Discovery Guide prepared by Laura Lynn MacDonald
October 4-27, 2013 To purchase tickets: 414-271-1371 In Tandem Theatre 628 N. 10th Street Milwaukee, WI 53233 www.intandemtheatre.org 1 The Discovery Guide was developed by In Tandem Theatre to enrich your understanding and enjoyment of M.E.H. Lewis’s Burying the Bones.
(Burying the Bones contains graphic depictions of violence and is recommended for mature audiences over thirteen years old).
Table of contents:
Welcome to In Tandem Theatre Company...... 3 Note from Director Chris Flieller...... 4 Synopsis of Burying the Bones...... 5 Characters & Setting...... 6 Images from Apartheid...... 7 About the Playwright...... 8 Interview with Playwright M.E.H. Lewis...... 9 Artistic Team: Staff and Cast...... 11 History & Context: Introduction...... 14 Map of South Africa...... 15 Xhosa Tribe...... 16 Zulu Tribe...... 17 Death & Afterlife, Diviners & Healers...... 18 South African History: 4th Century - 1902...... 19 South African History: 1904-1927...... 20 South African History: 1928-1959...... 21 South African History: 1960-1974...... 22 South African History: 1975-1983...... 23 South African History: 1984-1993...... 24 South African History: 1994-2005...... 25 South African History: 2006-2013...... 26 Languages of South Africa ~ A Glossary for the Play...... 27 Learn more: Films and Documentaries...... 28 Engagement Exercises & Resources for Educators...... 30 Bibliography...... 31
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Welcome to In Tandem Theatre Company’s production of Burying the Bones. In Tandem Theatre was established in 1998 by co-founders, Chris and Jane Flieller, with a mission to produce exciting and innovative live theatre that’s designed to inspire, enlighten, provoke and entertain a diverse audience. Numerous times over the years, In Tandem productions have been voted “Top Ten Critics Choice” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Waukesha Freeman has named In Tandem productions as Best of the Year. Since its inception, In Tandem Theatre has been an ambassador of the arts in the Milwaukee community. The beautiful lobby of the Tenth Street Theatre doubles as an art gallery to showcase the work of emerging Wisconsin artists. In addition, In Tandem hosts an Artist in Residence program that provides local artists with free working space in exchange for mentoring students that attend schools which have little or no visual arts education. In Tandem does extensive outreach to local businesses, spreading the gospel of arts support during the United Performing Arts Fund’s annual campaign. This campaign has touched the hearts (and wallets) of thousands of people - in hundreds of workplaces - each year. For many years, In Tandem has been producing The Nobel Laureates Series, bringing classic Irish plays to the Theatre Stage during Milwaukee's Irish Fest. Playwrights featured in the series have included: Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw, and W.B. Yeats. The Nobel Laureates Series will conclude in 2014 with a play by Seamus Heaney. Over the years, In Tandem has proudly produced 20 works by local and regional playwrights, along with many Regional and World Premiers - including this season’s Regional Premier of Burying the Bones.
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In Tandem Theatre relies on the generosity of our friends and supporters to keep moving forward. Please consider the ways you can support In Tandem Theatre. Thank you!
3 Note from Director Chris Flieller
Welcome to In Tandem’s 2013-14 season, which begins with M.E.H. Lewis’s powerful play, Burying the Bones. This provocative play offers an intensely personal story drawn with complex characters that will constantly surprise you. You may be thinking that a play set in South Africa during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings will involve an examination of institutionalized racism, or a history lesson on racial equity and war crimes. Nothing could be further than the truth. As someone once said, all politics is personal. Burying the Bones allows us to experience a rich personal story set against the political debris of the old Apartheid system. Mae’s journey in the play is fraught with twists and turns, as she’s challenged to discover the truth about her husband, and reconcile the past. On her way, she discovers that the line between right and wrong is a blurred one, constantly shifting depending on where you stand. To find the clarity she’s searching for, to see the truth in all its colors - Mae has to travel a circuitous road; a road that takes her beyond grief and pain - to mercy. Mercy is what makes atonement possible. Mercy is what restores humanity to our politics, our allies and adversaries, and ultimately ourselves. Chris Flieller
4 Synopsis of M.E.H. Lewis’s ~Burying the Bones.
In a township near Cape Town, we meet Mae Mxenges, a young Xhosa woman, whose husband, James, has been missing for two years. The last day she saw him was a perfectly ordinary October day. James was getting ready to teach at the local school, and Mae had packed him enough bean soup to share with his class. That afternoon her world changed. Alfred, one of James’s top students, ran to Mae’s house to inform her that four men had forced James into a Range Rover and sped away. Since that day, Mae’s been haunted by questions. Who arrested her husband? Why? Where was he taken? Was he tortured and killed? The mystery is heightened as James appears to Mae as an apparition in the middle of the night. He begs her to seek the truth about what happened to him. Frightened, Mae turns to her politically savvy sister, Cassandra, who practices traditional healing in the village. Mae tells her sister that she plans to go to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to find out what happened to her husband. Cassandra warns Mae of the dangers of revealing her story to the Commission. During a sleepless night, the ghost of James returns again. He tells her he misses her, and he urges her to summon her strength and find him. Mae goes to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where she meets Gideon Kroeg, an Afrikaner police officer who admits to having interrogated James. As the horrors of apartheid are disclosed, and the surprising story of what has happened to James is revealed, Mae is faced with the truth of what has happened to her husband, herself, and her country.
5 Characters and Setting for Burying the Bones
Characters:
(Mae Mxenges) Mae is of Xhosa heritage. She wants to know the truth about what happened to her husband James. (James Mxenges) James, Mae’s husband, is of Zulu heritage. He was working as a school teacher in a township outside Cape Town when he was abducted two years prior. (Cassandra Ndila) Mae’s older sister, also of Xhosa heritage. Once a practicing nurse, she now earns money as a traditional healer. (Gideon Kroeg) Gideon is an Afrikaner, decorated for his service as a police officer during apartheid. He now seeks amnesty. Advocate One, Advocate Two, and Witness are characters that will be heard during Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings.
Setting:
The play begins in Mae’s modest home, which is located in a Township in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The time is October, 1996. Scenes take us from Mae’s bedroom, to her sister Cassandra’s kitchen & shop, to the town hall where the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings are held. There’s a waiting room for Gideon Kroeg at the town hall.
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Images from apartheid era South Africa
7 About the Playwright: M.E.H. Lewis
M.E.H. Lewis is an award winning playwright and writing teacher, based in Chicago. Lewis’s plays have been seen at Cherry Lane Theatre in New York, Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, Detroit Repertory Theatre, Next Theatre in Evanston, Stage Left Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, and The New Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, among others.
Her first play, CHARMS FOR PROTECTION, won the Julie Harris Playwriting Award. Since then, Lewis has been awarded many honors, including the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work, two Illinois Arts Council Fellowships, three Ragdale Foundation Residencies, a Tremain Grant, and the FutureFest Outstanding Playwright Award. Lewis’s first production in Chicago was Stage Left's critically acclaimed BURYING THE BONES, which was nominated for three Joseph Jefferson Awards, including Best New Work. BURYING THE BONES received a ten-week revival in 2012 at Detroit Repertory Theatre, where it garnered critical acclaim and enjoyed sold-out audiences. Other productions include: HERE WHERE IT’S SAFE and FELLOW TRAVELLERS (winner of the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work), both at Stage Left, FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW at Chicago Dramatists (Joseph Jefferson Award nominee), CREOLE at InFusion Theatre (nominated for five Black Theatre Alliance Awards), SECRET LANGUAGE at Next Theatre, FLOAT at The New Theatre in Melbourne, and PERFECT WORLD at Infamous Commonwealth. Her plays have been included in multiple festivals, workshops and readings, including Stage Left's LeapFest, American Blues' Ripped - The Living Newspaper Project (based on the 1930’s WPA era program that brought the works of Orson Welles, Arthur Miller and Clifford Odets into the public eye), and Reverie Productions’ Next Generation readings in NYC. Lewis's plays, SMALL WORLD and THIRST (co-authored with Anita Chandwaney), were presented at the 2012 International Women's Theatre Festival in Stockholm, Sweden. Lewis is a Resident Dramatist at Chicago Dramatists, a member of The Dramatists Guild, a Dramatists Guild Fellow, a member of the Women's Theatre Alliance, and an emeritus ensemble member at Stage Left Theatre.
