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Apartheid Museum
The apartheid museum was a great place to learn detailed facts about South Africa during Apartheid. It made everything clear and it showed why the townships like Khayelistha and Langa are the way they are and how the social structure is still maintained even after having a democratic government. The museum had a lot of powerful exhibits, like the room with the three screens depicting the violence going on against the peaceful protesters who were just walking along the grassy hills and then suddenly ducking down or crushing one another as they ran toward a safer place to avoid the flying gunshots. The second room that seriously gave me chills was where all the nooses were hung. Reading about how Steve Biko was brutally killed by the guards was just horrible. It is frightening that when you try to speak about new ideals or try to change the thinking of the country there can be so much opposition against you that others just consider killing you. -Sarah M.
Having been our first day in Johannesburg, with only three hours of sleep and a 6 a.m. flight, I was pretty exhausted during my walk through the Apartheid Museum and yet it was still one of the most incredible places I have seen. The museum tells the story of Apartheid as it happened; chronological events, photographs, news reels, and plenty of video footage. Prior to this experience I had more of an abstract view of Apartheid, knowing little about the events that lead to the new legislation as well as the steps taken to override the unjust government. I have spent time in places such as the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles but in no way did these places have the same effect that this museum has had on us students. -Tammy
Before entering the museum each student was given an identification card that dictated which entrance one could enter. The two separate entrances were labeled whites and non-whites. As I was walking into the entrance for the non-whites I began to feel a sense of anger while simultaneously feeling sympathy toward all the people who had to experience segregation, discrimination and many inequalities. -Monica
The videos of these protests were horrendous and yet I could not bear to look away. It is almost unfeasible to believe that these events have happened in our own lifetimes; that the people I meet every day are a living testament to this era. The country has only had 14 years to correct the wrongs of an entire century. -Tammy
One photo was a mass burial with family members lined up behind each grave for the 69 people who had died… There were pictures of a jail cell full of children who were arrested for not having their passbooks… -Courtney
There was a quote that said “the white man is the master in South Africa, and the white man, from the very nature of his origins, from the very nature of his birth, and from the very nature of his guardianship, will remain master in South Africa to the end" -Monica
Something else I found interesting was the resistance of oppression and unjust politics through art and poetry. Poet Mafika Govala wrote of this period: “If one has to put down the going-on of the country more clearly, poetry is the best medium for this. When you face a truth and there is a challenging need to express it, you can most emphatically capture it through poetry, because there is no way you can twist it about in a poem. You have to bring out the truth as it is, or people will see through your lies”. -Eric
Visiting the Apartheid Museum was almost unreal… The lighting was dark throughout the entire museum, which was very appropriate and just intensified the fact that it was a dark time for South Africa. One of the first walls as you walked in was just covered from top to bottom in plaques. Every plaque had a bill or law that had been implemented that took rights away from blacks and coloreds. It was just gross to see dozens of them, one right after the other, over the years, and to imagine them getting stripped of all of their rights as human beings… The videos are what really got me the most. Watching actual footage of members of the National Party justifying what they were doing and not seeing anything wrong with it was absolutely disgusting. I could only stand to listen to it for short amounts of time because it all was just so absurdly wrong and ridiculous, and it kept making me upset. Being able to see these things really put apartheid into perspective for me and makes it so much more real than just reading about it. I liked how at the end of the museum, they showed Nelson Mandela being freed and the differences that he made for South Africa once he became president. It also showed how far the country has come since the beginning of apartheid. I am so glad that we got to visit the Apartheid Museum. -Caitlin
As we walked toward the building of the museum where the entrance was I saw seven pillars that represented the seven fundamental values of the new South African constitution. There was democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom. I found these words on the pillars to be very bold, powerful and hopeful. -Monica
The one thing that stood out the most to me in the museum was the pictures taken of the lines of people waiting to vote in 1994. It was so moving to see people of different colors and creeds in the same line having the right to vote in a year that was fairly recent. Also, after walking through this museum I became very appreciative of the rights I am given today and how I respect and honor all of those who had to literally fight to accomplish the basic freedoms that exist today. -Monica
