Nation Building

Yesterday I was in the line at Pick n’ Pay and the line was moving very slowly. I got to talking to the girl in front of me and we realised that we lived near each other and so I offered to give her a lift home. We ended up sitting in my car and talking for over two hours!

She is Xhosa and I am English and we were talking about the different practices and traditions of both our cultures. It was one of the most interesting and meaningful conversations I have ever had. I now have a much deeper understanding of Xhosa people and how they differ from the other tribes. She told me some shocking things about what is acceptable in her culture and in others, especially with regards to the role of women, and I couldn’t understand how people could live in such a way. I then caught myself in the realisation that I cannot say what is right or wrong in a certain culture, who am I to judge the practices of another group of people? Once I had come to that realisation, I was able to engage in the conversation in a different way and I began to absorb and learn so much more.

Being a part of the conversation yesterday was so powerful in helping me to understand my white privilege and gave me some insight into the actions of people, especially this year with the numerous student protests that have taken place. I felt ashamed that, as part of the “rainbow nation”, I had not taken the time to engage in more conversations like that one. I feel a deeper understanding of my country and feel more connected to Xhosa people in a small way.

I can’t help but wonder how many problems and prejudices would be resolved if we were able to just talk to each other across races, religions, tribes, ethnicities, if we were able to increase our understanding of our neighbours. My mind is bursting at the possibilities.