Happy Feet in Langa

    

    The term “happy feet” may trigger memories of your last relaxing foot massage or the animated movie about a dancing penguin, but for the kids living in Langa township – it’s something that gives them inspiration, guidance, purpose and much, much more.   In 2007, Siviwe – a name that means “our prayers have been answered” in Xhosa – started a gumboots dance group in his home community of Langa, the oldest township in Cape Town.  The dance, which was created by black mine workers during the apartheid era, is made up of a combination of clapping, stomping, and slapping the sides of rubber boots  – creating an intense beat…and when we first heard it, it was coming from 5 to 12 year olds!

We first met Siviwe at 8am when he came to pick us up at our hostel.  I had found his tour guide website back in San Diego and emailed to see if he could show us some of the community projects in Langa.  Little did I know, he had founded his own.  The tour began in a little garage across the street from a building of hostels – aka, three families per 10m2 room, where Siviwe had lived just last year.  The walls of the garage were covered in the names and handprints of the dancers, who – after putting on their boots – lined up to perform on the outdoor stage that read “Happy Feet” in colored paint.  Lights, camera, action! These kids were amazing!

What was even more amazing was getting to know Siviwe and his partner-in-crime, Natti, both 27, both passionate about the kids and the project, both inspiring people.  I use the term inspiring because they are just like you and me – ordinary people – yet they have created a project that is literally changing people’s lives.  Without proper guidance, kids in the area can easily become involved in drinking, drugs, crime, etc.  – the type of behavior that could quickly transform their difficult situation into one even worse.   Siviwe and Natti provide a place for kids to go when they‘re not in school, keeping them off “the street” and their feet happy. J    

After seeing the kids perform, we accompanied a group of volunteers from the UK to some of the poorest neighborhoods in Langa to distribute food parcels.  We entered each home to drop off the packages, always amazed at the number of people sharing the same space.  We asked Natti, “How does it work when three families are meant to share a room with three beds?”  He told us that the parents sleep in the bed, often with the youngest child, and the other children sleep on the floor….and if there still isn’t enough room, will sleep in the communal kitchen/living room.  Immediately, we realized that there was nothing for us to complain about.

As we walked around the hostels, we were consumed by the strength and openness of the people. The kids, not unlike the kids from Happy Feet, played outside in tattered shirts and ripped shoes (if they had shoes at all), always ready to give you an unexpected hug or smile.  The parents and grandparents, often found gathered in the common area of the hostels, were welcoming and peaceful.  They weren’t angry or complaining. Despite the decades of being denied any possibility of social progression, they talked with Will and me during our brief stop inside their homes without the slightest bit of hostility or blame. Siviwe explained that his generation now feels a duty to them.  To those that endured such repression and hardship.  Thus, the first thing he will do, naturally, when he has enough money, is move his parents into a better home.  

After saying goodbye to the British volunteers, Will, Nati and I took a minibus for 6 rand (less than $1) each to Guguletu, a neighboring township.  We had been invited to watch the soccer match. The Chiefs (hand signal = peace sign) were playing the Pirates (hand signal = crossed forearms), two rival soccer teams from Soweto.  But before helping our hosts cheer for their team’s (aka the Chiefs) victory, we made a stop at Mzolis, the best place to get braai in town!  After picking out our meat of choice, the chefs brought it back to a giant grilling room – which you can walk through on your way to a tented hang out area.  Apparently, the word had spread about Mzolis tasty meat (honestly, the best we’ve had!) and fun ambiance – as people of all colors, some of which had come from outside the neighborhood, were there, together.

After meeting up with Siviwe (who had just finished doing another tour), the four of us moved to a nearby house to get away from the beat-boxing, techno music, and loud crowds of people around Mzolis – and concentrate on the game.  As we watched and talked, we learned that people from all different countries have been trying to help the Happy Feet project.  Touched by their dedication (they both put in some of their own money for the project) and love for the kids, the British volunteers had come to donate food, a group of Germans are holding a fundraiser next week, and some Australians, who had gone on the Siviwe tour, created his current website.  Everyone saw a good thing and wanted to help make it work. Now, the French and the American enter the scene – hoping that we can share their story with others. 

 Little by little, with some help, Happy Feet may become the sustainable after-school program that Siviwe and Nati now dream about. What do they need to make this happen? Their own center to practice.  Transportation to and from the center and the kid’s houses.  Nutritious food to feed the kids on a daily basis (as of now they do their best, but still need help). 

