africa my africa

who am i?
a child born of this continent, born of this soil.linked to her struggle for liberation, a hard won struggle to proclaim our humanity, and claim our place in this world.
a child of south africa, with roots also in a continent who nurtured ghandi, of.... soil that broke free from colonial bonds.
I AM PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN.
from the southern most tip in africa, a country with no name really "south africa" rather a geographical position, than a name, so when people ask, where are you from?
the reply usually illicits, no but what is the name of your country?..
i might add that this usually is a response from loud obnoxious american types, who's entire world vision is usually consisting of their places of residence, and bad television, but i digress.

despite horrific television images, of poverty, hunger, death, genocide, disease, africa regardless, breeds hope, in those of us, who live to fight another day.we are also a people who have given birth to poetry, song, literature,and some of the worlds greatest statesmen and humanitarians.
we have gone astray indeed, through bad governance, and indeed a quest for power and money, that have left our continent, in tears...
not being able to comment for our continental neighbours, i can say this for south africa, a fledgling democracy, yet, we set the standard for peaceful transition of power, and have in 10 years of our young democracy, managed to provide, some of what we set out to do, this is by no means a soap box, we have yet far to travel and much to achieve, but we do this as the "rainbow nation" a people of all races, colours and creeds, ... and we have proved that if a people are willing, much can be achieved, without ethnic or tribal violence, nelson mandela preached compromise, and compromise we did, it remains to be seen how well we nurture a hard won peace,

i really believe the failing with most "third world" governments, is that little of what we recieve is ever filtered down to where it matters most, that we are bogged down by corruption, and power struggles, we have forgotten the reason's we fought so hard for liberation, and have allowed, the powers of the west to persevere with divide and rule techniques, perfected by the british,and made oh so real by the united states of america.
a south african poet mongane wally serote , perhaps encapsulates a little of who i am
THE GROWING

No!
This is not dying when the trees
Leave there twigs
To grow blindly long into windows like fingers into eyes.
And leave us unable
To wink or blink r to actually close the eye,
The mind-
Twigs thrusting into windows and leaves falling on the sills,
Are like thoughts uncontrolled and stuffing the heart.
Yes,
This is teaching about the growing of things
If you crowd me i'll retreat from you,
if you still crowd me i'll think a bit,
Not about crowding you but about your right to crowd me;
If you still crowd me, i will not, but i will be thinking
About crowding you
If my thoughts and hands reach out
To prune the twigs and sweep the leaves,
There was a growth of thought here,
Than words, then action.
So if i say prune instead of cut,
im teaching about the growing of things.

a third generation south african, with roots on the asian sub-continent, its only a recent visit both to india, then later pakistan, that made me realise, that the same, is soooo very different, cultural affiliations, so long nurtured, and thrust upon us, by apartheids, etnic divisions,become so porous, when placed upon the soil of my forbears, then i realise, i am the daughter of africa.i am too the daughter of asia, and truthfully this provides such richness to the country of my birth.
I AM AN AFRICAN.