On the ninth year of my stay in Cape Town, I finally decided to stay over the new year. And, if you are in Cape Town over the new year, you must not miss the Cape minstrel carnival (also known as Klopse in the cape). This is a carnival with character. People make camps by the route of the parade since the previous night. Families gather with chairs, beds, cards, snacks, ice-boxes with drinks and babies! Nothing works on time (as if by design and desire) may be to let people have bit more of this fun and family time.
The first group marched around 3pm and there was a gap of 30 minutes after that. Bored of standing we meandered around and bumped into the Iziko Slave Lodge Museum (https://slavery.iziko.org.za/slavelodge). It was such a serendipitous step. Suddenly so many things became crystal clear. I am sure coming from the carnival (with a rich slave-history) bolstered the surreal nature of the experience.
The first thing that I realised was why tears started flowing from my eyes when the dancing minstrel groups marched past me. I saw the following quote in the museum "joy in spite of everything". Such a powerful line. I knew that the marching people (mostly) come from the poorer sections of the region and face innumerable hurdles on a daily basis (starting from poverty and bad schools to close proximity to drug and gun crimes). Seeing them dancing in spite of everything.... was a very powerful emotion. Then Steve Biko's line gave me goosebumps.
This made me think about my own home country India (for that matter any country). Every civilisation, every country, every culture is built on the bones of unsung common people (mostly heavily exploited). I have done nothing in my life to deserve the sweet fruits of their toil. I have done nothing to be worthy of their sacrifices and lives. This realisation flooded me with an avalanche of humility.
I came out of the museum overwhelmed with respect and humility. The realisation that I deserve none of these beautiful things was powerful. With the air of extreme gratefulness and the tears of joy, I enjoyed the rest of the carnival with character!
The first group marched around 3pm and there was a gap of 30 minutes after that. Bored of standing we meandered around and bumped into the Iziko Slave Lodge Museum (https://slavery.iziko.org.za/slavelodge). It was such a serendipitous step. Suddenly so many things became crystal clear. I am sure coming from the carnival (with a rich slave-history) bolstered the surreal nature of the experience.
The first thing that I realised was why tears started flowing from my eyes when the dancing minstrel groups marched past me. I saw the following quote in the museum "joy in spite of everything". Such a powerful line. I knew that the marching people (mostly) come from the poorer sections of the region and face innumerable hurdles on a daily basis (starting from poverty and bad schools to close proximity to drug and gun crimes). Seeing them dancing in spite of everything.... was a very powerful emotion. Then Steve Biko's line gave me goosebumps.
While going through the history of slavery I bumped into the following story. There are catalysts in life which slap you off to deeply feel certain obvious things which you have been talking about but never really deeply realised. This was a lady who was given less importance than cutlery. And thousands of such have lived, experienced life and died building the nation of South Africa. Any hiking trail I walk on, any garden I stroll in, any building I touch, any monument I visit, nothing is untouched by these unsung heroes. And no; I won't feel pity for them as their contribution is monumental. I won't try to feel empathy as I know I can never. I can only #respect.
I came out of the museum overwhelmed with respect and humility. The realisation that I deserve none of these beautiful things was powerful. With the air of extreme gratefulness and the tears of joy, I enjoyed the rest of the carnival with character!