Having learned so much already about Apartheid, this trip solidified and clarified everything to us. It was a nice closing to all the knowledge we’ve accumulated over this trip. -Kate
When we left the museum I was no longer tired but angry, sad, enlightened, and hopeful. Many of the videos I observed baffled me to the point where it looped multiple times before I walked away. I could not believe what I was witnessing and how recent some of the events were. -Alison
Castle of Good Hope
There was one instance, in which Ibrahim gave us a feeling of what it would be like in the slavery quarters in the Castle of Good Hope, and he shut the door and the lights were not lit, and explained that this was what it was like for all slaves in these quarters. Myself and I’m sure the entire class have read many books on the periods of slavery, but to actually get a feeling in the flesh of what it was like for a slave during this period every single day was very compelling and heart wrenching. -Danielle
The first stop was at the Castle of Good Hope; an ironic name for a place of torturous treatment for the slaves housed there. The most impressionable part for me was the slave lodge, where the slaves where brought in to be kept until they where needed. No light was provided and only a hole in the ground for a toilet was offered. The confined and dark dungeon they where kept in clearly reflected the belief that these people where not seen as human. -Angela
The part of the tour that really got me thinking about how historic of a place that Cape Town really is, was going into the room where the slaves were kept. As soon as I walked into the room, I just had a feeling that I really didn’t want to be in here. The conditions that the slaves had to live with were absolutely horrible. Imagining fifty bodies in that room in complete darkness with the ocean water seeping through the sides and the ceiling, and having to use that one hole as the toilet for twelve hours each day is appalling. -Caitlin
Constitution Hill
Finally, our last stop of the afternoon was to Constitution Hill, a place where the past meets the present and the good, the bad and the ugly are represented. We went up and first looked at the original building atop constitution hill which was a prison. It has held all sorts of prisoners, some of them being Nelson Mandela and Gandhi. This particular prison had very bad living conditions. There were many community cells where up to 50 prisoners where held at a time. They were fed according to apartheid rules; black getting the smallest and least nutritious items, then coloreds, and then whites getting the best rations and most nutritious food.
The prison was disgusting and I cannot imagine what the prisoners who stayed there went through… However, to contrast their dark past of apartheid, the country built their constitutional hall on part of the property of the prison. They actually used the same bricks to build the building because they believe that it takes the past to help build the future. The constitution hall building is incredible architecturally. It has Constitutional Hall written on the outside in all 11 national languages. There are beautiful wood carvings by the door and when you walk it, the sunlight shines throughout the room through windows in the ceiling.
When you walk into the constitutional hall itself, it continues the colorfulness and openness that the rest of the building has. There is more of the original brick that was part of the prison in the walls to keep the idea of building from the past. There is a window that goes all the way around the room to show that they don’t want to hide anything and want to community to be able to look in on the hearings at any time. There are windows in the ceiling to give the effect of a tree, and the sun shining through the leaves. All of the metaphorical things around the room are really inspiring. I think seeing this government building was very important to our trip as a whole. -Nicky
When we were walking into the jail another quote took be by surprise; it was “No one knows a nation until they have been to its jails”. -Sarah M.
This prison actually hit me harder emotionally than Robben Island. Perhaps it was the vivid stories, the accounts of inhumane treatment, and the list of food they were and were not allowed to eat. -Tammy
The Constitution Hall had a huge concrete slab that had all eleven languages spoken in South Africa, on the door is braille for the blind and pictures for the deaf… African justice is symbolized by the tree, there are metal weaved tree leaves hanging in the main entrance of the Hall. There are elephants there to symbolize that they will never forget the past. The justices are not called judges because they are not judging, they are making sure there is justice for the people. The court room is open to the public and press, this was signified by the windows in the room that allow pedestrians to look in. There are cow skins as the back drop of the desks in the court room signifying the independence of all eleven justices, representing each language. Essentially the government goes by the phrase “Use the past to build the future.” - Courtney
District 6 Museum
It was a place where people from all different races and cultures were living together in peace. Instead of using District 6 as a role model for what other places should aspire to become, it was used as a model for what was absolutely unacceptable. I believe that the museum did an amazing job of capturing what life used to be like in District 6. The Personal Identification Documents, or “passes” that people had to carry with them at all times were interesting to look at… The story that Ibraham told about how the police would come into your house in the middle of the night and ask where your pass was. If you reached over to the nightstand to pick it up, you were automatically put in jail. In order for that not to happen to you, you had to pull your pass out of the pocket of the pajamas that you were wearing. That showed just how crazy and out of control the government was. -Caitlin
