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Introducfion to Southern African Introducon to Southern African Literature and Culture (and History) Original District 9 Short Film, dir. Neil Blomkamp h;p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlgtbEdqVsk Map of Southern Africa! Courtesy of South Africa: Overcoming Apartheid, Building Democracy, Department of History, Michigan State University, h;p://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/index.php Some ethnic/linguistic groups in South Africa • ‘Black’ African Groups: ‘Bantu’! – Zulu, Sotho, Ndebele, Xhosa, Tswana, Shona, etc.! • ‘White’ South Africans! – English-speaking! – Afrikaners (Afrikaans-speaking): trace descent from Dutch, French Huguenots! – Jews, Greeks, Portuguese! • Indians! • Cape Coloured/Coloured (generally Afrikaans- speaking)! • Cape Malay (Afrikaans-speaking)! Courtesy of: M. Paul Lewis, ed., Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth ediQon. (Dallas, Tex.: SIL Internaonal, 2009). Online version: h;p://www.ethnologue.com/. Apartheid: ‘Apart-hood’ (separation) The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! • 1795-1806: British consolidate control over Cape Colony! • 1835-1840: Boers leave Cape Colony in the 'Great Trek' and found the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. [Vortrekkers]! • 1860s-1880s: Discovery of diamonds and gold; gold rush on the Witwatersrand, Transvaal! • 1899-1902: Second Anglo-Boer War! • 1910: Formation of Union of South Africa by former British colonies of the Cape and Natal, and the Boer republics of Transvaal, and Orange Free State.! (See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world- africa-14094918 for more details)! The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! • 1912: Founding of African National Congress (Native National Congress)! • 1913: Land Act introduced to prevent blacks, except those living in Cape Province, from buying land outside reserves.! • 1914: National Party founded.! • 1918: Secret Broederbond (brotherhood) established to advance the Afrikaner cause.! • 1919: South West Africa (Namibia) comes under South African administration.! The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! • 1948: D.F. Malan wins elections, consolidates National Party. Policy of apartheid (separateness) adopted.! • 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.! The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! • 1952: Legislation requiring Blacks to carry passes; restriction of movement.! • 1957: Immorality Act (prohibiting sexual intercourse between whites and non- whites) ! The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! 1960: Sharpeville Massacre, 21 March 1960.! "The police have claimed they were in desperate danger because the crowd was stoning them. Yet only three policemen were reported to have been hit by stones - and more than 200 Africans were shot down. The police also have said that the crowd was armed with 'ferocious weapons', which liNered the compound aOer they fled. I saw no weapons, although I looked very carefully, and aOerwards studied the photographs of the death scene. While I was there I saw only shoes, hats and a few bicycles leO among the bodies. The crowd gave me no reason to feel scared, though I moved among them without any dis)nguishing mark to protect me, quite obvious with my white skin. I think the police were scared though, and I think the crowd knew it." ! The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! • 1961: South Africa declared a republic, leaves the Commonwealth. Mandela heads ANC's new military wing, which launches sabotage campaign.! • 1960s: International pressure against government begins, South Africa excluded from Olympic Games.! • 1964: ANC leader Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment.! • 1966: September - Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd assassinated.! • 1970s: More than 3 million people forcibly resettled in black 'homelands'.! • 1976: More than 600 killed in clashes between black protesters and security forces during uprising which starts in Soweto.! • 1984-89: Township revolt, state of emergency.! The Apartheid Period: ! Some Key Events! • 1989: FW de Klerk replaces PW Botha as president, meets Mandela. Public facilities desegregated. Many ANC activists freed.! • 1990: ANC unbanned, Mandela released after 27 years in prison. Namibia becomes independent.! • 1991: Start of multi-party talks. De Klerk repeals remaining apartheid laws, international sanctions lifted. Major fighting between ANC and Zulu Inkatha movement.! • 1993: Agreement on interim constitution.! • 1994 April: ANC wins first non-racial elections. Mandela becomes president, Government of National Unity formed, Commonwealth membership restored, remaining sanctions lifted. South Africa takes seat in UN General Assembly after 20-year absence.! Apartheid: Part of the Legacy • Video by Afrikaner students in Blomfontein, 2005: • h;p://www.blinkx.com/watch-video/racist-tape- prompts-protests/4amzhCqACsfdBuGmuBBqhw • Original video: h;p://www.blinkx.com/watch-video/racist-tape- prompts-protests/4amzhCqACsfdBuGmuBBqhw Apartheid and the culture of resistance: music • Miriam Makeba: • Ladysmith Black ‘A luta continua’ Mambazo, Miriam [‘The fight goes on’] Makeba, Paul Simon: http:// ‘N’kosi Sikeleli Africa’ www.youtube.com/ [‘God Bless Africa’] watch? http:// v=uAlC_VYzHzU www.youtube.com/ watch? v=MFW7845XO3g&feat ure=related The Syllabus! Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions (1989)! ! Nadine Gordimer, July's People (1981)! ! J.M. Coetzee, Disgrace (1999)! ! Phaswane Mpe, Welcome to Our Hillbrow (2001)! ! Marlene van Niekerk, Triomf (1995)! ! Jane Taylor, Ubu and the Truth Commission "(1997)! ! Achmat Dangor, Bitter Fruit (2001)!.
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