8 ! Interview with Playwright M.E.H. Lewis and Dramaturg Laura Lynn MacDonald.
(LLM) Can you lead us through the genesis of Burying the Bones, and the creative journey you took as you wrote this play?
(Lewis) “It sort of came to me out of the blue. I woke up one morning with the basic story in my head: “I’m going to write a play about a woman going to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, looking for her husband.” I can’t really say where it came from, although in the course of research I came across a New Yorker article that I had read maybe six months earlier. The article discussed the great importance in South African culture of giving the dead a proper burial. There was a remarkable photo of a woman whose son had been murdered, and all she had left of him was a handful of his hair, which fell out when the police poisoned him. I can still see it very vividly in my mind’s eye. So I think that somehow became the seed of Burying the Bones.
I went to Kevin Heckman, who was then the artistic director of Stage Left Theatre, and I gave him my idea, literally on a post-it note, and I worked on the play in the theatre’s developmental program, which allowed me to get the play up on its feet. I wrote it pretty quickly. I think it was about a year from concept to production. The story and characters just had an urgency to be heard. Writing, when it goes well, always feels like discovery, and that was particularly the case for this play. And, of course, the opportunity to work with some remarkable artists (Kevin Heckman, Demetria Thomas, John Sanders, Fran Wilkerson, Abu Ansari) really helped speed the process along.”
(LLM) Several of your plays take place during, or shortly following, violent chapters in modern history. Burying the Bones is set two years following Apartheid, Creole is set during slavery in Virginia in 1831, and Freshly Fallen Snow revisits both WWII and the Iraq War. What compels you to write about these chapters in history?
(Lewis) “Yep. And Fellow Travellers is set partially during WWII, Double Helix is about Argentina’s dirty war, Hungry Ghosts is about the aftermath of the Vietnam war… almost all of my plays circle around war and violence in some way, which is something I didn’t realize until recently. I know it seems obvious, but forest and trees. In every case the stories are very personal and intimate, microscopic portraits of ordinary people in times of violence.”
What fascinates me is the way that the past constantly intrudes into the present. All of my plays feature some combination of multiple time lines, ghosts, or vivid memory flashbacks. As Americans, we’re very committed to the idea that we drive our own destiny, but in fact everyone is shaped by society and by history, their own history and the history around them. What does a huge psychic wound like the Civil War or Apartheid do to a people? People like to dismiss slavery, for example, as a closed chapter of history, but in truth we live with the consequences every single day.”
(continued...)
9 “These episodes of terrible upheaval force everyone to make the most difficult of decisions. There’s no greater test of morals and ethics and personal loyalty. The Holocaust didn’t happen because of one madman. It happened with the cooperation of millions of people, countless daily individual choices to allow or ignore or abet evil. And the same is true of the Rwandan genocide, or any other atrocity you can name. So I guess I want to dig into the minds of ordinary people under terrible pressure.”
(LLM) When Chris, Jane and I met with you in Evanston this summer, you mentioned that Gideon Kroeg, (played by Mark Corkins in this production) was one of your favorite characters to write. Could you share why?
(Lewis) “I love to look at monsters. What makes them monstrous, what is their world view, how do they overcome that core visceral aversion to violence? Gideon is fascinating to me. Here’s a man so proud of his accomplishments, every inch the successful self-made man, and then everything he believes in turns to muck in front of his eyes. Something I find sympathetic in Gideon is the fact that he refuses to reject or deny his actions. When people get caught, their first reaction is to show remorse, which of course was completely missing until they get caught. Gideon doesn’t show any false remorse. He’s the only person in the play who tells the unvarnished truth at all times. Mae isn’t a liar, perhaps, but she certainly spends a lot of time denying or decorating the truth. Gideon is actually pretty charming, in a thorny sort of way, and that’s a trait that grew right out of my research into torture. The best “interrogators,” the ones who get useful information, are great experts in human psychology. They are charismatic and intelligent. Under other circumstances, they might be excellent psychiatrists or politicians. And of course Gideon is a hero not just in his own mind but in his country’s judgment. He’s a decorated officer. When I watched the movie Zero Dark Thirty, I was reminded of Gideon. A considerable part of the movie shows people being tortured to get information about Al Qaeda and Bin Laden. The chief torturer is a handsome, likable American. I’ve no doubt that man has received numerous commendations for his work on the behalf of the American people. Many people would view him as a hero. But his actions are really no different than those of Gideon. I know that this play was in many ways my response to the aftermath of 9/11, and the widespread justifications of torture.”
(LLM) Burying the Bones has been defined as a thriller, a mystery, a ghost story, even like an episode of Law & Order. As pieces of the truth are discovered by the character Mae Mxenges, (played by Malkia Stampley in this production) assumptions are challenged; until the whole truth, in all its complexity, is surprisingly revealed to the audience. Could you share your thoughts on structuring the play in this suspenseful way?
(Lewis) “Well, the intellectual answer would be that a solid mystery story is a good structure to engage the audience in a story that covers a lot of very heavy history. But the truth is that I love a good whodunit. Suspense and revelation are really the cornerstone of an entertaining story. Every story that I love has me hanging on at the turns, shocked and breathless and waiting to see what happens next.”
10 Artistic Team:
Chris Flieller (Director/Artistic Director, In Tandem Theatre) A fixture both on and backstage for more than three decades in Milwaukee, Chris has numerous credits to his name. Among the companies Chris has acted with in his long career are In Tandem Theatre, Skylight Opera Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Theatre X, First Stage Children's Theatre, and the Marcus Center/Milwaukee Repertory. In addition to playing Stasch Zielinski in over two hundred performances for In Tandem’s smash hit holiday show, A CUDAHY CAROLER CHRISTMAS, Chris was most recently seen as the father in W. B. Yeats’ PURGATORY for Irish Fest. His many directing credits include WONDER OF THE WORLD, nine years of SHAW SHORTS (in collaboration with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Annual Shaw Festival), THE EIGHT: REINDEER MONOLOGUES, HOLIDAY HELL, THE CHOSEN, HOME, the world premier of STUCK, EQUUS (in a co-presentation with the UWM B.F.A. acting program), OLD WICKED SONGS and most recently, the American premier of THE NIGHTMARE ROOM. Jane Flieller (Production Manager/Managing Director In Tandem Theatre) A former stage manager, Jane toured nationally with the Great American Children's Theatre Company and has worked locally for Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, First Stage Children's Theatre, Theatre Tesseract, Next Act Theatre and Next Generation Theatre. For several years, Jane was the stage manager for ComedySportz, a position she originated. She co- founded In Tandem Theatre in 1998 and now unleashes her creative energies on all aspects of running a small arts organization. Directing credits include In Tandem, Whitefish Bay High School, Carroll College, Broadway Baby Dinner Theatre, South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, and most recently, Marquette University. Jane looks forward to once again bringing the Cudahy Carolers back together when she directs A CUDAHY CAROLER CHRISTMAS in December. As always, she gives thanks to her beloved husband, partner and best friend, through whom all things are possible.
