RSA-Overseas - The Expat Portal: Weekly Magazine

Washington D.C. - The African mama and her "Baby Rosita" have found themselves in the jungle in the middle of the US Capitol city.

Monkeys, enormous butterflies and exotic tropical plants dangled from the ceiling, while cute plastic elephants waved them a warm welcome.

Welcome into the real jungle, a competitive paradise infected with shopping mall fever and power politics.

If you can read, you have probably been into a shopping mall in your lifetime. It seems a particularly ordinary thing to do, to pile into your family car, to drive off to the nearest mall, and to browse through the clearance sale.

Chirindza can now give you the thumbs up and a bright smile. In her African dress with the agreeable Baby Rosita in a new pram, Chirindza was taken to an American shopping mall for her debut shopping spree.

She has relaxed and were visibly more at ease with her surroundings ever since her encounter with this brand new planet. She giggled frequently, and with the only way of communication she has, she flashed bright smiles to her hosts.

The nails of her hands were painted in different colours, from glitter to green - the sentiments of any young girl who has just discovered the joys of feeling beautiful, a novelty to women of Chirindza's social- and economical status.

To this young woman, her shopping spree was as incomprehensible as the America which has welcomed her with television cameras and press conferences. This new planet is worlds removed from the Mondelane village in Mozambique which was flooded earlier in March. Chirindza, her mother-in-law and her two other children fled into a tree when the flood waters devastated their village. After three days without food, Chirindza went into labour. A South African helicopter eventually came to her rescue.

During the past ten days, Chirindza has had her first taste of America, where anything is possible - especially thunderstorms in tropical restaurants. A brand new world of possibility and variety has suddenly opened itself to the attractive 23-year old. Powerful members of the Congress has presented her with gifts; a private visit to the White House was scheduled for the mother and baby; the picture of a smiling mother Rosita and her child marks a feminist campaign with the slogan: Never underestimate a woman.

Except that the entire entourage of politicians, ambassadors and non- governmental organisations who have brought Rosita and her mother to the USA, seem to have underestimated the legacy of illiteracy and poverty.

Chirindza does not comprehend her new status as Mozambique's foremost ambassador. Her miracle baby is simply a gift from God, her supposed bravery and courage are concepts which belong to the vocabulary of the educated.

Cecilia Chirindza cannot read or write, she cannot speak English or even understand the official language of communication in Mozambique, Portugese. Her interpreter and travel companion, Isabel Fransisco, who speaks three national languages as well as Portugese and English, says Chirindza does not understand what is happening to her.

"She does not think what has happened to her is unusual," said Fransisco, who has come to know the enigmatic large-eyed madonna from Mozambique over the last few days.

"Where she comes from, babies are being born in the street," she said.

The young woman walked through the plush shopping mall in D.C., perceiving everything in silence just like her baby daughter. Her comments were limited to describing her environment as beautiful, and very different to home. Clearly intelligent and with a sense of humour and adventure, she browsed through the variety of clothes and watched everyone and everything.

But her disadvantages in education has left her without the most fundamental ability, to express oneself and to comprehend the world around you. This young woman, crippled by her economical status, has become the symbol of the fate of many African woman.

Fransisco has mentioned the matter of education to Chirindza, and perhaps the future may present the opportunity for herself and her husband to go to school. But at present, three children has to be fed and looked after.

Although the Rosita family will return with gifts to Mozambique, the Barbie doll, basketball kit and the fashionable clothes may not be of any significance to the very poor family who was relocated to Maputo after the floods.

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Katie Koekblik Column
Ilda Jacobs

Washington D.C. - Ag aard bodem, om 'n sosiale lewe vir jouself op 'n vreemde kontinent te begin, lyk vir my na 'n reusagtige probleem. Dit is drie weke na my aankoms in die Capitol, en alreeds is ek gereed om moed op te gee.

Waar kan jy mense ontmoet wat jou belangstellings deel?
A) Definitief nie 'n enige bar op enige hoek in D.C. nie;
B) Gewis nie in 'n karaoke klub waar jy moet skree bo die skril wannabees se pogings om rocksterre te word nie.
C) Deur 'n dating service? Dit is 'n kans om te vat.

Deur middel van my netwerk SA kontakte, beland ek toe in die kake van 'n naweek wat ek nie gou sal vergeet nie.

