Brand African?
It started one day when I jumped in taxi in the Musgrave area to go to Overport City, and the taxi driver tried to spark a conversation with me in Zulu – his mother tongue. I politely responded in English making known that I am unable to converse with him in his home language (I was partially lying because I can hold very basic conversations in Zulu, but I hate starting anything I cannot finish). I proceeded to tell him that I am not Zulu-speaking. His response to that statement was a classic. Here are his exact words: “So you are not African. You are from Afrika?” I almost burst out laughing, but for fear he might offend easily I refrained.
I had forgotten that incident until earlier this year when South Africa held local government elections and the ideologues came out to play. So we got to hear all the decade old political drivel that was instrumental in our ruling party’s failure to transform itself from a revolutionary movement into a well-run political party in a democratic political dispensation. (wow did you catch all that? I can be a politician hey?) Anyway.. the one thing that really hit me hard is when I read in the Sunday Times (the only publication I find worthy of my money these days) that the ANC agenda for liberation was for that of the Black people in general (Indians, Africans and Coloureds) and for Africans in particular. I felt betrayed. Simply because even though I was never caught, locked up and tortured by what we called the “SBs” in the 80s, I would have gone through that gladly – knowing that I’m doing it so ALL THE PEOPLE in this country can be free (yes white people as privileged as they were.. were also in bondage but that’s a topic for another blogpost). Not Africans in particular.
Which brings me to the nagging question I can’t find an answer to. What is African really? I’m from the Southern tip of South Africa – Africa if you will. History teaches me that the people that spawned me were traversing the mountains, coastlines, fields and plains of this country eons before there were even such a thing as Xhosas, Zulus, Pedis and Sothos. So despite the interracial procreation, from where I stand most Coloured people are the offspring of the Autshumaos of yesteryear. Does that not make Coloured people African? And what if I was Nigerian when thetaxi driver posed his question? Am I not still African? (as opposed to “from Afrika)
So with me being the offspring of a union between a woman whose forefathers inhabited the South since before 1652 (first recorded history) and a man from the Congo.. what am I? What is my ethnicity? And in the genepool of all South Africans.. What is my brand?
No related posts.
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Arthur Charles Van Wyk is the CEO of Fluence New Marketing, a digital ad agency based in Durban, South Africa. He is also a brand evangelist, speaker, digital marketing consultant and impassioned spokesperson for internet-enabled marketing. 
Comments