Alan Piotrowicz (Rehearsal Stage Manager) Alan has worked in the Tenth Street Theatre many times, including rehearsal stage managing MRS. MANNERLY and designing lighting for VERONICA'S POSITION for In Tandem Theatre a couple seasons ago. He primarily freelances as a lighting designer and stage director throughout the greater Milwaukee area and is proud to have worked for several fine companies, including Bunny Gumbo Theatre Company, Danceworks, Falls Patio Players (resident designer), First Stage, Four Seasons Theatre, In Tandem Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Next Act Theatre, T.I.M.: The Improvised Musical (resident designer), UPROOTED Theatre, and Youngblood Theatre, among others. He received his training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and The Santa Fe Opera. www.alanpiotrowicz.com
Laura Lynn MacDonald (Dramaturg) Laura Lynn is a screenwriter, playwright, dramaturg and actress. Her plays have been produced by American Theater Company, Ensemble Free Theater Norway, American Blues Theatre, Route 66 Theatre Company, Gorilla Repertory Theater, TITAN Teatregrüppe, Chicago Dramatists, Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Educational Tour), Uprooted Theatre and others. She wrote the screenplay for MATTRESS WORLD, which won Best Family Short at the 2011 Illinois International Film Festival, and recently dramaturged Brendan McCall’s MARY AND HER DAEMAN, a play about Mary and Percy Shelley, which received an acclaimed run at the FEATS Festival in Belgium. Laura Lynn has enjoyed working in literary management, new play development & arts education for many years. She’s a member of Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas and The Dramatists Guild.
11 Steve Barnes (Set Design) Steve is happy to be back at In Tandem Theatre. You may have seen his previous work on A CUDAHY CAROLER CHRISTMAS, ROMANTIC FOOLS and STUCK. Steve has done numerous designs in the Milwaukee area, including JEEVES IN BLOOM and DRIVING MISS DAISY at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, EDUCATING RITA and AMERICAN FIESTA at Renaissance Theatreworks, and PEARL BAILEY ... BY REQUEST AND YANKEE TAVERN (co- designer) at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He has also designed for First Stage Children’s Theater, Optimist Theatre, Ka-Tet Theatre Company, Racine Theatre Guild, and KOHL’S Wild Theater at the Milwaukee Zoo. www.stevebarnesdesign.com
Holly Blomquist (Light Design) Holly is pleased to return to In Tandem Theatre after designing past productions of TEA AT FIVE, OLD WICKED SONGS, THRILL ME, and THE NIGHTMARE ROOM. Upcoming work this season includes IN THE HEIGHTS at the Skylight Music Theatre, and THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER at First Stage. Past favorites include RABBIT HOLE (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre) and THE INTERNATIONALIST (Boulevard Ensemble). In addition to lighting for theatre productions, Holly designs lighting for architectural projects around the city and state and volunteers as the Board President for the Boulevard Ensemble. Thanks Chris and Jane for asking me back, and thank you for supporting local live theatre!
Pam Rehberg (Costume Design) Ms. Rehberg is happy to be returning to In Tandem for BURYING THE BONES. Other In Tandem productions have included VERONICA'S POSITION, THRILL ME, THE APPLE TREE, and EQUUS. Ms. Rehberg is a professor at UWM, teaching courses in draping, pattern-making, and costume design. Her work has been seen at Peninsula Players First Stage Children's Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Skylight Music Theatre, The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Rocky Mountain Repertory, and the Milwaukee Ballet. Recent design work includes SALOON at Peninsula Players, THE DETECTIVE'S WIFE at Chamber Theatre, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC at the Skylight Music Theatre. As always, love to Randy, Josh, Amanda and Matt, who help keep the world in balance.
Colin Gawronski (Board Operator) Colin is a graduate of UWM's Theatre Program and a Milwaukee native. He is excited to be back at In Tandem again. Colin has worked with such local companies as Your Mother Dances, UWM Dance, Danceworks Inc., Next Act, Chamber Theatre, Carter Productions, Kohl's Wild Theater, PrideFest Milwaukee, and Youngblood. Colin has also worked with the Sacramento Music Circus, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and with the Indianapolis and Chicago Fringe Festivals. Favorite productions include: SERENDIPITY, MAURITIUS, THRILL ME, ADVENTURES OF LITTLE MISFIT, IN A BLACK MOOD, WINTERDANCES 2012, EXONERATED, THE FLU SEASON, GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES, and DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE. Give Love Always.
12 The Cast: Malkia Stampley (Mae Mxenges) Malkia is delighted to make her In Tandem debut in BURYING THE BONES. She was recently in Forward Theater's GOOD PEOPLE and First Stage's RUDOLPH. Malkia attended Marquette University for Theater Arts, served as a Resident Artist with Skylight Music Theater, and was an acting intern with Milwaukee Rep. Some favorite productions include Beneatha in RAISIN at Court Theatre in Chicago, TAMING OF THE SHREW with Manhattan Theatre Project, two years of BLACK NATIVITY and TALENTED TENTH with Congo Square Theater, and the Japan concert tours of THE LION KING and DREAMGIRLS with St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre, where she received the Woodie King Jr. Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. Malkia is a founding member of Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, a new Milwaukee theater company and the Community Partnership Coordinator for First Stage. She will next be seen in First Stage's A MIDNIGHT CRY in January. Malkia dedicates her performance to her partner, Chike, and their three spawns, Kwasi, Nafia and Zaria.
Di’Monte Henning (James Mxenges) Di'Monte attends UWM where he studies Business and minors in Theatre. He is humbled and grateful to share his performance in BURYING THE BONES with you. Di'Monte's previous credits include Cliff in THE PROMISED LAND at First Stage Children's Theatre; Youngblood in August Wilson's JITNEY, and Seaweed J. Stubbs in HAIRSPRAY, among others. Di'Monte believes the rich history and obstacles each character faces in BURYING THE BONES can teach Milwaukee's community about ourselves and those around us. Thank you to In Tandem Theatre and a special thanks and love to my family and friends. Enjoy!
Bria Cloyd (Cassandra Ndila) Bria is excited to be a part of the phenomenal cast of BURYING THE BONES. Her theatre credits include: SPUNK, THINGS WE CAN'T DO ONSTAGE, NUNSENSE, and MARCH TO KOSCIUSZKO PARK. When she's not onstage, Bria enjoys playing the piano, singing, and spending time with family. Bria would like to thank In Tandem for their kindness and her mother for all of the love and support.
Mark Corkins (Gideon Kroeg) Mark is excited to be making his In Tandem debut. He most recently played Claudius in Cooperative Performance Milwaukee's production of HAMLET at Villa Terrace. Mark has performed with many local theatre's including Next Act, Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Shakespeare, and First Stage. Over many seasons as a resident actor with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, favorite roles include Lee in TRUE WEST, Owen in THE FOREIGNER, Hamm in END GAME, Jacob Marley in A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and the title roles in KING LEAR and DRACULA. Mark also spent twelve summers in Spring Green with American Players Theatre. Highlights include Sir Andrew in TWELFTH NIGHT, The Mayor in THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, Jack in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, and Mark Antony in ANTONY & CLEOPATRA. Mark’s next Milwaukee project will be A MIDNIGHT CRY with First Stage.
13 History and Context: Introduction
Burying the Bones is a play that aims to untangle the truth from the wreckage left by apartheid in South Africa. In 1994, democratic elections were won by the African National Congress under Nelson Mandela. Apartheid officially ended, but the country remained deeply fractured and wounded. In 1995, the South African Parliament formed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), lead by Bishop Desmond Tutu. The ongoing aim of the Commission is to foster a reconciliation between black and white South Africans by uncovering the truth about human rights violations that occurred during apartheid.