There in the District 6 museum we saw many of the remnants of this community. It is interesting because in most cases a museum teaches the history of people who lived many years before us but interestingly the people we meet in the street are most likely connected to this museum. Our tour guide, Ibrahim, had family all over the walls of this museum and his cousin, Noor, actually worked the there. Noor was the most interesting character of all. I happened to be standing next to one of the photos when he walked up with a small group of students. He motioned that I could stay so I did. He showed the pictures of the home he once lived in, his brother’s engagement dinner, and other photos of his entire family. In the photo of his brother’s engagement dinner no one smiled. He said that this was only days before him home was completely destroyed. They knew that they only had a few days left in their home and were weary about what was to come of their family. It really brought the experience to reality; seeing someone who was physically there and experienced everything first hand... Once the tour had ended I went back to buy the book that Noor wrote about his life story, hopefully that will bring the reality of apartheid to life, even more so than the museum itself. -Tammy
Ibrahim provided a very touching moment with the entire group, when we went through the actual district 6 area. He spoke of his own experience growing up in this town, especially during apartheid and the injustice that he went through on a daily basis. This was a very compelling part of the trip, because it signified that it was real and happened to many people in this city that you would not even be able to tell that it happened to. -Danielle
The museum we went to was so impacting, to see that these people were taken away from their homes and their valuables destroyed is so heart breaking. I began to get choked up. -Sara F.
I never knew anything about Apartheid before this and I could not imagine that whole vacant area was once a bustle with businesses and families and people of all color all living in the same vicinity. It seems so nonsensical that the government would move that many people into the townships and barely offer them any compensation just because of their skin color. I can’t even think about what it would be like to come home and essentially have no home… Ibrahim explained that his family was moved from district 6 into a township. I never would have guessed that he came from this area; it made this horrible thing very real. -Kellie
Hector Pieterson Museum
Today tied all the readings and outings thus-far together with a big bow for me. I understand South Africa better and all the struggles they have endured to reach democracy. “Democracy calls for an ongoing process of commemorating shared memories and considering what others have to tell. We learn from the past in the present, and we learn about ourselves from the way we remember the past”(Quote in Hector Pieterson Museum). I have been forever changed since the first day we arrived, but after today I recognize why I feel this way. Learning more about June 16, 1976 and the Youth Uprising has given me a new perspective toward the Black South African community. Going into the church and seeing the bullet holes and broken altar gave me chills. -Alison
The museum itself was a monument of the Soweto uprising too. There was a wall outside that represented the stories and events that cannot be told because they have been forgotten. There was a fountain that represented the blood that was shed. The water flowed over the side and into a rock garden that represented the only weapon the children had against the police. A line of grass and trees led from the front door of the museum all the way down the street to the point where Hector Pieterson was gunned down. From the second story of the museum, you could see straight to the location. I felt that the whole museum was a wonderful monument to the children that died that day and Hector was a perfect representative of those children. -Nicky
Out of all the places we went, the Hector Pieterson Memorial was the most memorable. It was inspiring to know these students came and protested for a better education. I wish we would be as passionate about wanting better resources in our public schools especially when our governor always seems to cut funding. I usually never buy books, but this place impressed me so much that I wanted to know personal accounts of the students and also more about Steve Biko. So I found two books and I hope to read them. -Sarah M
It was really hard reading some of the testimonies because a lot were really graphic and I just kept thinking that these were children who were fired at and killed by the police. -Geneva
Langa Hostel