Musiek is my passie, en daarom gaan kyk ek gereeld na bands in Suid-Afrika. Tipies Suid-Afrikaanse band het mos 'n swing en 'n groove wat jou hele lyf kielie - nie net die township jive bands nie, selfs die rock bands het 'n definitiewe Afrika-kleurtjie. Met baie nostalgie dink ek terug aan ons eie weergawes van Woodstock, "Houtstok", "Wingerdstok" en natuurlik die moeder van musiekfeeste in die hartjie van die Bosveld, Oppikoppi.

En ek verlang na progressiewe bands wat eksperimenteer met verskillende style musiek, soos Wonderboom, en die Springbok Nude Girls. en natuurlik die berugte Koos Kombuis.

Aai, die goeie ou dae (en ek klink so na drie weke, hoe gaan ek oorleef in hierdie junkfood-stad?)

In elk geval, Vrydag-aand het ek gemors in 'n baie obscure klein klub waar 'n tipiese stereotype amerikaanse band wat vasgeval het in donker raserige rock clichés, gespeel het. Die mense het nog nooit gehoor van rainbow nation style klere nie - swart was die norm, en meer tatoes as vel het onder die moue en stywe swart bootse uitgesteek.

Saterdag-aand het ek, weereens via die netwerk uit SA, op 'n bonus-date gegaan - deur 'n dating service, die goed is mos enorm in die VSA.

Droë geselskap en 'n baie lang aand met geen potensiaal vir eers 'n ou vriendskappie nie, was die gevolg.

Ten minste het ek darem die pols van Amerika gevoel pomp in 'n "jazz listening club", waar jy nie mag praat nie. My date het ongelukkig so tussen die stilte aan ons tafel en die groove van die band, aan die slaap geraak..

Only in America. Dit is my leuse na drie weke.

Kytie K.

Kytie Koekblik would like you to respond to her tongue-in-cheek running commentary on suburban life in America in this editorial. Fresh off the boat, she is ready to explore and experiment with American bath plugs and to drive on the other side of the road.

You can contact her at JULUKA Magazine.

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Dust Kicking To Township Jive In The USA
Ilda Jacobs

Washington D.C - The pulse of Africa is alive and well in Maryland, U.S.A.

Mahala, a typical township jive band has swept the Americans off their feet - and now everybody is stomping their feet to African rhythms.

With their hybrid mixture of indigenous traditions and contemporary grooves, Mahala has established themselves in the fastfood country. During the recent ArtScape Festival in Baltimore, the Americans encountered music that originated in the heart of South Africa's impoverished black townships.

Mahala also launched their first CD, a special limited edition called "Mahala - South Africa's township jive", at the Baltimore festival. Former lead guitarist for Lucky Dube, Mongezi "Chris" Ntaka, has been in the States since 1992.

Mahala, which means "a gift", is Ntaka's South African voice - he considers himself the Custodian of Africa culture.

"This music contributes to my South African heritage," said the Benoni-born guitarist who started playing on the streets of Johannesburg at the age of 14.

Ntaka has even trained American vocalists to sing in Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho. Mahala's goals are to broaden people's scope and to extend the music culture. The band combines the traditions of kwela, marabi and mbaqanga with funk, reggae, jazz and rock. A trace of opera and American R&B can also be found.

Ntaka, a self-educated musician, believes music is a way for everyone to communicate, because music has "no colour, no religion, no political affiliation, no sex or age."

The African boykie came to the States to exchange ideas with American musicians and ideals of making it big time in the States.

"This is a great place to reach other markets like Europe and South America" Ntaka said.

The current line-up allows for the exchange of new ideas and a variety of musical styles. Two members are American, while the rest are born and bred rainbow people.

Eric Schwarz, originally from Florida, was born blind. He has added an integral sound to the township jive sound with his accordion and keyboards. Schwarz reads braille music, and has acquired a working knowledge of the Kalimba instrument.

The American drummer Lawrence "Bubbles" Dean is a drum instructor at a school in Virginia. He is a 30 year veteran on the local music scenes and an accomplished jazz drummer. His interest in polyrhythms earned him his status as Mahala's drummer.

