History of Heroes, Quotes and Books
I have read Long Walk to Freedom, which speaks of building black African nationalism, and this land.
I am reading Vorster – The Man, which speaks of building white Afrikaner nationalism, and this land.
I am reading Frontiers – The Epic of South Africa’s Creation and The Tragedy of The Xhosa People, which speaks of nations Afrikaner, British, English, Khoi-San, Xhosa, Zulu, destroying nations, raging words and waging war over land, land, land.
I have yet to read any book about the English, unbiased, objective, or factual, speaking of our history in South Africa, this land.
I have read My Life with Martin Luther King Jr, which speaks of building pride and black American nationalism, in their land.
I have yet to read any book, preferably John F Kennedy, which speaks of unifying American Republicans and Democrats in the nation, of their land.
I have yet to read any book, about indigenous red First Nation Americans, their Ancestors and their future “Seventh Generations”, which speaks of unifying their diverse nations, and reclamation of their land.
I have read into the writings the sharp parallels between Prime Minister Balthazar Johannes Vorster and President Nelson Mandela, their unjust oppression, their struggle by any means necessary, their justified imprisonment, both called their committed fellows “comrade”, both being Lawyers they did dignified legal battle against political regimes, in their land.
I have learned to read, with scepticism the propositional knowledge as “history is written by the victors”. I have learned to both trust my own priori knowledge, and to speak from my own experience.
“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination…”
Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela © 1994
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“What is necessary in politics… is that people should have the courage of their convictions to speak frankly…”
Vorster – The Man, by John D’Oliveira © 1977
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“…in despair after sixty years of disastrous wars and government betrayals that had cost them most of their ancestral lands, the Xhosa – South Africa’s most important and sophisticated black nation – gave way to strange and dangerous teaching.”
Frontiers – The Epic of South Africa’s Creation and The Tragedy of The Xhosa People, by Noel Mostert © 1992
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“We shall fight on the beaches… We shall defend our island… We shall never surrender…”
We Shall Fight On The Beaches: Defying Napoleon and Hitler, 1805 and 1940, by Brian Lavery © 2009
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‘… a Policeman stopped them and said to Daddy King, “Boy, show me your license.” Pointing at Martin, Daddy King said in a powerful voice, “Do you see this child here? He’s a boy. I’m a man.”
“I don’t care how long I have to live with this thing, I’ll never except it. I’ll fight it till I die. Nobody can make a slave out of you if you don’t think like a slave….”
My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. by Coretta Scott King © 1969
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“A Strategy of Peace”… “America will never start a war.”
Speech by United States President John F Kennedy © 1963
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“In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation…”
Quote attributed to the Great Peacemaker, a prophet who counselled peace among the warring tribes. Legend has it Jigonhsasee, his first ally, known as the Mother of Nations, opened her home for negotiations between the leaders of the rival tribal nations.
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My readings do not make me more of a man. My specific choice of literature, does not give me more human rights. My book read knowledge, does not gift me with wisdom. The Books offer me a little more understanding, and a lot more insight. The Books by great women and men do not bless me with no blame, nor any mighty dignity, other than to dig deeper into my own ancestry, in order to ask them their experiential knowledge, their lived experiences, that earned their life’s learning and lessons.
Today I struggle with writing my own present. Today my battle is with each and every culture. A modern day world limited in its belief of globalised commerce, fossil fuel transport, electronic information. Today all personal possessions, passions, and pride are monetised. Today all value has been degraded to numbers. To people of today numbers speak louder than words.
Today I sit in solitude. I sit in silence. I soak in the birdsong, the sound of bees, the echo of space around my home, the echo of blood fresh in my heart, the echo of bloodlines of ancient wisdom of my ancestral generations.
Today my battle is with each friend and each family member, who accuse me of sentimentality being at peace in the home where I was created and living on the land where I was born, who blame me with selfishness as they selfishly think not of our ancestors, not of our seventh generation, but only with their only solution to sell my family land, our land, this land, land, land, land…
AUTHOR Geoffrey Wright
© 13 September 2024 Glenora Redemption, Cape Town, South Africa
The Author… or The Reader… Geoffrey Wright. Partly traumatised, partly revolted, partly humbled, partly in honour, and definitely in denial that “history will teach us nothing”.
PHOTOGRAPHY © Geoffrey Wright
DEDICATION :
This work is dedicated to the women and men who have dedicated their energy and emotions and considerable talents to reflect their own experiences and record the challenges of many others. Stories are shared about the sufferers. History is written by the victor… and their entourage.
My own writings are dedicated to my Mother, Doreen Wright, who encouraged my joy of reading; to my Father, William Keaton Wright, who gifted me my appreciation of books and my courage to write; to both my parents for the inspiration to tell my own story.
My education in literacy is all thanks to my primary school teacher Jay Heale, at Somerset House Preparatory School, who taught me my addiction to alliteration; to my senior school teachers George Dock and David Taylor, at Paul Roos Gymnasium, and to my lecturer Professor John Thompson, at University of Stellenbosch, who taught me to analyse the great texts of the great authors, their style, their themes, and their intentions…