While some are having sleepless nights over the non-existence of “authentic blacks”, can we add another question to the cart? Why is there no black in the colours of the rainbow? If South Africa is, according to the former archbishop Desmond Tutu, a “rainbow nation”, what does that say about non-racism, freedom and democracy?
Are we perhaps living in a society where blackness will always be banished to the margins and blacks be made to feel like they are nothing?
Of course, in this context, by “rainbow nation” we mean everybody else is free to enjoy what used to happen under apartheid except for the blacks themselves who are meant to be spectators in the era of self-indulgent enjoyment of democracy and freedom. You see, the rainbow nation is a working model of democracy: “et the blacks go out to vote once every five years and the white racist status quo must remain the same.
Injustice. Inequality. Exploitation. Oppression. Marginalisation.
I mean this is what black people are subjected to every day of their lives. And yet we are to believe that they do not exist. So, what does the rainbow nation mean? Is this supposed to be life in a democracy for black people? For black people who see things for what they are, attempts to answer these questions will, inevitably, immediately bring up the issue of “coconuts”.
White people who live in this country and Shanghai will not necessarily understand what blacks mean when they talk about coconuts.
Interestingly, the blacks and the coconuts will both understand. After all, the notion of coconuts is a black thing. Perhaps we should not expect anyone white, especially in Shanghai, to understand what we are talking about.
But we have to try to answer the question of why Tutu would define South Africa as a rainbow nation. Certainly, the Arch should have been aware that black is not part of the rainbow kaleidoscope. The exercise will help us get into the real issues about the treatment of blacks in this society. I must admit that the question of the rainbow nation is, also, about both race and class. You see, as far as blacks are concerned, you find different races and classes in the rainbow nation.
The structure of this rainbow society is, as Steve Bantubonke Biko said, about integration into whiteness. “It is an integration in which black will compete with black, using each other as rungs up a step ladder leading them to white values.”
“It is an integration in which the black man (who willingly turns into a coconut) will have to prove himself in terms of these values before meriting acceptance and ultimate assimilation, and in which the poor have always been black.”
Now this false non-racial utopia has spawned the emergence of coconuts, that is, those blacks (sic) who have hastily become part of a rainbow nation whose primary aim is to promote and preserve white, patriarchal, racist and oppressive capitalist structures. Yet, as Biko says, at best “blacks (must) see whiteness as a concept that warrants being despised, hated, destroyed and replaced by an aspiration with more human content in it”.
Now, when black raise the question of the rainbow nation, it will somewhat be a prickly issue. The combative defences of the rainbow nation are to be expected. Some will write me off as a non-thinker, let alone intellectual. They will allege my arguments are flawed. Also, they will point out that my Bantu Education English is not that good.
But I do not expect all whites, both here and in Shanghai, to understand what I am talking about on the issue of coconuts. However, my offering should not distract us from what is, to authentic blacks, a legitimate viewpoint that needs a place in the mainstream.
Inevitably, of course, some authentic black will understand what I am saying and come to my defence. It is a black thing, you know. But whether the rainbow nation should be non-racist and colour-blind is yet another question altogether. (I think it should not. Instead, it should be anti-racist and acknowledge that, for now, we are colour-conscious.)
The whole issue of coconuts, authentic blacks and racism is what we should get into, especially for those who live in the authentic black world or desire to learn about its socio-political dynamics. This society is, essentially, anti-black but this does not mean that non-whites or coconuts are not having it nice with their white counterparts.
Yes, for certain classes (like coconuts), freedom, democracy and non-racism are a reality. The whole notion of coconuts is not necessarily meant to denigrate anybody but highlight and acknowledge that blacks who have integrated into whiteness do exist. In fact, they are happy with South Africa being the most unequal society on earth with the blacks having to grin and bear the injustices.
The whole debate (if people were to forget the distractions of who is logical and fluent in English) should, at least, make us aware that the rainbow nation needs some fundamental transformation and structural adjustment. In fact, the question here, really, is what is the rainbow nation doing to and for black people?
Why must blacks turn into self-insulting coconuts for them to enjoy the fruits of their own struggle for freedom? What happens when authentic black people speak up and stand up? Do any of our neo-colonial institutions represent freedom and democracy when the values they uphold and espouse are empty of authentic black culture, heritage and values?
What does the future hold for this country now that a handful of coconuts have fused into white lifestyles and values? Is it possible to reverse this process? Can a coconut that is infused with Black Consciousness and self-love go back to being part of the struggle to liberate black people?
What we need today, for the sake of the survival of this democracy, is for whites to, sometimes, shut up and listen. Whites must stop being self-appointed spokespersons for coconuts or black people.
Could it be that the co-option of coconuts is what is supposed to constitute the totality of black freedom? Could it be that the 1990s settlement was about reinventing black people in the image of white people so that they speak like them, dress like them, eat like them, think like them and practice “democrazy” like them?
