Challenges Facing Hindus and Hinduism in Post-Apartheid South Africa1
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© Kamla-Raj 2013 J Sociology Soc Anth, 4(1-2): 93-103 (2013) Challenges Facing Hindus and Hinduism in Post-apartheid South Africa1 Brij Maharaj School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa E-mail: [email protected] KEYWORDS Diaspora. Transnationalism. Maha Sabha. Shuddha Certification. Philanthropy ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to analyse the challenges facing those practising Hinduism in South Africa. Celebrating the centenary of the SAHMS provides an opportunity to reflect on the past, analyse the present and more importantly to chart the future of Hindus and Hinduism in South Africa. More specifically, the key issues that will be discussed in this paper include: globalisation and internationalisation of culture; influence of Hindu nationalist forces from India; the retreat from self-help, sacrifice and community upliftment; decline in family values; promoting a scripturally based Hinduism; training and accreditation of Hindu priests; addressing the scourge of HIV/AIDS; gender representation in Hindu organisations; and the Hindu contribution to reconciliation, reconstruction and development in South Africa’s fledgling democracy. A key contention of this paper is that Hindus need to consider ways in which to contribute towards nurturing and consolidating South Africa’s fledgling democracy, as well as assisting in the process of reconciliation, reconstruction and development. INTRODUCTION from India; the retreat from self-help, sacrifice and community upliftment; decline in family Hindu and Indian identity is significantly values, and the associated social pathologies – intertwined in South Africa. Over the past two abuse, violence, crime, divorce; vulnerability of years Hindus have observed some important youth; promoting a scripturally based Hindu- historical milestones in South Africa. The year ism; training and accreditation of Hindu priests; 2010 marked the 150th anniversary of the ar- addressing the scourge of HIV/AIDS; gender rival of indentured labourers in SA, as well as representation in Hindu organisations; and the 100 years since Diwali was officially recognized Hindu contribution to reconciliation, reconstruc- as the most important Hindu festival. This year tion and development in South Africa’s fledg- (2012) commemorates the centenary of orga- ling democracy. nized Hinduism in South Africa. The South Af- This article is divided into eleven sections. rican Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) the national The historical context is presented in the first organisation for Hindus in this country, was es- section, followed by an analysis of the role of tablished on 31 May 1912. The Maha Sabha’s priests. Social pathology in the community is motto, Vasudev Kutumbakam (the world is one discussed in the third section, and the Indian family) resonates with African concepts such as connection and Hindu nationalism is the theme Ubuntu (humanity to others) and Batho Pele of the fourth part. The fifth section examines (People first). The vision of the SAHMS is to the Hindu response to HIV/AIDS, followed by promote Hindu Dharma according to the high- an assessment vernacular language tensions in est tenets of Hindu scriptures. It is important to the community. Hindu demands for a religious note that the SAHMS has a federal structure, public holiday is the theme of the eighth sec- and all Hindu organisations in the country are tion, followed by a discussion of the Shuddha directly or indirectly affiliated to the Sabha. certification for vegetarian products. The Celebrating the centenary of the SAHMS penultimate section examines the nature of in- provides an opportunity to reflect on the past, ter-racial relations, followed by some reflections analyse the present and more importantly to on Hindu philanthropy in South Africa. chart the future. The aim of this paper is to analyse the challenges facing those practising HISTORICAL CONTEXT Hinduism in South Africa. More specifically, the key issues that will be discussed in this paper Until recently, Hinduism was transmitted include: globalisation and internationalisation largely through the oral tradition in South Af- of culture; influence of Hindu nationalist forces rica, and there were many distortions over time 94 BRIJ MAHARAJ as memories faded. The origins of Hinduism in African Hindu Maha Sabha (Maha Sabha) on South Africa can be traced back to the agricul- 31 May 1993, Swami Shivapanda of the tural labour requirements of colonial Natal in Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa said: the mid-nineteenth century. The indentured In- Many organisations sprang up in the dark dians came mainly as isolated individuals, not days of apartheid in South