Later in the day, we also had a chance to visit a township located in Langa. This was officially my first exposure to such extreme poverty. I learned that a good majority of these people living in this township are unemployed, lack access to proper housing, clean water, and sanitation services, which were only just some of the many problems the residents are confronted with. Talking to one of these residents, I was informed that one restroom would have to accomodate 18 people, while a bedroom would have to be sufficient enough for as many as 3 families, or 7 people. What was even more shocking was the vibe I received that he didn’t see this as unacceptable or unlivable conditions, but that it was just a minor inconvenience. An experience like this truly made me realize all the things I easily take for granted in life and how fortunate I am to be in the position I am in today’s society… While never having witnessed anything like this in our modern society back in the U.S., the trip to the Langa Township proved to be a shocking eye-opener for the entire group. -Eric
There we spoke to a young man, age twenty seven, who lives there. He was very kind and shared his experience living here… He had a few personal possessions that were visible in his room that consisted of a photo album with his favorite soccer team, clothes and a few pieces of luggage. Fortunately the room had electricity; however, the building did not look that sturdy to keep rain and cold winds out. The room where he slept had a total of three twin size beds in close proximity to one another. He said about eight people all sleep in this small room and the children sleep on the floor. He made a comment how he does not know when his time is up but that he plans to hand down his room to his children one day. It amazed me how he brought up death in a very direct manner expressing how it occurs on a daily basis and one never knows when it is their time to pass… Typically a twenty seven year old person in the United States would not probably make a comment like that unless they were ill. -Monica
In Langa, I initially felt uncomfortable and uncertain how to act with the people of the area. I had not seen poverty in that manner before. It was also incredibly uncomfortable walking into people’s homes unannounced. It didn’t take long to realize how different their culture is from our own. If I were to walk into any home back in the United States I figure it would only take minutes before I was thrown in jail, though here the people are welcoming and willing to share their lives and stories. We walked right into this one bedroom which was quite smaller than my own kitchen. There were three small, wooden beds that could not be longer than 5 feet in length. Only one had a mattress and there was no room for personal items so these were stacked on racks above the beds. Sadly, these beds were not those of individual families; each was home to an entire family and three families totaling 7 people lived out of this small room. The man though, was not upset at our intrusion and was actually proud to show his accomplishments. Having a mattress and a refrigerator made him stand tall with pride which only generated a sense of shame for taking so many things for granted in my own life. He mentioned that these beds were passed down through the family and he inherited this bed through his grandfather. He spoke about when you inherit a bed you have to register it immediately because the future is not guaranteed. Although we understand this as a general truth about life, the idea that tomorrow may not come has never been a prominent thought in my mind. Here, in these living arrangements where death is dealt with almost daily, the concept is much more of a reality. -Tammy
How does one survive? Because of apartheid, many people live in hostels that shelter up to 18 families with one toilet and a cold-water shower. There are holes in the windows and single beds that families have to share. People’s spirits are high because they live day to day with what they got. It is not a lot and you wonder: how can they manage? -Sara F
This experience made me realize how good we have it back home…This day put everything into perspective, what we take for granted these people consider as their wealth. But these people seem to fairly happy with little they have, which makes them richer than us. They also have a stronger sense of community and brotherhood. -Sarah M.
We met a young man that was very open and shared his soccer photos and experiences with us. He was so kind and it made me wonder what made him so different from me. It made me think: Why am I so special that I have all of these things when he does not even have a mattress? He said something very sobering towards the end of his time with us: “You never know when you are going to die.” He is only 27 so this was shocking coming from him. He said that you must do what you can and that is what you live for. At that moment I knew why I came to this place. He did not know it but he changed my whole frame of mind. -Kellie
Regina Mundi Catholic Church
We visited a church in the middle of Soweto that was very influential in the youth uprising in 1976. The children in the area were actually allowed to gather here in the days that followed June 16th. There was one influential day where police where outside of the church when the children were gathering there and they burst in, shooting. There are still bullet holes in the ceiling to this day… I felt this was one of the most amazing places to visit because the day before, I had seen this very church in the videos at the Apartheid Museum. I got to stand on the very stairs that those children stood on, singing and chanting. It was incredibly moving. Being in this area made me think of the reading “Johannesburg TRC hearings”… It is so upsetting to know that these are real accounts and people had to live through them. However it was amazing to be driving those same streets. It really brings history to life. -Nicky
Robben Island
This was one of the most memorable days in my entire life. I touch Mandela’s cell door… -Sarah M.