The inability or unwillingness to allow black people to speak in their own languages and judge their own progress in their own terms is what will always make the majority of whites outsiders. What makes the situation worse is that whites and their cohorts assume that they must continue to do the thinking, writing and correcting while blacks listen and do as they are told (to live up to white expectations.)
This self-delusion that some whites possess the monopoly on intelligence or English is what makes them lack self-effacing humility. It would be presumptuous to think that all whites would understand what the whole coconut phenomenon is about. But it is an issue that is relevant to our understanding of the evolution of the rainbow nation where black is conspicuous by its absence.
As a black writer, I have often wondered whether it is worthwhile to write on Thought Leader. Sometimes I feel it is a platform to invite white insults based on ignorance of what is going on in “this beautiful country that no man can enjoy”. (Alan Paton)
But while some enjoy the wealth, some must ring the alarm bells.
There is, always, something about the cunning, bureaucratic, white obsession with “speaking or writing the correct English” that wants to make blacks feel inferior and thus subjugated.
My only defence is, I am what I am. Perfect.
Someone’s been watching Za News… Proof that it’s great for creating debate and expressing freedom of speech. Think what you want, say what you want.
Mkhulu agree with you that Biko’s words and ideas are the essential liberation of both Blacks and Whites but your words and Sandile’s blogs do not reflect what that great man thought and preached. Go and study his works and ideas and then read this article, it is worlds apart.
Know you will rile against a White man saying the above but very briefly my understanding of Biko’s message is; ” raise yourself black people and meet the oppressors (whites) in all spheres of life as equals.”
Brent
Dear
This is a real question, not a sarcastic remark:
What are “white values”? And what are “black values”?
I ask, the question genuinely, because I do not understand the distinction you make.
I am a white person, and these are some of the things I value:
* human life in all its variety
* the love of family and friends
* kindness and generosity, especially to those less fortunate than myself
* politeness towards, and respect, for fellow humans
* respect for other people’s beliefs and traditions
* honesty
* diligence and hard work
You are a black person. Are these not some of your values as well?
Another one for Thoughtless Leader. Bro, are you sure your not pals with that authentic white guy, Eugene Tyrannosaurus? Pass me the coconut juice. I’m outa here.
I remember the blog you posted a few months ago titled “Money, Africans and the art of conversation”. In this one you were all over black people, attacking an entire people for the sins of a few.
Now you have made 180 degrees turn – are you trying to save your face?
Stop this obsession about race – its too much and not healthy at all.
Gotta love Sandile. Keep them coming bra. We need to deal with issues in this country of our.
Strictly speaking black isn’t a colour, for that matter neither is white. Seems that the Rainbow nation is yet to be found?
Whiteness? Coconuts? Rainbows? Blacks? Whites? Is this a Grade 1 art lecture? Sandile Memela what is your point? Most of the world is busy Westernizing as I’ typing. Or if you prefer ‘ascending to whiteness’ What is your alternative to Western Civilization then? You are using the Internet, blogging in English, using a computer to do this, drive a car, on a tarred road. All western. What is your point? Take responsibilty for your own actions is the best advice I can give to black Africans. Be proud of your heritage but for God sake this is the 21st century. Move on and grow up a bit.
I just love this guy. He puts so much thoughts in his blog, and his followers–more especially those with a colour which doesn’t appear in the rainbow–just go on & on, rambling, driveling, insulting, moarning, whining…in fact they just go way way off the mark, because (it’s either) they dont understand what the author is trying to say? why is he confrotning the black’n white taboo.
Keep writing Mr Memela, in you we still see militancy at its best.
Rod McKenzie
“Yes, please stop writing for Thought Leader. Please.”
Ja, ne, that’s how people debate here? If an author/blogger writes something you dont like–fascinating for most of us–you simple demand or ask him to DISAPPEAR–so that the readers/contributors could be fed with your day to day mindnumbing memoirs–tiring monologue so to speak?
Coconut Siphiwo Siphiwo, your lord and master Memela threatened to stop writing for Thought Leader, not me. So I just encouraged him to take that positive step forward.
And nowhere does he once engage with any of my criticisms. Fortunately clowns like you are a minority. Thank god for that.
I may sound like a lone voice, but keep writing Mr Memela, you are adding value even by raising controversial subjects. And people should not be petty in their responses – your blogs are well written, so I wouldn’t feel any sensitivity about English usage. I also like your stated aim of defending the vulnerable – “But while some enjoy the wealth, some must ring the alarm bells”. However I do trust that your defence of the vulnerable against the predations of the wealthy and the powerful will not ignore some of the key issues such as whether the elite of the state and party, with their symbiotic relationship with business and multiple conflicts of interest, are not treated differently by the law compared to those who genuinely are poor and vulnerable. A blog on this would be most welcome, and of general interest.
did you say cocoNut?
If I may, I have a suggestion for the Author of the above ‘article’.