Africa, trying to bring in family units, and the ratio between men and about understanding and peace. Religion and women was three to one. The labourers were culture were looked down upon, turmoil and housed in shacks and huts, with no privacy. suspicion, privation and starvation were run- There was no documentary proof of ‘legal’ mar- ning rampant. People of the same faith, wor- riages. The extraordinary accomplishment of the shipping the same God, had to pray separately indentured Indian is that under such circum- because of their natural colours. Religion di- stances they were able to develop united fami- vided the congregation, creating superiority and lies and impose deep moral values on the rising inferiority complexes. This brought about in- generation, so that at the present time the fam- equality. ily is recognised as the most important and stable Under apartheid the Hindu community suf- social institution through which their beliefs and fered as forced removals were instigated through morals are transmitted (Natal Mercury 15/11/ the Group Areas Act of 1950. Temples halls 60). and other cultural institutions were destroyed Although generally perceived as a homoge- in areas such Cato Manor, Riverside and Clair- neous ethnic group, the Hindu community was wood. A major consequence of forced removals stratified on the basis of class, caste, religion was the eroding of the joint family system and and language. Also, given the diversity of their traditional lifestyles. In 1958 the Mayville In- geographical origins, Indian migrants in South dian Ratepayers’ Association (MIRA) made an Africa were very heterogeneous. Caste segmen- emotional appeal to the DCC and the govern- tation has almost disappeared because migrants ment, emphasising the attachment of people to were drawn from a large geographic area: since place and community: caste hierarchies are only regional and not pan- People form deep and lasting attachments Indian, they could not be maintained in a popu- to the places in which they live and such at- lation from various origins. There was also a tachments are rooted in emotional association very material reason for caste prejudices to be with homes, temples, churches, mosques, reduced: all the migrants were packed in the schools, burial places and with neighbours - same boat eating the same food. Furthermore, years of friendship, the passing on of homes from during the journey migrants became jehaji-bhai generation to generation. Such are worthwhile (ship mates), which created a new “kinship” values which cannot be set aside lightly. Is it based on the memory of the travel on the same fair to ask people, now advanced in years, to ship, without any attention to caste nor religion. break up old associations and homes, busi- The general success and prosperity of the nesses, etc. and to start afresh (Memorandum immigrant group, and their ability to overcome from the Mayville Indian Ratepayers’ Associa- almost impossible odds, generated a great deal tion submitted to the Durban City Council, 30/ of envy, bitterness and anti-Indian sentiments. 5/1958). Indians struggled against discrimination, pov- It took the Hindu community a long time to erty, lack of education as well as political and rebuild their places of worship in relocated ar- civic representation, and religious and cultural eas such as Chatsworth and Phoenix. Economic marginalisation for 130 years. Hindus managed survival and subsistence was a priority in such to survive the economic and political onslaught areas. Religious sites in areas such as Chats- against them primarily because of their com- worth and Phoenix were readily purchased by munity survival strategies. well resourced Christian Churches, fueling a It is well known that apartheid not only sup- conversion to Christianity. These issues were pressed political freedom but also stifled reli- emphasised by the Maha Sabha in its submis- gious choices in favour of a narrow Christian sion to the Truth and Reconciliation Commis- Calvinist agenda which was implicitly anti- sion. Hindu and anti-Islam. In his “Message” on the In the post-apartheid era South Africans en- occasion of the 80th anniversary of the South joy freedom of worship and Hinduism is a con- CHALLENGES FACING HINDUS AND HINDUISM 95 stitutionally recognised religion. A major prob- which has been perpetuated by many of priests. lem is the inability of the democratic state to There is a view that poorly trained and undisci- fulfill its constitutional obligations because of plined priests are primarily responsible for the resource constraints and the challenges of ad- malaise in the Hindu community. In a telling dressing the inequalities of the apartheid era. indictment on priests, Dr Reshma Sookrajh com- Hindus in South Africa are being influenced by mented that the priests being churned out today forces