On saxophone and penny whistle, Sydney Sipho Banda adds the characteristic African flavour to Mahala. Banda was born in Durban and he has performed throughout the Southern African region. Twenty years ago he arrived in the States.

The main attraction on stage, is a dancer and poet from Kwazulu-Natal. Valiant Ntombela has incorporated the Zulu warrior chants of his ancestors - who includes the famous Shaka Zulu - into Mahala's performance act.

Mahala is a platform for Valiant to share his childhood experiences and the stories of Shaka, which are extremely popular. Ntaka is excited about the current interest in South Africa, because the "world only concentrated on SA's political problems during the bad old days," he explained.

"When we perform, people hear our exotic music. They want to know where it is from and that creates an interest in the country," he said.

At the wedding of Louis Freedberg, the S.A.-born Washington D.C. bureau chief of the San Franciso Chronicle, Mahala had the crowds raving on the dance floor. Cultural traditions went flying when the energy started flowing. The enthusiastic crowds were initiated into the rhythm and pulse of Africa.

"I've never seen dancing like that at any wedding, despite the heat. People - old and young - couldn't stay off the dance floor, and many are still talking about it. It was an absolute highlight of the wedding" Freedberg exclaimed.

The Custodian of our SA culture, has also presented a seminar at the Black Student Leadership Conference at the George Mason University in Virginia.

Mahala performed, while helping students to understand the important roles which music and culture had in the politics of South Africa. Mahala has been involved in several school programmes where the band performs. At a recent appearance at a private school in Virginia, the South African Ambassador to the United States, Sheila Sisulu, was asked what type of music she likes.

Sisulu paid the band a well-earned compliment. She pointed to the band and said: "This band plays exactly my taste in music."

Wherever Mahala has gone, they have found a most receptive American audience, eager to embrace the rhythm and dance style of a once notorious place. Their crowds consist young and old, black and white, and South African and Americans.

A seven year old American boy came rushing up to the band after a performance. "Your band is better than the Backstreet Boys" he told the speechless Ntaka.

Mahala has performed at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and at the Baltimore Waterfront Festival. A few years ago the band played at a South African Freedom Day Picnic hosted by the previous ambassador Franklin Sonn for an audience of South Africans expats and exiles in Virginia. The band also made an appearance at the renowned Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Tutu Wants 2 Billion For South Africa Annually
Ilda Jacobs

Washington D.C. - Archbishop Desmond Tutu is asking for 2 billion US dollars to be given to South Africa annually for five years.

At a press conference prior to his departure for South Africa, the Archbishop asked for a "Marshal Plan" which will address the pressing issues of housing, poverty and education.

"The current new government has inherited a horrendous legacy of major deficits in housing, education and health." Tutu said.

He warned against the failure of "our bold experiment in race relations" due to economic decay. Tutu asked the support of those who have been in the trenches with SA by supporting the Struggle, to help the country financially.

"It will be a dramatic demonstration to our people that there is a tangible difference between repression and democracy" the Bishop said during his farewell visit to Washington D.C. Tutu is returning to South Africa after two years at the Emory University in Atlanta.

He will be meeting with the National Black Caucus to further his proposal for the 2 billion dollar Marshal Plan before his return "to home to get some sleep."

The Bishop is known worldwide for his outstanding commitment to reconciliation and humanity. He emphasised the current problems which the country face, such as the "almost chaotic" education system, the health system and lack of clinics, and the infrastructure which is needed to address the Aids epidemic.

"To forgive is to be able to live in a stable society, but people still live in shacks" Tutu said.

The Bishop also spoke out against the "afro-pessimism" which has become a characteristic attitude to Africa.

"We have a short term memory, as Europe was also written off after World War II" he explained, "but the point is, when South Africa is helped to become the vigorous economy that it has the capacity to become, the spin-off for the continent will be tremendous."

The Bishop emphasised South Africa's influence on other countries with regards to the peaceful transition.

"In South Africa we have found viable ways to deal with conflict, other countries wish they had a Nelson Mandela," Tutu said.

According to him, the repercussions would be felt worldwide amongst many nations if South Africa fails. In particular, with respect to the US interests, the Bishop warned that should a race war break out in South Africa, it could erupt in the U.S. as well as other countries.

"Race issues are a major issue in many countries, Tutu said " People would say, look at what the black savages in South Africa are doing to the country, and what black savages everywhere are doing."