Why don’t you gather up all of your ‘Authentic Blacks’ and set up a Volkstaadt beside Orania where the Whitey has have set up theirs for ‘Authentic Whites’?
Then you guys could play out your ‘Authentic’ racism together while the rest of us ‘non-authentics’ move on together. I’d love to see how that would develop over 50 or so years!
So damn ironic I love it!
Siphiwo Siphiwo, how many disadvantaged poor has Sandile assisted out of their plight by his blogs, the answer is zero. Mocking fellow writers helps no one both of you should try the maximum/wisdom from the East (wouldn’t dare to suggest some western wisdom), ” dont get mad, dont get even just get successful.’
Brent
I have been thinking about so-called black values and white values for sometime. It seems to me that the core of black values is that (badly translated): “you are an individual only becuase of other individuals”. In other words, this statement reflects a collectivist norm. On the other hand, the core of the so-called white values is the individual who considers himself an independent agent. It would be interesting to hear some related opinions.
Eish, all these people who pretend to be so serious about the way Memela writes English are obsessing about the very thing Memela is warn the reader aganist.
who is better than who in a world that continues to define people’s inherent intellectual abilities in terms of their use of English grammar.
Is this not a reflection of a supremacist attitude lurking below the kind sounding ENGLISH WORDS.
No matter how you look at it, language proficiency counts a lot. Even Jesus who spoke Aramaic, had His teachings propagated in Greek.
Was I living in ancient India, I would have no excuse of not being proficient in Sanskrit. If I was living in Medieval Europe I would have been proficient in Latin, and Tacitus and Cicero would have been my models for that concise, terse and accurate writings. If i was living in Mozambique I would have no excuse in writing concise and beautiful Portuguese (my great grandfather’s language!).
In 2009 South Africa, English is the language of choice for us who are engaged in the marketplace of Ideas.(Let good ideas prevail!) and SANDILE you have not represented yourself well because your command of English is inadequate.
Now we are not going to say start writing in Zulu or Tswana. You can start today to improve your English. No hard feelings, Broer just do it!
Coloureds are the rainbow in the rainbow nation!
@Sandile
Waze wayishaya yakithi
Ian, the first commentator on this blog, displayed some rather unfortunately obtuse thinking, familiar with the majority of white South Africa and coconuts when he associated Black authenticity with all that he associated it with, David Bullardism I call it
As if to say modern day civilization (clothes, food, shelter, etc and so forth) is a white creation, makes one wonder rather concerned as to what informs this idiotic pronunciation!
I am beginning to fall in love with Kitty Kat, never have I heard some much sense in so few words. Siobham, the bum, forgot to read your blog and took it upon himself to edit it, hence the grammatical waste of energy, another shameful comment that misuses Dr. King to push an emptied agenda. Robin Grant on the other hand fails to wake up to reality and realise that we have been black all along, still are and will continue to be, at least to our figment of our imaginations.
Again, and unfortunately, Rob is collecting points for your writings, fairly so I must say, exactly what can be expected of someone in Shanghai. Perhaps to aid all the idiots here, try reading our constitution to at least get some definition of what is black, then from that premise minus all the “least-discriminate-against”people and you will arrive at a not-what-it-exactly-is meaning of authentic blacks, by that time you would have conceptualized Sandile’s argument…
…The Zoo Keeper is another lost mind, insinuating that black people will “never learn to walk, let alone run”, were was he when we ran over the Pass Laws, Wiskunde and Apartheid? We are currently running over the “…white man’s claimed monopoly on intelligence…”.
Again, people are accusing you of racism, which means they did not read your initial blog on coconuts, well, i can’t say you did not try. A suggestion thou, next time, write such blogs in an African language and I am sure you will find a lot of peace there, Ntate Memela
So Malema writes “at best “blacks (must) see whiteness as a concept that warrants being despised, hated, destroyed and replaced by an aspiration with more human content in it”.
Thanks for the honesty about your bigoted hateful views. You will never contribute positively to the future of Africa. As the Balck Eyed Peas sing:
If you only have love for your own race,
you only leave room to discriminate,
Kitty Kat you are on point there
Excellent article. What is even more interesting is the response. you can tell a lot about people by the response. The lengths people go to too protect white domination. Now this poor man is everything under the sun according to these White people. The truth is the rainbow is accurate because the Rainbow is a domination of WHITE light, just like SA, without the Black. So it is a rainbow nation which protects oppression of African people.
Personally I like the views of Sandile including this article. He writes on sensitive issues, where only few would want to venture. We also need to know that the English medium through we express ourselves is indeed of Bantu Education in Africa not in Europe. The so called freedom which we have in this country only serves the few. That’s a fact to say the apartheid economic outlook and structure remain intact. People have to be realistic in unpacking these issues. There’s still a simmering revolution in this country, not only of the peasants but also the unemployed masses. These are people who have not benefited anything since 1994. Where is the conciousness of the historically privileged people including our few tenderpreneurs for that matter?