You have to see the people how they are living, to really understand the evil of apartheid, how evil it is for human beings to be cruel to other human beings... That is why we are working so hard for delivering services to the people... Nelson Mandela
"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds" (Bob Marley, Redemption Song).
Two weeks ago I arrived in the beautiful contrasting land of Namibia, the Land of the Brave! I have had so many revelations since coming here. I hope I may share them with you all. I have decided not to write in my blog every week or twice a week. I will continue with only posting blogs once a month. This is due to a revelation I had about how much I blog and "being present." What I mean by this is that I have consciously decided to disconnect from the world. I have decided to disconnect from America and Western thinking and ways of knowing. I am doing this because it is important for me to fully integrate and immerse myself into the culture, the language, and the life here in Namibia.
Although my Facebook may suggest I will be active on the Internet, the posting of pictures is meant to show family and friends back home what I am doing and the wonderful things I've seen. Also, on Saturday, (8.3.13) I purchased a cellphone that is extremely basic. It has the capability to text and call only Namibian numbers. I can receive international incoming calls. There is no Internet on it. I have yet to buy a device that allows me to have a mobile hot spot called a Netman. Again, this is to disconnect. Unfortunately, I have seen myself so caught up in the need for Internet and social networking that I am forgetting why I am here. I am here to help the people of Namibia. In order to do this I must be physically and mentally here! I cannot be physically here but mentally in the States. It's sort of like a relationship... You can't be physically with your counterpart but mentally somewhere else (on your phone!). I have had the misfortune of being caught by my significant other for being there but being on my phone plenty of times! So I am trying to ensure that I am physically and mentally here in Namibia.
Moreover, the quote above really speaks to where I am mentally and how I view my role in Namibia for the next few months. I have to see how the people are living and live like the people in order to understand the people. I have to fully understand the evils of apartheid if I am to fully understand the people that I work with. Namibia is a relatively young country. It is only 23 years old! Strikingly, Namibia is still feeling the effects of apartheid. Stores and restaurants have a sign that says "right of admission reserved." This reminds me of the sign of "whites only." I understand that this means that certain people are not welcomed in certain establishments. If you were to study the history of Namibia, you would find a long history of a people fighting for independence.
Between 1884-1885, European Imperialist Powers decided which countries would occupy parts of Africa. Namibia was given to Germany and began the first stages of imperialism. Germany soon realized that Namibia was suitable for white settlement and colonialism. Shortly there after, conflicts between Germans and indigenous tribes began. The battle of Otjunda in the Gobabis area is where Germans suffered loses by Eastern Hereros. Reinforcements were brought in from Germany and they captured two leaders of the Mbabderus. They were executed in Okahandja. Hatred against the Germans arose among the tribal people.
The Germans continued to take the land and cattle of the tribes. The tribes felts that they were being robbed of their homeland. In 1904, the Hereros and Damas took up arms. Then the Namas and then the Owambo tribes joined and the country was in a full scale war. The Germans won and subjected the people to colonial oppression and were used as a type of slave labor for the German settlers. If you would look up the Genocide of the Hereros you will find that the 2nd Reich killed 65,000 Hereros between 1904-1909 (60% of the Herero population). It was a small scale version of the soon impending Holocaust of the Jews. To continue to paint this picture, deceased bodies of Hereros were sent to Germany for testing to prove the superiority of the German White Arian race. This racial science is seen throughout history and the notions of white supremacy began. It could be said that this all started here. At this point, I feel so connected to the people of Namibia and their struggle for independence. Can you imagine being enslaved in your own homeland? But many of us are still struggling with mental slavery!
In 1919, South Africa took control over what was then called "Germany's South West Africa." After World War I, the League of Nations was established and took away all of Germany's colonies. Unfortunately, it was South Africa that introduced Apartheid Laws in Namibia and wanted to make it a part of South Africa. The Namibia people refused to be annexed by South Africa. Another conflict began to emerge! After WWII, the Namibians started to form modern political movements and petitioned the U.N. about South Africa's treatment of the Namibian people. The U.N. recognized the SWAPO as the sole representative of the Namibian people. Tremendous support was afforded to the SWAPO party in their efforts to liberate Namibia from the yoke of Apartheid colonialism. SWAPO launched the armed liberation struggle against South Africa in 1966. This was a brutal war! The Armed struggle for liberation lasted until 1988 when South Africa agreed for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 435, which brought independence to Namibia on the 21st of March 1990.
I named this article, speaking TRUTH to power because that is what the Namibia people have been doing for over 100 years. I am in solidarity with the people of Namibia because in my own ways I struggle to speak TRUTH to powers that systematically oppress and marginalize minority groups... ALL GROUPS! I am slowly becoming what is called a "black male feminist." In a self made definition of this concept, I am actively learning and challenging male privilege and ways that oppress women, in particular black women. I often read essays from bell hooks, Patricia Hill-Collins, Melissa Harris-Perry, and Angela Davis about dismantling oppressive institutional structures that systematically oppress black women. I have found that it is important for me - black men - to actively engage in the fight against male privilege, womanism, and sexism. As I come to know more about this topic and struggle with being aware of my privilege and how it affects black women, I actively challenge it. I am conscious not to marginalize men but I realize that womanism and sexism hurts both the male and female. bells hooks stated, "after hundreds of years of anti-racist struggle, more than ever before non-white people are currently calling attention the primary role white people must play in the anti-racist struggle. The same is true of the struggle to eradicate sexism - men have a primary role to play" (2004).
In this context, I am in a country where males dominate and male privilege is apparent. It is my role as an educator to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor through the power of education. Namibia has a diverse population of tribal heritage. Also, females out number males 6 to 1. Namibia still feels the effects of Apartheid rule and women are the most poor, unemployed, and dispossessed. As I continue my training, I am becoming aware of all of these factors that make up this wonderful country. As I am aware of these things, I begin to think about my role and what I wish to accomplish and achieve in the next two years. It is my hope that you will help me in this journey of self discovery as I struggle to combat the issues that face today's Namibia.
I will leave you with an excerpt from bell hooks' Writing Beyond Race. It states, "despite the legacy of struggle, of commitment to freedom and justice, we are witnessing at this time a consolidated attempt on the part of combined forces of domination - what many of us consistently and courageously call imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy - to kill this spirit of RESISTANCE, and in the process create a culture without hope, a culture wherein the belief that materialism is all that matters and the beliefs that the politics of greed is the only real foundation needed to give life meaning will reign supreme."
- E.H. Smith, M. A.
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
This blog does not represent the Peace Corps or the United States of America.