Desmond Tutu
By 1996, the year of our play, hundreds of South Africans began to share with the Commission, their stories of coercion, violence and terror. Some shared their stories for the cathartic release of having their story told. Others shared, so that their stories would be remembered and recorded. For many others, testifying before the TRC was the only way they could get information about what happened to their loved ones. People were desperately trying to find out if their missing family members were dead or alive. This knowledge is culturally significant. To many tribes in South Africa, the proper burial of a family member is the only way their loved one’s spirit can join with the spirits of their ancestors. A proper burial may include performing specific rituals or prayers, making a special offering for the dead, and/or burying the dead in sacred ground. Without a proper burial, many believe they would be haunted for the rest of their lives by the spirits of the unburied. For those searching for the missing, (like Mae in our play), the horrors of apartheid can never be reconciled until the bodies of the missing are properly laid to rest. In our play, you will also meet the character Gideon Kroeg. Kroeg is an Afrikaner who served as a police officer during apartheid. He seeks amnesty for his actions. Amnesty was granted to those who committed abuses during the apartheid era, as long as the crimes were politically motivated, proportionate, and there was full disclosure by the person seeking amnesty. The TRC received over 7,000 applications for amnesty from perpetrators of violence. Of those, only 875 were granted amnesty by the Commission. During the hearings, the TRC heard stories of killings, torture, and disappearances from over 20,000 victims and their families. Throughout the hearings, the TRC advocated for reparations for the victims, including monetary gifts and social services. In 1995, The Presidents Fund was established to pay victims of apartheid. The payments were to be a symbol of reconciliation. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of victims have been paid. The majority of the funds sit in a bank account, accruing interest, as the government argues over distribution. Victims of apartheid continue to ask for the social services they were promised by the Commission, including desperately needed access to healthcare, education and mental health support. This December, a national dialogue on reparations is being organized by the Coalition for Transitional Justice.
14 Maps of South Africa
15 History and Context
Xhosa Tribe: There are approximately 10 million Xhosa people distributed across South Africa. After Zulu, Xhosa is South Africa’s most common language. Both languages are distinct for their use of a variety of glottal clicks. The earliest archeological record of the Xhosa dates to 7AD. The Xhosa emerged as a cattle herding tribe who hunt game and grow a variety of crops including corn, sorghum, wheat, barley, beans, peas, squash & tobacco. Notable Xhosa are Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Steve Biko and Miriam Makeba (Mama Africa).
Rural Xhosa still live in beehive shaped hut communities which are ruled by chiefs.
Xhosa men take care of the livestock and planting, and women take care of the home and children. At harvest time, the whole community participates in gathering the crops. There are many rituals and rites of passage that the Xhosa people have observed for hundreds of years. Starting from birth, symbolic rituals are performed to mark each stage of life. The elders in the community serve as the guides to the younger generations as they graduate through their rites of passage.
When a Xhosa baby is born, she’s believed to be connected to the spirit world of her ancestors. In the photo, the baby is being held over smoke to ward off evil spirits. The placenta from her birth will be buried to connect the baby with her ancestral land.
When a young Xhosa man is between 15-18 years old, he participates in the Abakwetha ritual. This 3 month ritual is a passage from childhood to manhood involving fasting, teachings and circumcision. If a young man protests during circumcision or abandons the rituals, he will never be considered a man, or suitable to marry.
Traditional Xhosa marriage is the combining of two families. The bride’s family provides Lobola, (a dowry of cattle, household items and wardrobe) that will give the new couple sufficient means to begin their married life together. Marriages are arranged by the heads of the families. It’s the bride’s job to take care of her mother-in-law.
16 History and Context
Zulu Tribe: There are between 10 and 11 million Zulu people living in South Africa. Over 50% of the South African population can understand the Zulu language. Zulu folklore dates their tribal history back to ancient Egypt and Israel when their mystical land was called Embo. The founder and chief of the Zulu clan originates with Zulu kaMalandela in 1709. The Zulu formed a powerful state in 1818 under the leadership of King Shaka Zulu. Similar to the Xhosa, the Zulu people herded cattle and established farming communities. They also practiced specific rituals and rites of passage for birth, adolescence, marriage and burial.
Traditional Zulu huts are made from mud and grass with thatch roofs. The entrance to the doors are low, making visitors bow as they enter. All of the doors face the same direction.
Modern townships were formed to racially segregate blacks during the apartheid era. In poorer areas, these homes are made of wood with a vinyl tarp roof. People share a common shower and water source.
Since apartheid, the government has built communities of brick houses with plumbing. These upgraded communities will have a grocery store and a pub.
The Reed Dance is an annual celebration of teenage girls who have vowed to remain chaste until marriage.
The Ukwemula ceremony takes place when a young woman seeks the approval of her father to be a candidate for marriage. With his blessing, she can partake in the rite of passage. This rite includes days spent in solitude with nightly visits by women elders who dance with her. At the conclusion of Ukwemula, the woman bathes and enjoys a recognition ceremony.
Monogamous marriage is now common for Zulu people, although historically, polygamy was encouraged. Photo of South African President, Jacob Zumu doing a traditional Zulu marriage dance with his new bride.
17 History and Context
Death and Afterlife: To traditional Xhosa & Zulu people, death is a powerful transformation from the physical to the spiritual realm. Natural death, by sickness or old age, requires rituals, prayers and sacrificial offerings to the ancestors to guide the spirit of the dead in the afterlife. If a person has been killed by an accident or by violence, their death is said to be “death by spill of blood.” In such deaths, medicinal healing to purify the spirit of the deceased needs to be performed at the funeral. These purifying rituals are performed to prevent misfortune from visiting the direct family and clan of the deceased.
Many Xhosa and Zulu people believe there is an essential life force, or energy, that is manifest in all living things. When a plant or crop, or an animal or a person dies, it’s believed that their spirit exits their body as a shadow or ghost. This spirit then travels to a mysterious place between the world of the living and the world of the ancestors. The rituals performed at burial allow the spirit of the deceased to join with their ancestors. From there, the spirit can protect and guide their descendants. The final ritual performed at burial invites the departed to re-enter the home to keep watch over their family. Diviners and Healers:
Zulu Diviners
A Diviner is “called” by the ancestors to become a Above - Igqirakazi (female healer) in full Xhosa Diviner. The initiate undergoes a year of rigorous regalia, wearing a baboon-fur headdress and training under the tutelage of elder Diviners (most animal pelts. Below - A Zulu traditional healer. often women). Diviners are consulted to determine the cause of illness, accidents, witchcraft and death.
Herbalist healers are not called by the ancestors. These healers often follow elder family members into the healing arts. Herbalists are consulted for the treatment of disease and to ward off witchcraft. Many people are both Diviners and herbalist healers. Medicines are made from dried bark, leaves, roots and bulbs. Medicine is mixed with water and swallowed, or massaged into the afflicted area. Medicine can also be carried on the body, where the power of the medicine can offer protection and healing.
18 South African History: 4th century - 1902 4th century - Migrants from the north settle, joining the indigenous San and Khoikhoi people. 1480s - Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Dias is the first European to explore the southern tip of Africa. 1497 - Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama lands on Natal coast. 1652 - Jan van Riebeeck, representing the Dutch East India Company, founds the Cape Colony at Table Bay. 1776-1783 - In an agreement with France, 3,000 Dutch soldiers are sent to protect Cape Town from possible attack. They turn Cape Town into a “Little Paris,” and perform comedic theatrical productions in their barracks. This becomes “Barracks Theatre.” 1795 - A garrison of 5,000 British soldiers seize Cape Colony from the Netherlands. The British troops begin performing plays at their hospital in Cape Town, later forming The Garrison Theatre. 1816-1826 - Shaka Zulu founds and expands the Zulu empire and creates a formidable fighting force. 1824, Glasgow Missionary Society translates the Bible into Xhosa. 1835-1840 - Boers leave Cape Colony in the 'Great Trek' and found the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. 1852 - British grant limited self-government to the Transvaal. Late 1850s - Boers proclaim the Transvaal a republic. 1867 - Diamonds are discovered at Kimberley. 1877 - Britain annexes the Transvaal. First biography about a black South African (Rev Tiyo Soga) written by John A. Chalmers is published. 1879 - British defeat the Zulus in Natal. A few Missionary schools begin to educate black Africans. 1880-81 - Boers rebel against the British, sparking the first Anglo-Boer War.
