Energized Cape Town, South Africa

About 4 years ago, after an intense graphing of my birth place and time of birth within the arcs of the universe, an astrologer told me Cape Town, South Africa was an "energy hot spot" for me. Cape Town and Southwest USA, namely Taos and Santa Fe. "Interesting", I thought, but I remained skeptical. Having never been, however, I had very little room to call bunk on this possibility...

Cloud curtain falling over Table Mountain which is the centerpiece of the city.

So, unsurprisingly, this trip to Cape Town was secretly my own mini-investigative tour of all-things-energy-filled into this place and city that somehow was silently calling my name. I don't know what I expected, but I didn't find it.

Somewhere amongst the townships, shanty towns, mix of pan-Africans, apartheid confusion and Desmond Tutu, I found a similar feel as Mississippi. Had I really sailed 1.5 months to reach a place that felt so similar to Mississippi. I guess  I did.
Apartheid South Africa reeks with similarities of our own Civil Rights struggle and post-integration racism that still subtly infuses the fabric of our culture in the US. With 40% of the population without jobs, the outskirts of Cape Town, dotted along the way with disposable communities of impoverished housing, shocked many. There were many discussions amongst the students about the nature of poverty that was present amongst the blacks and coloreds ("mixed") in the aftermath of apartheid. This poverty looked and felt different than Ghana. More oppression. Less smiles. Yet, I, for one, remained unfazed. This is how it is in the South: my home.

Two days before arriving in Cape Town, Archbishop Tutu gave a powerful lecture on apartheid and South Africa. He bedazzled the entire shipboard community for 1.5 hours with this grace and wisdom. With the floor open for questions, I nervously made my way to the podium. My hands noticeably more clammy than I expected, I addressed this wonderful man who has dealt with so much segregation and violence in the name of black freedom (not to mention also chairing the Truth & Reconciliation Commission).

"Archbishop, what you've just said struck a deep chord in me. I come from Mississippi where, in the name of the struggle between blacks and whites, some of the most memorable acts of violence have occurred. Although the Civil Rights movement has occurred for us and blacks are "free" in both of our countries now, still the subtle forms of racism exist. I believe these are even more destructive than segregated school buses and schools. How do you believe, in your experience, that we can overcome the subtle racism today and unite?" 

His answer: "A Truth and Reconciliation Commission" like in Greensboro, NC. Maybe it could work.

I spent a remarkable day with the Amy Biehl Foundation, named after a white, 20-something American Fulbright Scholar killed in a township outside of Cape Town in 1993 during a riot against white-power. One of her killers, Easy, was our tour guide for the day. Remarkably, he was granted amnesty by Amy's family through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and now works with the foundation. I could only hope that if something happened to me, that my family would be gracious enough to involve my killers in my life's work.

It was an interesting week -- one filled with many thoughts of home -- and a busy one since I held the medical pager for 4 days. The highlight definitely was completely unrelated: Desmond Tutu's 79th Birthday celebrated on the ship with 150 of his closest friends and family. The Faculty-Staff Lounge was transformed into an incredible party room, where he celebrated for the night. It was such an honor to be invited. (I bought him flowers -- protea, South Africa's indigenous flower, telling him men don't receive flowers enough in their life! He agreed.)

A little view from a township school:


Amy Biehl Foundation. Cape Town, South Africa from Stephanie Holcombe on Vimeo.