en die vuvuzela stays lekker strong!!

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The World Cup has come to a close... there is a strange empty feeling- a void of some kind. Everyone seems to be having some withdrawals. I personally cannot believe it is over... I was soused to hearing about the next game, looking forward to it, enjoying the fan watching parties... the fan parks- so well organised and spectacular- everything was done so well and I tip my hat to South Africa and FIFA for making this (according to surveys given to individuals that have attended two or more previous Cups) the most exciting/interesting/diverse Cup yet. I do not doubt it. South Africa has a certain charm and magic that no one can deny. And no one has. The papers have been full of love stories- of "I will tell all of my friends and families they were very wrong about this country"... I have met some great people and have some phenomenal memories... The "crazy Mexican" that ran across the field into the goal during the Mexico-Argentina game stayed with us and can drink and party more than anyone I have ever met...taking him and a couple other Mexicans to Mexican Fresh Restaurant where they had an excited and energetic talk with the Mexican chef who has relocated to South Africa.
I watched as each team I supported left the tournament- but I was still excited- the energy was amazing and it will be an experience I shall never forget... I bit my lip and held onto hope as I watched the final. Holland lost... but it's ok. Spain played very well... as did the United States. As did Mexico... and so did South Africa. and the people of South Africa deserve a trophy for the amazing hosts they were to all of the visitors of the world- everyone that was asked just said they couldn't believe how friendly everyone was and how welcoming the South Africans are. And it is true. Some of my ideas and stereotypes of various nationalities were dashed, yet plenty of them remain. Some good, some bad. Uruguay is still a team of cheaters and referees still have too much power in the outcome of the game... disappointing. But overall- this was great. Great.
My greatest regret is not having taken more photos... but as we were working during most of the happenings it proved very difficult. I plan on taking some group shots of some of the guests/friends before they fly back to wherever home is... and I will take some shots of the Soweto Marimba band that has been performing at the Rosebank Mall. They are so wonderful... talented and constantly smiling. It is always such a joy to watch them perform and I never get tired of seeing it.

I read a book recently, over a few visits to a local bookstore. It is called "Resident Alien" written by Rian Malan. Mr. Malan is best known for his book "My Traitor's Heart", about his decision to leave South Africa in the 80's to avoid conscription. You see, during the absurd Border War that the Apartheid Regime waged against South West Africa (now Namibia) and Angola; all young white males were forced to serve at least two years in the Defence Force.He escaped to Los Angeles to become a journalist. I won't go into detail on that book- because I talking about his newer book... in "Resident Alien", he collects various articles he has written over the last two decades for South Africa papers, Rolling Stone Magazine and various UK prints as well.

The article that really gripped me was one entitled "The Last Afrikaner". the title suggests it may be some type of sad story of the lessening public image of the Afrikaner in the new South Africa- it's not. It is actually about Mr. Malan's journey to a Moutain side in Tanzania in East Africa, where has been told there is an old woman still living; one who came as a baby to that area with her family that were fleeing South Africa after the outcome of the Anglo- Boer war. They left to escape the brutal British rule- the rule that aimed to kill of their Afrikaner culture... the same British forces that forced 26,000 Afrikaner women and children into concentration and burned thousands of farms and homes... they left. Some of them stayed on, some sailed to Argentina, Mexico and Texas... some of them went only as far as Namibia. A group made it to Tanzania... that's where this story takes place... now this article was written in 1991 I believe so this woman has undoubtedly since passed... or she is 119 years old. Probably not...
anyway- she was still there. Still living on the side of the mountain... she had four children, all grown, whom were all "half caste". Their father had been a local, a tall very dark African man. The rest of her family had either gone elsewhere, to Kenya or back to South Africa or died. She was still living in their original hut they built in 1905. She still washed her clothes with sour apples. She still cooked on a fire and ate pap almost every day. She didn't know any different and really didn't seem to want any different. When Rian Malan asked why she didn't go to South Africa and look up any family she obviously has there- she still thought she would be cast out for being an Afrikaner... that she would be treated horribly by the English government. He had to explain to her that the Afrikaners had actually gained power in the 1940s and established one of the strongest governments the world had ever seen, created nuclear weapons and oppressed a majority black population until just that year, when FW De Klerk made changes that eventually, a few years later would lead to the fall of Apartheid. She didn't believe him. and besides, why should she leave her home? She was old- didn't know anything about the giant airplanes that flew over head... she was fine just where she was. I really enjoyed the article... it made me think about my ancestors trekking through various areas that became states, until they reached the Tornado Alley that became our home...1732 until now, all the many things that had changed... Germans that were forced to Anglify their names and language... seems much like what happened to the Afrikaners in South Africa...

take care...

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