What I also found special about my experience at Robben Island was that all the events that took place there were explained to me through the words an ex-prisoner of the island. Coming from a primary source, the experience felt more genuine knowing all these horrific events were witnessed first hand. The story of Apartheid and Robben Island will be discussed in classrooms and textbooks for generations to come, but in a few decades no one will ever have the chance to have the story told to them from a person who actually lived through these events that took place the way we did. -Eric
Listening to him speak and knowing that he once walked these corridors as an inmate made the experience undeniably real. Our guide was arrested at the border for gorilla warfare and was tortured for three days to provide the police with the information that they sought. In 1983, he was sentenced to 7 years here at Robben Island. Even in prison the men were treated differently because of their skin color. Some were able to buy tea, coffee, newspapers, and tobacco while others could only purchase shampoo. Some were given shoes, socks, and warm clothing for the winter months while others were given only the bare necessities. It is so odd to think about the subtle differences in a person’s skin tone causing them to have a different social standing. My own family would be separated in our abilities and restrictions. -Tammy
The lime quarry was one of the most interesting parts of the entire tour, because it was so strictly supervised by prison guards, and yet, inside one little cave, the prisoners were able to discuss serious political topics and issues. Mandela and other political leaders were able to inform and teach others their political philosophies in very short periods in the cave when they were supposed to be using the restroom or putting away their tools. I thought it was really inspirational when our tour guide referred to the cave as the first South African democratic parliament. -Nicky
What is more astonishing to me than Mandela’s triumph is his ability to forgive his government after all that he had to endure. He was quoted as saying "We especially should learn to forgive each other because when you intend to forgive, you heal part of the pain, but when you forgive you heal completely. As Africans, we have suffered in terms of slavery and colonialism for a very long time. Forgiveness has remained our best cultural heritage’’. -Eric
I still cannot believe that I was able to see where Mandela, former president of South Africa and crusader during the years of apartheid stayed for the bulk of his life…It is inconceivable that I actually had the honor to be in the area where he spent 18 years of his life and I will never forget this opportunity of being able to do so. -Danielle
Just being on Robben Island, and seeing it first hand, made it so much more real. I’ve noticed that I’ve said the same thing about other events that we’ve experienced, but it applies to this entire trip. Seeing everything for myself, even though I’ve heard about many of the problems, makes all of these issues a reality… -Jody
Sangoma
Our last stop of the day was to the sangoma, which was explained to be the town’s healer or medicine man. This was a very interesting place where the sangoma resided, because there were many objects, some of which were pieces of animals, hanging around the entire inside of the room. He stated that everything in his place is used to some extent for every person that comes to visit him. There were bottles of liquor, condoms, snake skin, and even tails from different animals that he states is used to heal the people that come through to him. This was very interesting to me, because I never actually went into a healer’s domain and everything was very eye catching, and made us think as a class that it does not take traditional “medicine” to be able to heal, or overcome a persons’ sickness. - Danielle
The visit to the Sangoma was effective... 80% of Africans see a Sangoma before seeking counsel from a Doctor. The average American in the states may try over the counter medicines or vitamins and herbs, indicating an informal herbal ritual of some kind. The ritual can be as small as taking Airborne when one feels a cold coming or taking vitamins daily. -Courtney
After we left the township, we stopped to see the “shop” of a sangoma. This was quite interesting. He had everything from furs, herbs, and snake skins… to condoms hanging from a clothes line. It was very interesting to learn how he made a “treatment” for everything, and that he even had “ready-made” products as well. He also had a customer in there with her child, which was nice to see because it made his work seem more real to me; he actually has people who comes to him for medicines, and this was a natural thing for people in that community to do. -Jody
Vicky's B&B, Khayelitsha daycare programs
“Comfort comes after struggle.” – a tapestry on the wall of Vicky’s Bed & Breakfast. -Kate
She has been living in the township her whole life and has completely changed the dynamics of the area. She sat with us for a long time and talked to us about how the Xhosa culture views and deals with death. It is a beautiful tradition and culture to learn about… It was wonderful to have first hand examples of these events and practices from Vicky. -Nicky
The first preschool we went to was fourteen younger children and Vicky said that it had both “positive and negative” children, which was referring to their status with AIDs. She said they had just received some funding to buy mattresses to separate the “positive” kids from the “negative” kids since having them sleep together was a risk… The teacher told us that her own child had passed away due to AIDs and she had started to baby-sit some of the neighbor children and suddenly it became a career. -Nicky
Both of these preschools were set up in little tin shacks, but it was all these children know. It is really hard to know what I go home to and what I have had during my life, and yet this is their life… With AIDs being such a huge factor in all of their lives, whether they are infected or affected, death is something they are faced with everyday. I feel so spoiled to never have really been touched by death, and these little innocent lives are tormented everyday because of it. It’s an interesting world we live in. -Nicky