Mid 1880s - Gold is discovered in the Transvaal, triggering the gold rush. The first black owned journal “Imvo Zabantsundu” is founded, containing the first black South African poems in print. (1893-1914) - In 1893, at the age of 24, Mahatma Gandhi arrived in South Africa to work as a legal representative for the Muslim India Traders in Pretoria. He spent 21 years in South Africa, where he developed his political views and social activism. Gandhi suffered many instances of discrimination including the Durban Court ordering him to remove his turban, which he refused to do. 1899 - British troops gather on the Transvaal border and ignore an ultimatum to disperse. The second Anglo-Boer War begins. 1900 - Kimberly and Pretoria are captured by the British. 1901-02 - South African Army forms. Bubonic Plague breaks out in Cape Town. Treaty of Vereeniging ends the second Anglo-Boer War. The Transvaal and Orange Free State are made self-governing colonies of the British Empire.
19 SOUTH AFRICAN History: 1904 - 1927
1904 - 62,000 Chinese laborers arrive in South Africa to work in the mines. 1906 - Tuberculosis reaches epidemic proportions in South Africa. 1908 - Douglas Blackburn’s “Leaven” is published - portraying what life was like for peasants who were forced into urban labor. 1910 - Formation of The Union of South Africa. South Africa is given independence by United Kingdom. Louis Botha becomes first Prime Minister of South Africa. 1912 - Native National Congress is founded, later renamed the African National Congress (ANC). 1913 - The Land Act is introduced to prevent blacks, (except those living in Cape Province), from buying land outside the reserves. 1914 - National Party founded. WWI begins. 146,000 whites and 83,000 blacks serve in the South African military units during the war. 1915 - Douglas Blackburns “Love Muti” - attacking British colonial attitudes, is published. 1918 - Secret Broederbond (brotherhood) is established to advance the Afrikaner cause. 1919 - South West Africa (Namibia) comes under South African administration. 1920 - 70,000 black African gold miners strike, demanding higher wages. Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (later the ICU) gains strength. “Mhudi,” the first novel by a black South African is written (published in 1930). The story follows the Tswana people during and after their encounter with the Zulu’s under Shaka Zulu. 1921 - Chamber of Mines announces that it will be replacing 2,000 white mineworkers with blacks. 1922 - White mineworkers strike in what becomes The Rand Revolt. Whites begin to assault and kill blacks. In March, 20,000 white mineworkers strike and vow a full-scale revolution. 1923 - The Apprenticeship Act is passed, limiting apprenticeships to whites. The ICU expands into rural districts. 1924 - Industrial Conciliation Act is passed, disallowing black Africans. The South African Trade Union is established, representing 30,000 white workers. Sarah Gertrude Millin publishes “God’s Stepchildren,” about her views on racial hierarchies featuring whites at the top. 1925 - The ICU membership reaches 50,000 black Africans. Thomas Mofolo’s “Chaka,” about Shaka Zulu is published in Sotho-Tswana Bantu language. 1926 - Communist members of the ICU must choose between being members of the Communist Party of South Africa or the ICU. The Mines and Workers Amendment Act establishes a “colour bar” for various mining jobs. nineteen-year-old William Plomer writes “Turbott Wolfe,” an inter-racial love story. The novel horrified many, and Plomer left South Africa soon after its publication. 1927 - ICU membership grows to 100,000 black Africans. The ICU is denied membership in the South African Trade Union Congress.
20 South African History: 1928 - 1959
1928-29 - Trade Unions form for laundry workers, leather workers, rail workers and others. 1930 - The African Trades and Labour Council brings together many trade unions.
1931 - The Native Services Contract Act is passed, forcing Africans to honor the conditions of any contracts they’ve signed or accepted. 1932 - Black literary newspaper Bantu World, is founded. 1936 - To expel black workers from rail unions, the Afrikaners establish the SA Railway and Harbours Workers Union. 1939 - The beginning of WWII leads to massive growth in manufacturing jobs. Industries use black workers after thousands of white workers go to war. Prime Minister Hertzog (a pro-Afrikaner) wants SA to be neutral and not participate. He’s deposed by Jan Smuts, who declares war on Germany and the Axis. Smuts became an advisor to Winston Churchill.
1939-45 (WWII) - 334,000 men (211,000 whites, 77,000 blacks & 46,000 “coloureds”) volunteered to serve in the South African Army during the war. 9,000 were killed.
1940’s - The 1940’s saw the rise of black South African authors who were educated in the mission schools as well as the rise of performance cultures (theatre, jazz, dance clubs) influenced by the United States and Europe. The hub of this activity was in Johannesburg’s Sophiatown. 1947 - The National Theatre (whites only) is formed. South African actress, Yvonne Bryceland, makes her theatrical debut in a Cape Town production of “Stage Door” before going on to become Playwright Athol Fugard’s leading actress. Apartheid set in law 1948 - Policy of apartheid (separateness) adopted when National Party (NP) takes power. 1950 - Population classified by race. Group Areas Act passed to segregate blacks and whites. Communist Party banned. ANC responds with campaign of civil disobedience, led by Nelson Mandela. Early 1950’s - Many distinguished black writers are banned from getting their writing published or their plays produced. Ian Bernhardt forms an all-black drama group called The Bareti Players.
1955 - The Black Sash, a non-violent white women’s resistance movement against apartheid is formed. From 1955-1994, The Black Sash provided widespread visible proof of white resistance to apartheid. Late 1950’s - In 1958, Athol Fugard’s play No-Good Friday, is performed in Johannesburg. This play was followed by Blood Knot. Fugard and his wife form a small theatre group in Port Elizabeth called The Circle Players. Bernhardt produces the hit musical King Kong, which was performed for all races. Other playwrights (Lewis Sowden, Basil Warner and David Herbert, create plays in response to apartheid.
21 South African History: 1960 - 1974
1960 - Seventy black demonstrators killed at Sharpeville. ANC banned. 1961 - South Africa declared a Republic, leaves the Commonwealth. Mandela heads ANC's new military wing, which launches sabotage campaign. International pressure against the government begins. Zulu Chief, and former President of the ANC, Albert Lutuli, wins Nobel Peace Prize. 1963 - January: Exiled African National Congress and Communist Party activists establish an arts group in London. The International Olympic Committee votes to exclude South Africa from the 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo. 1964 - ANC leader, Nelson Mandela, is sentenced to life imprisonment. In Durban, Ronnie Govender and Muthai Naidoo form the Shah Theatre Academy. In the Transvaal, Gibson Kente creates a black theatre that explores love, adultery, alcoholism and crime instead of politics. 1965 - Many artists, writers, photographers and journalists are banned, arrested, or refused a passport. Artist Nat Nakasa & poet Ingrid Jonker commit suicide. 1966 - Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd’s government names 46 artists in exile, many of whom were leading writers. The writer’s work is banned and is not allowed to be published, distributed or quoted inside the country. September - Prime Minister Verwoerd is assassinated. 1967 - Artist and political activist Selbi Mvusi dies in a suspicious car accident. In exile, Ernest Cole publishes his book “House of Bondage.” 1968 - Prohibition of Political Interference Act is passed, leading to the disbandment of the Liberal Party. South African art exhibition “Stand” is shut down. 1969 - Arrest of writer Wally Serote, photographer Peter Magubane, Winnie Mandela and others. They are charged and put in solitary confinement at Pretoria Central Prison. Magubane is banned from using a camera for 5 years. 1970s - More than 3 million people are forcibly resettled in black 'homelands'. The Theatre Council of Natal (TECON), one of the most important protest theatre movements of the 1970’s is formed. TECON identified with the Black Consciousness Movement and gradually shifted to a more military stance. TECON produces Reginald Rose’s “Twelve Angry Men” followed by “Heart of Negritude,” an original South African play created from Aime Cesaire and Lepold Senghor’s poetry.
1971 - TECON produces “Antigone.” 1972 - Writer and Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) activist, Mthuli Shezi, is run over by a train when he’s pushed from a platform by a white conductor. TECON forms the collective: South African Black Theatre Union and produces a South African version of Anouilh’s play “Black on White.” 1973 - January - Black workers go on strike in Durban, bringing industries to a halt. Franco Fuscuro is detained and suspended for a year for publishing a cartoon in the Wits University student magazine. 1974 - Viva Fremilo Rallies are held by the South African Students Organization (SASO) to campaign for liberation. Many members of SASO are arrested and charged under the Terrorism Act.
