Dylan Hollingsworth Ashlybeth Diaz April 25,2011 Block 2 Nelson Mandela Interview Questions Q: Your birth name, Rolihlaha, means “to pull a branch of a tree” or “trouble maker”. Do you think that name fits you well? Do you think that name was an omen for you to become the man you are today? A: The irony of receiving a name that describes the person you are is by chance and I think that I was one of those people. When people hear the word “trouble maker”, they think of a mischievous person, but that’s not who I intended to be. Rolihlaha may fit me well, according to how an individual interprets all my actions and achievements. I think the name could be an omen for the man I have become today. All the “trouble” I created has been used to an advantage, to help make a difference for those who deserved it. Q: How did changing your culture from traditional Thembu to American traditions affect you as a person? A: I was the first member of my family to ever attend school and at that school the teachers encouraged me and the other students to adopt American culture. My teacher, Miss Mdingane, even gave me the American name, Nelson. But even with my new American name and understanding of the culture of the Western part of the world, I never let anyone change who I was as a person. I understood my culture, roots, and heritage better than anything. Many people have tried to change me; they all have failed. Q: You and other members of the Student Representative Council at Fort Hare University were apart of a boycott in 1940. What were you protesting against? At the time, did you regret the boycott that led to your expulsion from the university? A: The boycott of 1940 was a protest against university policies. At the time, I did not regret the boycott that led to my expulsion from the university. My expulsion opened my eyes to become an activist and to stand up for what I think is right. Without the expulsion, I believe that I would have not been exposed to all the wrong going on through out my country. Q: Shortly after being expelled from Fort Hare University, you ran away from home to Johannesburg in order to escape an arranged marriage. During that time, you were very busy working. Did you ever finish your education, if so how? A: Yes, I did finish my education. While in Johannesburg, I worked many odd jobs and did a lot of working in order to get by. I eventually found a job as a clerk in a law firm. During the evenings, when I was not working, I studied through a correspondence course with the University of South Africa and completed my first degree. I received my Bachelor’s degree in 1941 and in 1942 I became a member of another law firm and pursued a law degree at the University of Witwatersrand. Q: During your fight to end apartheid in South Africa, was it your mission to eventually become President? A: No, not at all. My mission was to stop the unfair treatment of blacks in South Africa. My mission was to bring the country together instead of allowing it to stay separated based on race. Yes, I did want the government to change, but becoming president was not my only intention. I did not do all that I did for my country just so that I could receive the position of president. I was just a regular citizen who wanted his rights acknowledged and when I became president I made sure that all of my people were treated equally. Equal rights was always my mission, not power and authority. Q: Did your time in jail make you want to fight even harder for a South Africa that was free from apartheid? A: Yes, my time in jail did make me want to fight even harder for South Africa. I had to make up for the years that I could not fight to make it free from apartheid. The time I spent in jail prepared me for all the protest and speeches given. It helped me organized my thoughts so that I knew what to do when my release arrived. Q: How did your time in jail change you as a person? A: My time in jail gave me a chance to think everything through. Before being incarcerated, I didn’t have much time to accomplish things for myself. I was always busy from the time I woke up till the time I laid my head down. I never really had time to think every decision thoroughly. When I was released, my plans were ready to go. Q: You were given the chance to leave jail under certain conditions. Why didn’t you take the chance so that you could return home to your loved ones? A: In order to leave jail early, I had to renounce violence. I did not take that chance because I was not the one who started the violence, if anything my violence was a defense. I also did not want to be singled out from my colleagues. I felt that it was not a good gesture to accept the offer because of the fact that I was trying to end the whole concept of treating people indifferently. Q: Do you think that the legalization of the African National Congress was a key part in ending South African apartheid? A: Yes, I do think that the legalization of the African National Congress was a key part in ending South Africa apartheid. It claimed the overwhelming majority in the historic free elections in South Africa, that marked the end of the Apartheid era on April 27, 1994. Q: What motivated you to become an activist against the HIV/AIDS epidemic? A: One main reason that I chose to become an activist against the HIV/AIDS epidemic is for my great concern about turning around one of the greatest threats humankind has faced. However, the most important reason that I decided to stand and speak up about AIDS was my son, Makgatho Mandela. He died of AIDS in 2005. People should not ignore an ugly disease such as HIV/AIDS, but they must become informed and take action to prevent it. Q: Since you gave up the right to become a Xhosa leader, how do you feel about your grandson, Mandla Mandela, becoming the chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council? A: My father was Chief Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, so when he died and I came of age I was supposed to become chief. If I became chief then I would not have been able oppose the ways of the government; I could only worry about the needs of my village. I had to pass up that opportunity in order to fight white rule in South Africa. That was more important to me than anything else. The tribe looked to me to reclaim the clan that my father created, so I suggested that my grandson assumed the role of chief. It was the best decision to make. I was too old to accept the position, his father had passed away a couple of years earlier, and he had recently received his degree in politics. Mandla is a strong, intelligent young man and I am very proud that he is representing the Mandela family well. Q: What would you encourage people to do on Mandela Day to honor you? A: Mandela Day is a simple holiday. On June 18th, everyone should become a humanitarian for at least 67 minutes. You don’t have to do anything extreme, just help someone you care for, do something in your community, baby sit for someone. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re helping someone or some type of cause for 67 minutes to commemorate the 67 years that I put into helping others. Works Cited Boddy-Evans, Alistair. "Biography: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela." African History -- Explore the History of Africa. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. <http://africanhistory.about.com/od/mandelanelson/a/ bio_mandela.htm>. "Nelson Mandela." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. <http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela>. "Nelson Mandela Foundation – Memory - Biography." Nelson Mandela Foundation – Home. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nelsonmandela.org/index.php/memory/views/biography/> "Nelson Mandela - Biography." Nobelprize.org. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. <http://nobelprize.org/ nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html>. .