We started the day at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Township of Langa. Although half the sermon and the hymns were in Xhosa, one of three South African languages commonly spoken, we were able to feel the spirit of the church and the community surrounding us. The homily was an explanation of the Holy Trinity. The message was, to listen, and not judge because people acting in judgment cannot be filled with love. This is an important lesson especially for people our age. The sense of community in the church was overwhelming. They were very welcoming to our group as well as the other visitors.
After mass we walked through Langa Township with Professor Toni Sylvester from the UWC who served as our guide. While walking the streets we were welcomed with warm smiles. The children ran up to us in the streets and they were far from shy as they reached for our hands, wanting to be picked up.
Toni was able to point out some positive developments that are occurring in Langa. It was nice to see that improvements were being made as we were able to see new homes being constructed in the area. However, we recognize that it is a drastic difference from yesterday’s multi-million dollar waterfront luxury homes by the Cape of Good Hope. A stark contrast to the makeshift shacks and shanties we saw today. It was an eye-opening experience to see this disparity in living conditions. Despite the obvious struggles the people deal with on a daily basis, the community was very open and friendly.
While in Langa we visited a community center, where we were informed of their role in helping to develop and better the community. We were shown their seminar space where they teach local community members how to make pottery and we had the opportunity to see a performance by some of the local boys who take advantage of the centers many programs. The passion and pride were clearly evident through the boys' faces while they drummed and moved rhythmically to the beat. There are different types of classes that the children in the community are able to participate in ranging from dramatic arts to music performance.
After this experience we drove through several Colored, Black and Indian residential areas. Something that stood out to us was the memorial of the "GuGuletu Seven" (a statute of seven boys that were killed by the police). We found it ironic that in the midst of such poverty that the South African government decided to spend nine million rand on this memorial. We recognize the need to honor the “Guguletu Seven” but not at the expense of the people.
After a brief lunch, we took a ferry to the former political prison, Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his life. The first part of the tour was on a bus where we saw different parts of the island including “Lime Quarry” where the prisoners worked. At the entry of this area there were a pile of stones that Mandela and other political prisoners had compiled when they visited the island. The stones represent texture, shape, and size which symbolize the diversity of the people in South Africa.
Another interesting aspect of Robben Island was that our tour guide was a former political prisoner. The tour guide provided us with an in-depth tour of the prison. We were able to see the various communal and individual cells, in which the former political prisoners lived, including the cell of Nelson Mandela. While the tour and exhibits were informative and interesting, the most compelling stories were provided by the tour guide who talked about his first-hand experience on Robben Island. His stories were inspiring and heartfelt.
At the end of the tour we left the Island with a new found understanding and appreciation for the power of forgiveness and the strength of the human spirit when faced with overcoming a seemingly indomitable oppressor.
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