22 South African History: 1975 - 1983
1975 - South African defense forces invade Angola. The People’s Republic of Angola is created. 1976 - More than 600 are killed in clashes between black protesters and security forces during an uprising which starts in Soweto. Police open fire on black high school students protesting the enforced use of Afrikaans in their classes. Gibson Kenti’s play, “Too Late,” is banned. The Federation of Black Women in South Africa is established in Durban - it’s banned in 1977. 1977 - The South African Student Association is banned. On August 18th, Steve Biko was arrested under the Terrorism Act. He was detained, interrogated and tortured at the Walmar Police Station near Port Elizabeth. He sustained a head injury from his beatings. Biko was transported to Pretoria Prison hospital where he died on September 11th. 10,000 supporters attended his funeral. He’s known for saying “Black is beautiful,” which he described as meaning: “Man, you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human being.” 1978 - Peter Magubane’s book of photographs, “Soweto” is published. 1979 - Art and Liberation Week is held at the University of Cape Town and a State of Art Conference is held at Michaelis School of Fine Art. In protest of apartheid, white artists refuse to participate in state sponsored art events. Both black and white academics, writers and artists discuss the arrest of several of their colleagues. They protest the banning and censorship of art, books, photographs and plays. The 1980’s - A category of “Resistance Art” is increasingly recognized as a genre of expression explicitly directed at South Africa’s ruling white elite and its increasingly oppressive exercise of power. Afrapix Collective creates many exhibitions and catalogues utilizing photographs as weapons in the political struggle. 1980 - Two artists, Antonio Saura and Ernest Pignon-Ernest, formed the association “Artists of the World Against Apartheid.” John Maxwell Coetzee is awarded the CNA (South Africa’s highest literary honor) for “Waiting for the Barbarians.” 1981 - Black Only African Writers Association is formed. Black Art today exhibition opens in Soweto. The play, “Woza Albert!” is written by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon. The play subsequently wins 20 prestigious awards worldwide. In the play, Christ arrives in South Africa and encounters a white Calvinist imposing apartheid. 1982 - Botswana Festival of Culture and Resistance, a key conference attended by many South African artists, musicians and writers is held. An Art and Resistance workshop is held at the National Medical School, and a Cultural Festival is held in Bosman Township, and The Moving Collection was started. These events helped mobilize the artistic community to do whatever they could to end apartheid. 1983 - The United Democratic Front was formed. The UDF was one of the most important anti- apartheid organizations. The non-racial coalition gathered followers from many other organizations throughout South Africa. Lead by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other powerful resistance leaders, the following grew to over 3 million people in 1985. The UDF utilized mass media, posters, murals and artist collectives. Coetzee awarded the Booker and CNA prizes for “Life and Times of Michael K.,” a novel about a young South African man trying to shield his mother from civil unrest.
23 South African History: 1984 - 1993
1984 - As a result of international pressure, the apartheid government passed a new constitution that stipulated a new parliament where there were three separate houses for Whites, Coloureds and Indians, with only limited representation for the latter two. Blacks were expected to have their own parliament in the Bantustans (the homelands), and were therefore not included. The adoption of the new constitution ignited violent uprisings. Desmond Tutu wins Nobel Peace Prize for his work against apartheid. 1985 - A state of emergency was declared as the Townships revolted. Artist Gary Van Wyk made a series of large works on canvas depicting the soldiers and the freedom fighters. His art was used on banners at meetings and events, and shared world wide. The Cape based theatre “Action Workshop” produced plays promoting South African liberation. 1986 - The Cape Town Cultural Festival is banned. A conference titled: “Culture in Another South Africa” is held in Amsterdam. 1987 - The movie “Cry Freedom,” based on books by South African journalist and activist Donald Woods, is released. Denzel Washington is nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Steve Biko. 1988 - Formation of Cultural Workers Congress. “100 Artists Protest Detention Without Trial Exhibition” is held at the Market Gallery. 1989 - FW de Klerk replaces PW Botha as President. De Klerk meets Mandela. Public facilities are desegregated. Many ANC activists are freed. 1990 - African National Congress members are unbanned and political prisoners are released. Artists and activists return to South Africa from being in exile. Mandela is released after 27 years in prison. De Klerk is declared President. (3600 people are killed in political violence in 1990) 1991 - Start of multi-party talks. CODESA 1 (Convention for a Democratic South Africa) meets, agreeing that an interim government will rule until a new constitution is drawn up. De Klerk repeals remaining apartheid laws. International sanctions are lifted. Major fighting between ANC and Zulu Inkatha movement - there is suspicion that the government is aiding the Inkatha township violence. (2700 people are killed in political violence in 1991) 1992 - Whites-only referendum is held. 68% of the white population vote in favor of continuing negotiations for democracy. CODESA II talks break down - the ANC and the NP government can’t agree on distribution of power. The ANC grows increasingly more suspicious of the NP’s role in the ongoing violence. (3500 people are killed in political violence in 1992) 1993 - FW de Klerk & Nelson Mandela win Nobel Peace Prize. SACP leader Chris Hani is assassinated by right-wing fanatics. Afrikaner Weerstandbeweging (AWB - a white supremacist, neo-fascist group) drive an armored vehicle through the windows of The World Trade Centre to disrupt a constitutional meeting. Political violence continues. Agreement on an interim constitution is finally reached. (4,450 people are killed in political violence in 1993)
24 South African History: 1994 - 2005
1994 - End of apartheid - April, ANC wins first South African democratic elections. Mandela becomes President. The Government of National Unity is formed; and the remaining sanctions on South Africa are lifted. South Africa takes a seat in UN General Assembly after a 20-year absence. 1995 - The first Johannesburg Biennale is held, bringing together South African artists with artists from around the world. The Moving Collection (an international artwork collection against apartheid) is shown in Zimbabwe at the All Africa Games then given to South Africa as a gift. 1996 - Truth and Reconciliation Commission chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu begins hearings on human rights crimes committed by former government and liberation movements during the apartheid era. The Parliament adopts a new constitution. The National Party withdraws from the coalition, saying it is being ignored. 1998 - Truth and Reconciliation Commission report brands apartheid a crime against humanity and finds the ANC accountable for human rights abuses. 1999 - ANC wins general elections, Thabo Mbeki takes over as president. 2000 December - ANC prevails in local elections. Recently-formed Democratic Alliance captures nearly a quarter of the votes. The Inkatha Freedom Party wins 9%. 2001 April - 39 multi-national pharmaceutical companies halt a legal battle to stop South Africa from importing generic Aids drugs. The decision is hailed as a victory for the world's poorest countries in their efforts to import cheaper drugs to combat the virus. In May, an official panel considers allegations of corruption surrounding a 1999 arms deal involving British, French, German, Italian, Swedish and South African firms. In November, the panel clears the government of unlawful conduct. In September, Durban hosts UN Race Conference. In December, the High Court rules that pregnant women must be given Aids drugs to help prevent transmission of the virus to their babies. 2002 April - Court acquits Dr. Wouter Basson - dubbed "Dr. Death" - who ran apartheid-era germ warfare program. Basson had faced charges of murder and conspiracy. The ANC condemns the verdict. In July, the Constitutional Court orders government to provide key anti-Aids drugs at all public hospitals. (The government had argued that the drugs were too costly.) In October, bomb explosions in Soweto and a blast near Pretoria are thought to be the work of right-wing extremists. 2003 May - Walter Sisulu, a key figure in the anti-apartheid struggle, dies. Thousands gather to pay their last respects. In November, the government approves major programs to combat HIV/Aids. (The Cabinet had previously refused to provide anti-Aids medicine through the public health system.) 2004 - April: The ruling ANC wins a landslide election victory by gaining nearly 70% of votes. Thabo Mbeki begins a second term as President. Inkatha Freedom Party leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, is dropped from the cabinet. 2005 - March: Investigators exhume the first bodies in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission investigation into the fates of hundreds of people who disappeared in the apartheid era. In June, President Mbeki sacks his deputy, Jacob Zuma, in the aftermath of a corruption case. In August, 100,000 gold miners strike over pay, bringing the industry to a standstill.