The African Aids problem which has focused all attention onto South Africa recently, needs a far broader approach, Tutu said. He said the outrage after President Mbeki's controversial alternative approach to aids, is "one of the many storms in teacups which we enjoy so much."

His personal viewpoint is that aids, which cannot be addressed in isolation, has to be seen within its context of poverty and as the legacy of apartheid.

The peace lobbyist is returning to South Africa in August. His call for a marshal plan is in the hope that he will energise others to fight for a noble cause.

"I hope to have some time to sleep and watch the wonderful young generation of leaders" he said.

"We have to succeed for the sake of God's work."

The Bishop was diagnosed with prostrate cancer, but seems to have recovered after being in a wheel chair over December.

"I am much better," Tutu said. "There is life after prostrate cancer."

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

A Country Reborn: a Book Review
Ilda Jacobs

SA expat Gillian Katz was raised in a Johannesburg mansion in the sixties. If she had lived in South Africa presently, she would have lived only two blocks away from the presidential palace. But monumental changes took place in the carefree thirteen-year-old who immigrated with her family to the US in 1966.

This background shapes the setting for Mrs Katz's début work, "Witness to the birth and death of my country."

The work is a collection of poems, fiction and topical essays on the South African situation. Some of the work was published in US newspapers, and other pieces were written as part of Mrs Katz's Masters of Arts in Writing Degree at the Manhattan College.

The title of the book introduces a dilemma to a reader - particularly to a reader currently living in South Africa should point out that my personal reading of the book is coloured by my own experience as a young Afrikaans speaking South African.

"Witness to the birth and death of my country" implies to me that the author regards South Africa as a country on the verge of a collapse. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that Mrs Katz shares certain negative sentiments about our disintegrating utopia at the foot of Africa.

It is not entirely true, as the material reflects liberal sentiments and refreshing perspectives about the culture shock that the expat experiences. Mrs Katz experienced the "sudden and irreplaceable loss of my family, culture and heritage,"(p.67) and certainly her work provides insight into the trauma of immigration.

Mrs Katz never imagined to see both the birth and death of apartheid in her lifetime, and undoubtedly the subject matter is of great concern to her. Perhaps her novel should rather have been called "Witness to the birth and death of apartheid" in order to do justice to her intentions.

Unfortunately, sentiments expressed in the book reinforced my opinion of Mrs Katz being one of many "witnesses" (mis) informed by the media. We have no illusion about the crime and the poverty in this country, and the white exodus has become a South African reality. But we certainly do not regard South Africa as a country left with a white population of "old people and poor people, with no middle class."(P.32)

Mrs Kats depicts a South Africa of which she has the fondest memories: mansions with manicured lawns and swimming pools - only in her work the suburbia are now locked in behind iron gates and fences or they are about to leave the country.

It opens the proverbial can of worms about the liberty of the writer to present an in depth portrayal of a foreign topic matter. Present living in South Africa is foreign to Mrs Katz.

Within our new South Africa, we do not have busses with signs for non-whites only (p12); white people are allowed to enter townships without permits; (p18) and the safari-suit of the stereotypical Afrikaner has become quite the collectors' item. (p.14) Also our comrades weren't all trained in communist style in Russia to murder our white outsiders. (P.15)

One feels that Mrs Katz makes blatant generalizations, and her character portrayals often border on the stereotypical. Within the SA literary scenes, debates cloud the use of certain words with apartheid connotations. Mrs Katz, unaware of the controversy, uses sentences such as "her face looked like a map of Kaffir wars, centuries ago, when the Boers massacred her people." (p13)

Her use of the word Bantu is even more controversial and borders on the offensive, despite the fact that she is supposedly writing from a black woman's perspective in the new South Africa in "Weeding Girl."

"In many ways, things hadn't changed. Sometimes it was worse. Bantus, starving and unemployed, driven to kill and steal." (p.15)

Helen Bagnall, originally from Canada, commented that the book had given her "insight into both the blacks and whites and their difficulties in South-Africa."

This is the danger involved when someone who has not lived in South Africa presents themselves to be the voice of South Africans.

Mrs Katz presents the South Africa of her past and the South Africa known to her from visits, as a country, which I only partly recognise. If she had kept to her reconstruction of the past, instead of imagining what it is like to live here now, I might have considered her to be a witness. Instead I am concerned about the image of South Africa and our people which she presents.

