard seeing that in every culture I have been introduced to,
this seems to be the pattern. Women can sit back and relax while it is the men
who are responsible for working and providing for them. I am hoping there are
cultures that do not follow this pattern that I am not aware of yet!
On another note, the various historical sites and
museums we visited absolutely expanded my knowledge about the history and
politics of South Africa. We went to the Apartheid Museum, the Sharpeville
Memorial, the shooting of Hector Piuterson, the Nelson Mandela home, and Constitutional
Hill. Through the various tours, whether they were guided or self-guided, I
felt a lot of empathy and heartache for the people who lived during apartheid
and those who continue to suffer from it.
The most powerful thing I saw over our week in Johannesburg
was a play created by five young South Africans. It was performed outside of
the Sharpeville Exhibition Center. The young adults incorporated song, dance,
and acting without using any props to put together their play. In this case,
the performance was used to portray their experiences as black people in South
Africa. They were able to show the amount of pain people went through in
apartheid and also still continue to go through today. I personally think the
best way the performers were able to convey events during apartheid and
post-apartheid was through acting. Because of how powerful their acting,
singing, and dancing was, the play brought tears to my eyes. I know I did not
feel even a sliver of the pain that they must feel, but I did feel empathy for
them as they were performing. Through the whole act, I could not imagine what
it must be like living in a world as heartbreaking as theirs. The play
definitely made me feel more than if I were just listening to facts. I believe acting
helps people to cope with events in their life and also make others more aware
of their experiences.
Going to the Boys and Girls Club in Soweto was my
favorite part of our time spent in Joburg. I loved being surrounded by all of
the kids smiling faces and playing with them. We danced, played, cleaned, and
sang. The funder stopped by too at one point, who is actually the CEO of
Tupperware! So we were fortunate enough to meet him and his wife. Overall, it
was a great day.
During our free time, some of us decided to watch the
movie “Get Out.” It was a horror movie about a white woman who dates a black
man. The woman brings her boyfriend to her house to meet her white parents who
have black servants. It showed different themes of race in the US and made it
easier to understand how black people may feel being alone in white
communities. They feel as if they must mask themselves and pretend to be
someone who they aren’t, which destroys them on the inside. I’m glad I watched
this movie and I have been recommending it to others since. It is also good to
watch because the producer was a black male who should get more promotion.
Overall, Joburg was a great trip and I feel fortunate
we were able to visit all of the historical sites that we did.
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