It was like any other day on the shores of Cape Town on April 6, 1652.
Harry die Strandloper, was on his merry stroll on the beach doing what he did, whatever that may have been. What went through his mind when Jan van Riebeeck landed and first spoke to him, shall remain a mystery.
Firstly, I blame Harry for our coloured history gone wrong, because I think that Harry should have (in the name of saving coloureds for generations to come) pretended like he didn't understand Jan at all.
Secondly, when Jan asked if he just landed in Cape Town, Harry should have calmly just shook his head, tell him "No Sir, you seem a bit lost" and pointed him in the direction of Durban or back via the Cape of Good Hope and that would have been that.
This is where it all began!
Coloured people, are too honest and so over friendly that we put everything aside to welcome and assist people. Be it Jan van Riebeeck, a tourist in need, our own families, people in trouble. A perfect example would be why Cape Town has always been the perfect tourist destination for most people whether it be April 6th 1652 or just another sunny December. The Rio de Janeiro of South Africa so to speak.
Now at least we know and understand who we need to blame. Harry was his name and he had the perfect opportunity to change history for the millions of Coloureds who now find themselves in between a rock and a hard place.
Being Coloured doesn't bother me at all. I have traveled Europe and the Middle East and the only people who actually made me aware that I was "Coloured" was... yes you guessed correctly, a fellow South African you bump into. "OMG I'm coloured?"
South Africans pay so much attention to the colour of their skin and that of others for that matter, it consumes them. Much is to blame on an Apartheid Government who got ONE thing right, they played a psychological game and "poof' it worked brilliantly too. If over decades you segregate people and praise one and degrade the other (for years), eventually that is how one feels. 'If 10 people told you look sick, eventually you going to be so convinced that you are and probably show some symptoms too"
It reminds me of the story of a mom taking her son to the circus and the inquisitive little one stares at the elephants and looks at the chain he is tied to and his little flashlight goes on. "Mommy, for the biggest strongest animal on the planet to be chained like that piece of chain, why doesn't he break it with his strength, and run off?" He has been conditioned from birth with a bigger, stronger rope until he(the calf) eventually gives into the idea that he will never be able to break it. Actually its clever huh!
I strongly believe, that if people spent more time on getting their characters in order and leave "Colour" for the Census guy that comes knocking on your door, we will get along so much better in this lovely country of ours. Yes, your char-rac-ter. That thing which makes you the person your are. Imagine how many people will become jobless or poor because there are flaws in their char-rac-ter. ( Its catching on to me)
The underlying problem about the increase about the Cape Town Coloured community, isn't because of them/us/me being Coloured. "I think i would also be resentful and very jealous if my friend wakes up in the most beautiful city each day, beaches 5 to 15mins away and getting free sun tans on hot summer days."
Its nice being Coloured now hey? Thanks Jan. Thanks Harry!
Billy G
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