Despite the current difficulties and injustices of our past which we all have to face, this is indeed a reborn country; a leader of the African continent in democracy and reconstruction.

Features & Briefs

HYENAS KILL BALTIMORE BOY
Budding naturalist, Mark Garrity Shea (11) of Baltimore, was killed by a pack of hyenas while on his second safari with his mom in Botswana this month.

According to his hometown newspaper, Mark, a lean, freckle-faced boy with a keen interest in the natural world loved animals and was the proud owner of three birds, three dogs, several lizards and a pair of Australian emus.

Mark, known as 'Garrit' to his classmates, had just graduated from Fort Garrison Elementary School in Baltimore Country and was due to start middle school in the fall.

According to the U.S. State Department, Mark was attacked inside his tent but few additional details of the attack are known.

Andre du Toit, co-owner of the popular South African supply store in Atlanta, Cape Food & Beverage, and an experienced hunter in Southern Africa, told our reporter: "Its almost unheard of that animals would attack humans inside of their tents."

Du Toit then speculated: "Hyenas often get close purely out of curiosity, but the current drought in the area could have stressed the hyenas and been a contributing factor to this attack."

At the time of writing, it was not clear if the incident would have a dampening effect on wildlife tourism.

SA REPORTER IN DC
Matheson Communications announced the arrival of Ilda Jacobs to their team. Matheson Communications, U.S. Representatives for Africa Eye News Service, recruited Ilda as part of their continuing commitment to provide opportunity for young journalists in South Africa to gain valuable experience abroad.
Ilda graduated from Rhodes University, Grahamstown, in November 1999 with an honors degree in Arts Journalism, Drama and Afrikaans-Dutch.
We want our readers to be the eyes and ears for Ilda as she fulfills their commitment to provide news coverage to South African newspapers, magazines and various news services.
Please don't hesitate to email us leads, story ideas and assistance.
Ilda is interested in a broad spectrum of stories, ranging from hard news to Africa or South African related information.

SA MAN DIES IN PERU
LIMA, July 23 - A South African climber was killed after being pushed into a crevass by an avalanche as he was climbing the snowy Huascaran mountain in the northern Peruvian Andes.

The accident happened Wednesday at an altitude of more than 6,500 metres (21,450 feet), but it took 48 hours for Elliot Duncan, 28, and his guide, Marco Perez, to be found.

Perez survived but Duncan was unable to resist the cold at the bottom of the crevass.

SA PARAMEDICS IN FLORIDA
Three South African paramedics are currently training with the Boca-Raton Fire-Rescue Fire Fighters in Boca Raton, Florida. The exchange between the rescue squads enables SA and the USA to share ideas on patient care and treatment.

   The three paramedics from Benoni, Jonathan Grobbelaar, Rhett Davis and Peter van der Spuy have been riding as observers with the Boca Raton Paramedics. The South African public will benefit from the exchange as it is orientated towards better patient treatment.

   Seminars on a variety of emergency medical topics are offered, as well as participation in hands-on skill labs. The seminars are geared to enable the rescue teams to provide the most advanced and current emergency medical services to the public.

   The two teams are currently participating the this year's Clincon International Advanced Life Support Competition. The competition is an annual event sponsored by the Florida Emergency Medical Foundation and will be held in Orlando until July the 16, 2000.

   Advanced Life Support refers to the highest level of pre-hospital care now available, including drug- and intravenous therapy, advanced airway management and cardiac defibrillation.

   During the competition, the teams will be judged on their emergency medical procedures. Scenarios are presented to the rescue teams and they are judged for their capabilities. Patient assessment, prioritising injuries, safety and control are only a few categories by which they are judged.

   The South African paramedics have been fortunate to attend the training program with the Boca Raton squad.
   Boca Raton have won the competition for two consecutive years, 1998 and 1999. Last year's competition took place in Cape Town in conjunction with the South African Emergency Services Institute's 23rd biannual conference, Emergency Services Africa 99.

   In addition to being the overall winner, the Boca Raton Rescue Squad won four awards in different categories last year. The team has won more awards at the Clincon competition that any other emergency medical services agency in the history of the event.

© JULUKA Magazine and RSA-O