25 South African History: 2006 - 2013
2006 - May: Former Deputy President Jacob Zuma is acquitted of rape charges and reinstated as Deputy Leader of the governing African National Congress. In September, corruption charges against Zuma are dismissed, boosting his bid for the presidency. In December, South Africa becomes the first African country to allow same-sex unions. In August, Senator Barak Obama visits Mandela’s former prison cell on Robben Island near Cape Town. 2007 April: President Mbeki urges South Africans to join forces to bring rapists, drug dealers and corrupt officials to justice. In May, Cape Town mayor Helen Zille is elected as the new leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA). In June, hundreds of thousands of public-sector workers take part in the biggest strike since the end of apartheid. In December, Zuma is elected chairman of the ANC, placing him in a strong position to become the next President. 2008 May: A wave of violence directed at foreigners hits townships across the country. Dozens of people die and thousands of Zimbabweans, Malawians and Mozambicans return home. In September, a judge throws out a corruption case against ruling ANC party chief Jacob Zuma, opening the way for him to stand as the country's President in 2009. President Mbeki resigns over allegations that he interfered in the corruption case against Zuma. ANC deputy leader, Kgalema Motlanthe, is chosen by parliament as President. In December, a new political party is launched in Bloemfontein, in the first real challenge to the governing ANC. The Congress of the People (COPE) is made up largely of defectors from the ANC and is headed by former Defense Minister, Mosiuoa Lekota. 2009 - In April, public prosecutors drop the corruption case against Zuma and the ANC wins the general election. In May, Parliament elects Zuma as President. The economy goes into recession for first time in 17 years. In July, Township residents complaining about poor living conditions mount violent protests. 2010 - June: South Africa hosts the World Cup football tournament. In August, civil servants stage a nation-wide strike. In local elections held in May, the opposing Democratic Alliance doubles its share of the vote. President Zuma mediates in the Libyan conflict. Nelson Mandela’s book, “Conversations With Myself” is released, with a forward written by President Barak Obama. 2011 - October : President Zuma dismisses two ministers accused of corruption. The Opposition Democratic Alliance picks a black woman, Lindiwe Mazibuko, as its leader in Parliament. In November, the ANC suspends its controversial and influential youth leader, Julius Malema, for five years for bringing the party into disrepute. National Assembly overwhelmingly approves an information bill that poses a threat to freedom of speech. The ANC says the bill is needed to safeguard national security. 2012 - July: Members of a white extremist group are found guilty of plotting to kill Mandela and trying to overthrow the government. August-October: police open fire on workers at a platinum mine in Marikana, killing 34 people, injuring 78 others. 270 miners are charged with murder. After public outcry, prosecutors drop the murder charges and set up a judicial commission of inquiry.
2013 - February: South African Olympic sprint star, Oscar Pistorius, is accused of killing his girlfriend. March: Former South African President, Nelson Mandela, 94, is hospitalized. April: Parliament passes a secrecy bill that will increase governments power to restrict information. June: President Barak Obama visits Africa and tells the South African press how Mandela inspired his activism and involvement in the anti-apartheid movement. Obama revisits Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island, this time with his family.
26 History and Context
Languages in South Africa during Apartheid: Under apartheid, Afrikaans (closely related to Dutch) and English were the official languages, although they represented less than 25% of the population. Afrikaans was spoken not only by the Dutch, German and French immigrants, but also by 83% of black and mixed race people. The 1994 South African constitution added 9 tribal languages - including Zulu and Xhosa - to the list of official, recognized languages. African languages are mutually understood and many blacks can speak two or more of them, in addition to English and Afrikaans.
Glossary of words and terms in Burying the Bones:
Doepa: A medicinal charm. JuJu Bag: A bag with a charm or root for protection. Old root doctor: A traditional herbalist. A Slam: Term for a witch doctor or a traditional healer-Diviner. “Slutty Jentoe” = A term used in the Cape region for a prostitute. ANC - African National Congress: A political party, founded in 1912 as an African nationalist movement. The ANC was banned from 1960 to 1990 because of its active opposition to apartheid. In 1994, the ANC won South Africa's first multiracial election. Outlanders: A term used by Afrikaners for foreigners (mostly British) who arrived to work in the gold & diamond mines in the 1850’s. Freedom Fighters: A person who takes part in a violent struggle to achieve a political goal - often to overthrow their government. In South Africa during apartheid, the Freedom Fighters were activists for the ANC. Informers: Those who informed the Afrikaners in power about people who were Freedom Fighters. Labola: A Dowry given to a husband or husband’s family - often cattle and household goods. TRC - Truth and Reconciliation Commission: The TRC was set up in terms of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, No. 34 of 1995, and was based in Cape Town. The hearings started in 1996. The mission of the TRC was to bear witness, record, and in some cases grant amnesty to the perpetrators of crimes during apartheid. The TRC also advocated for the reparation and rehabilitation of victims. Amnesty: An official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses. Catweed Tea: Commonly referred to as Valerian Root. This tea is used as a nerve tonic or to promote sleep. Afrikaner: An ethnic group in South Africa whose native language is Afrikaans, a Germanic language. They are descended from European settlers and constitute 5% of South African population. Comforter for TRC: Women hired to make the people comfortable who are waiting to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. These women would offer water, cigarettes and tissues to grieving family members as well as perpetrators of terrible crimes. “Julle verdomde Keffirs!” = would be like saying, “You damned niggers!” in the United States. The term Keffir is now regarded as highly offensive and unlawful to use in South Africa, although it was commonly used for decades. The etymological root of the term originates from the eastern Cape area of South Africa, which was once called British Kaffraria (1847-52). The British called the black native people, who were mostly Xhosa, “Caffers.” Keffirmeids: Derogatory for “black maids.” Koi Koi: (KhoiKhoi: “People people” or “Real people”) Refers to the KoiSan people, the original inhabitants of the Namibia region. These people were also called “Hottentots” by whites in South Africa. The KoiSan were the first people the Dutch encountered when they arrived in South Africa. Advocates: Advocates were hired by the Commission to represent both perpetrators and victims during the TRC Hearings. Advocates were often affiliated with human rights groups in South Africa. Interrogators: Interrogators questioned both perpetrators and victims during the TRC Hearings.
