Feeling Free 1

Culture is the only thing Black South Africans were left with after being stripped of their land and rights by the destructive colonialism – and later by apartheid. In 1999, when I was appointed as the only Black in the University Foundation program to teach English to second language speakers, my background remained an obstacle, which caused me low self-esteem and made me a lone ranger although I thought I had the ability, experience, and the required qualifications to teach at this level. My fear of the western culture continued even when more Blacks were appointed to teach with me. I noticed that Black students, too, were suffering the same inferiority complex. They were not free and were afraid to participate in classes, and this fear was hindering learning.

But one day, I regained my confidence when I was recruited into the Sharing Cultures Project. Thanks to the creative minds of the initiators, they liberated many souls, as they provided a forum for opening up about our cultures – something we protected deep down in our hearts. Amongst the staff, I was the only one from the Xhosa background. Eastern Cape the Xhosaland, where Mandela was also born, is my home. I took the opportunity of sharing my vibrant culture with my colleagues at NMMU and CCC with strides. I was so excited I did not know where to start. I was told from the beginning there would be no payment. I did not care for payment; to me, my precious culture was not worth being sold. But I just felt free, free at last to share my culture with others and end all the assumptions about it.

Being connected with America was something that made me feel great. I proudly included this clause in my curriculum vitae and I gain respect for it. America is respected by South Africa for its advanced economy. I always have a feeling that this connection with a superpower could help us to grow and globalize quickly. I have a feeling this project is a vehicle to pull us out of the darkness to be world citizens. The visit to South Africa by the American team confirmed this citizenship. For the first time we saw the people we had been communicating with. And yes, they were like we see them on television. But missing for me was the African American English and the rolling accent. Television is so influential to our children that when they are alone they imitate African American English. But they also are aware that this dialect is not allowed at schools as we do not have double negatives in the South African academic English (which resembles the colonialist English). To me, the African American English is a powerful way of using the master's language the way it suits you and to your benefit. This love of the American way of speaking shows how positive our students are about their connection with America.