27 Films and Documentaries that explore the struggles in South Africa.
FILMS: Tsotsi (Gavin Hood, 2005) - Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) is the street name used by a young Johannesburg delinquent who has taken to a life of crime in order to support himself. Tsotsi comes from a blighted upbringing -- his mother died slowly from AIDS-related illnesses, and his father was torturously abusive. One evening, Tsotsi shoots a woman while stealing her car, and only later discovers that her infant son is in the back seat. Uncertain of what to do with the baby, Tsotsi takes the boy home and tries to care for it -- going so far as to force Miriam (Terry Pheto), a single mother living nearby, to nurse the baby. With time, Tsotsi learns the basics of child care, and the presence of the baby awakens a sense of humanity in him that life on the street had stripped away. Tsotsi was adapted from a novel by Athol Fugard, and won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. (Review by Mark Deming - Rotten Tomatoes)
Zulu (Jerome Salle, 2013) - As a child, Ali Neuman narrowly escaped being murdered by Inkhata, a militant political party at war with Nelson Mandela's African National Congress. Today, Ali is chief of the homicide branch of the South African police in Cape Town. One of his staff is Brian Epkeen, a free-wheeling white officer whose family was originally involved in the establishment of apartheid but who works well with Neuman. Together they have to deal with crime that inevitably exists in sprawling areas of un -and under- employed people. At the chaotic crossroads where brutality and modernization collide, the echoes of apartheid still resound in the shadows of a society struggling toward reconciliation. Featuring Forest Whitaker and Orlando Bloom. (Anonymous Review - IMDB) Invictus (Clint Eastwood, 2009) Actor Morgan Freeman portrays anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela in this Clint Eastwood-helmed political drama adapted from author John Carlin's book, “The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed the World.” Set just after the fall of apartheid and during Mandela's first term in office, The Human Factor explores how the political prisoner-turned-president used the 1995 Rugby World Cup -- which was hosted by South Africa -- as a means of bringing blacks and whites together after decades of violence and mistrust. Matt Damon co-stars as rugby player Francois Pienaar. (Review by Jason Buchanan - Rotten Tomatoes)
District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, 2009) - Director Neill Blomkamp teams with producer Peter Jackson for this tale of extraterrestrial refugees stuck in contemporary South Africa. It's been 28 years since the aliens made first contact, but there was never any attack from the skies, nor any profound technological revelation capable of advancing society. Instead, the aliens were treated as refugees. They were the last of their kind, and in order to accommodate them, the government of South Africa has set up a makeshift home in District 9. (Review by Jason Buchanan - Rotten Tomatoes)
Cry, the Beloved Country (Darrell James Roodt, 1995) Rev. Stephen Kumalo (James Earl Jones) is a minister from a poverty-stricken farming community who travels to Johannesburg in search of his son Absalom (Eric Miyeni), who has gone missing. Kumalo is robbed and beaten shortly after he arrives, and when he visits his brother John (Charles S. Dutton), he discovers that Absalom has become a petty thief with a pregnant girlfriend, and John has renounced his faith in God and advocates the violent overthrow of South Africa's white leadership. (Review by Mark Deming - Rotten Tomatoes)
28 Red Dust (Tom Hopper, 2004) Tortured at the hands of police officer Dirk Hendricks (Jamie Bartlett) for his efforts in seeking equality under apartheid, social activist Alex Mpondo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is shocked to learn that Officer Hendricks is now seeking amnesty for his violent deeds. When human rights lawyer Sarah Barcant (Hilary Swank) returns to her South African home to represent Alex, she quickly discovers that the deeper she delves into the past, the more she has to fear in the present. (Review by Jason Buchanan - Rotten Tomatoes) A Dry White Season (Euzhan Palcy, 1989) - Schoolteacher Ben du Toit (Donald Sutherland) has been insulated all his life from the horrors of apartheid in his native South Africa. When the son of his black gardener is arrested and beaten as a result of a schoolboy protest in Soweto, at first he imagines the police must have had their reasons. However, the boy is picked up again, and this time he doesn't come back. Ben promises his servant that he will look into the incident, and discovers that the boy was killed simply to gratify the violent urges of Captain Stolz (Jurgen Prochnow), a "special branch" policeman. At long last he has gotten a glimpse into the truly arbitrary and violent nature of the system he has so long benefitted from, and he hires Ian Mackenzie (Marlon Brando) to prosecute the killer. (Review by Clarke Fountain, Rotten Tomatoes) In My Country (John Boorman, 2004) - Langston Whitfield is a Washington Post journalist. His editor provocatively sends him to South Africa to cover the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, in which the perpetrators of murder and torture on both sides during Apartheid are invited to come forward and confront their victims. By telling the unvarnished truth and expressing contrition, they may be granted amnesty. Langston tracks down Col. De Jager, the most notorious torturer in the SA Police and tries to penetrate the mind of a monster, an experience that obliges him to confront his own demons. Features Samuel L. Jackson and Juliet Binoche. (Review by Donal, IMDB)
DOCUMENTARIES:
Have You Heard from Johannesburg: (Connie Field - 2010) A seven-part documentary about the decades-long fight to dismantle apartheid. The value of Field's film is in how it shows the snowball effect of persistent protest. The movie's final passages suggest there's much more injustice to bring to light. In Darkest Hollywood: Cinema and Apartheid (Peter Davis and Daniel Riesenfeld - 2012) Using a wealth of archival footage and commentary by filmmakers and actors, including a young John Kani and Miriam Makeba, this two-part film examines the role of cinema in both supporting and attacking Apartheid, focusing on the impact of Hollywood films in South Africa, the depiction of South Africa in Hollywood films, and finally, the emergence of an indigenous film industry in South Africa. It also questions Hollywood's commitment to racial stereotypes and reluctance to depict black heroes. Long Night’s Journey Into Day: (Deborah Hoffmann and Frances Reid - 2000) This documentary tells four stories of Apartheid in South Africa, as seen through the eyes of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. White soldiers who have killed ANC activists and black activists who have killed whites in political attacks
29
Engagement Exercises and Resources for Educators
Much of the work in the arts in South Africa over the past few decades has dealt with aspects of segregation, political injustices, and misuse of authority. Discuss the place of the arts (literature, theatre, music, dance) as a protest medium. Encourage students to create a visual or performance art project that advocates for an issue that’s important to them. Engage in a discussion that defines the terms: protest, activist, amnesty, racial discrimination and human rights.
Discuss the many challenges that victims must have experienced as they faced their oppressors during the TRC hearings. Encourage your students to investigate perpetrators of oppression during apartheid, and the victims of the perpetrators. Have students perform a mock-trial, playing the roles of the victims, perpetrators seeking amnesty, advocates and interrogators. Encourage your students to experience the point-of-view of multiple roles within the mock-trial. Explore why it’s important to hear both the stories of the perpetrators as well as the victims. What does each story add to our understanding of not only what happened, but also why it happened - and what it meant?
FOR FURTHER READING: “No More Strangers Now: Young Voices From a New South Africa,” interviews by Tim McKee, foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. This engaging book contains interviews with young South Africans. (DK Ink, DK Publishing, 1998)
“Mandela’s Children: Growing Up in a Post-Apartheid South Africa,” by Oscar A. Barbarin - Published by Taylor & Francis, June 2001
“Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa,” Touchstone paperback - Simon & Schuster, October 1998
“Master Harold and the Boys” by Playwright Athol Fugard - (Penguin Plays) a division of Penguin Books, 1984
“The Art of Moral Protest: Culture, Biography, and Creativity in Social Movements,” by James M. Jasper - University of Chicago Press - September, 1999
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Bibliography
The following are websites & resources that were utilized and incorporated into the Discovery Guide.
Official Truth and Reconciliation Commission website: http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/
Jillian Edelstein’s “Good & Evil” - Stories and Photographs from South Africa’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission: http://www.coldtype.net/Assets/pdfs/Truth.pdf Trial transcript from the Armed Forces Hearing of the South African Police at the Truth and Reconciliation Hearing that took place in Cape Town on 10/9/97. http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/ special/forces/sap.htm
PBS Independentlens - listing of independent, award winning films about apartheid: http:// www.pbs.org/independentlens/have-you-heard-from-johannesburg/ Viewers’ and Teachers’ Guide - The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela - Frontline/PBS: http:// www.pbs.org/wgbh//pages/frontline///shows/mandela/teach/
Traditional and Cultural Heritage of the Xhosa people: http://kwekudee- tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2013/02/xhosa-peoplesouth-africas-ancient.html
Traditional and Cultural Heritage of the Zulu people: http://kwekudee- tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2013/02/zulu-people-africas-warrior-people-from.html Maps from Worldatlas.com
Images and Classroom Resources from The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa: http://www.apartheidmuseum.org
South African History online: http://www.sahistory.org.za
BBC News - South Africa Profile: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14094918 The History of South African Theatre: http://ancestry24.com/south-african-theatre/
The Fugard Theatre - Capetown, South Africa: http://www.thefugard.com/about-the-fugard-theatre
ESAT - The Encyclopedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media & Performance: http://esat.sun.ac.za/ index.php/Main_Page Gallery Ezakwantu (South African Tribal Art): www.ezakwantu.com Article: “Black South African Theatre: Text & Context,” written by Kenyon Tomaselli, Published in English in Africa 8 no.1, March 1980. pp. 51-58. Article: “More than 3500 Amnesty Applications Received,” South African Press Association (SAPA), December 1996.
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