If you are ever in Cape Town, I highly recommend that you contact Siviwe and Nati for a walking tour of Langa township, and learn more about the Happy Feet dance troupe.   Some companies offer a driving tour of the township, please don’t do this.  If your intention is to learn about the people and their culture, opt for a personal, interactive experience – looking people in the eye rather than looking down on them through your digital camera from a two story bus.   It is not only disrespectful, but embarrassing.  Besides, you can’t get any hugs from all the kids up there!

 Please visit Siviwe’s website to learn more about how you can get involved or arrange at tour, at: http://www.townshiptourscapetown.co.za/

Hope everyone is well! Big hugs from Cape Town!

Cape (Town) sur l'avenir

Apres un mois au cours duquel nous avons découvert l’Afrique du Sud (avec de petites escapades à l’Ile Maurice et au Swaziland) le passeport commence à se garnir. Apres 21h de bus nous sommes arrives a bon port dans la capitale de la jeune République de Namibie. Apres une journée passée à découvrir la ville et à prendre nos repères, un bel orage s’annonce.  Je vous écris de Windhoek (prononcez Vin-touk), installe à ma petite table en bois (avec cacahuètes et vin rouge – local, développement durable obligeJ) dans un « backpackers » (il faut croire que j’étais prédestiné) fort sympathique.

Mais revenons un peu en arrière. 

Nous avons passes 8 jours a Cape Town au cours desquels nous avons visites Langa, le township le plus ancien de la ville. La nous avons rencontres Siviwe et Nati, 2 Xhosa de 27 ans (prononcez sans le x avec a la place un petit son comme si vous appeliez votre chien – pas évident). En 2007, ils ont montes un projet - Happy Feet – avec leurs fonds perso. Ils organisent tous les jours après l’école un cours de danse pour les enfants du quartier afin qu’ils ne tombent pas dans les écueils « classiques » des townships, à savoir alcool, drogue et crime. C’est une danse qui provient des mines et qui a été invente par les mineurs noirs durant l’apartheid, ces derniers n’ayant accès a aucune forme de divertissement culturel.

Nous avons eu droit a une superbe démo et un petit cours de danse puis avons aides des bénévoles anglais à distribuer de la nourriture aux familles les plus pauvres, celles qui vivent dans les « hostels ». Ces grandes maisons sont tout un symbole ici. Elles ont été construites par les blancs pendant l’apartheid pour loger les travailleurs noirs. Ces derniers n’avaient pas le droit d’amener femme ou enfants et partagez un espace ouvert d’environ 100m2 pour 72 personnes. Pas d’eau courante ni d’électricité. La je me suis dis que finalement ma chambre de bonne parisienne n’était pas si mal. Aujourd’hui ces maisons ont été divises en chambre qui font toutes la même taille (9m2) et comptent chacune 3 lits, 3 familles. Les parents et le plus jeune enfant partagent le lit, les autres enfants dorment a même le sol. Notre guide, Siviwe a vécu ses 18 premières années dans un « hostel ».

L’après midi prenons un minibus pour un autre township, Guguletu. Ce jour la, l’équivalent Sud Africain de notre OL/ASSE avait lieu. Les 2 meilleures équipes du pays, les Kaiser Chiefs et les Orlando Pirates,  toutes 2 de Soweto, un township au sud est de Jo’burg s’affrontaient. Grosse ambiance.

Nous arrivons vers 13h, 2h avant le match et la file d’attente devant Mzolis fait le tour du pate de maison. Pas de problème, notre hôte connait les lieux et nous coupons devant tout le monde. La meilleure viande de la ville à en croire notre hôte, est ici. Nous commandons un énorme plat de viande (saucisses, chicken wings et cote de porc), un plat de Pap, la purée locale faite de mais et un mélange d’oignons, tomates et d’herbes fraiches pour 3 fois rien.

Je me suis rendu compte qu’il y avait vraiment 2 Cape Town, 2 Afrique du Sud au moment de payer. 100 Rands = 11 euros pour 4. Le salaire a Langa 1300 Rand par mois, le salaire minimum dans la province.  Une maison de base avec 2 chambres, cuisine et sdb coute environ 25000 Rand à construire (2600 euros). Nous avons paye 400 Rand/nuit  après négociation (originellement 560/nuit hehe) dans notre B&B à Green Point, qui est, pour vous donner une idée, l’équivalent du 17eme à Paris.

Mais revenons a nos moutons…nous achetons une tonne de viande (en vrai 2.5 kilos) et passons dans l’arrière salle en cuisine pour donner notre commande au chef. La, 5 cuistots m’effument et me chauffent (20 BBQ dans 30m2)... En vrai ca pique les yeux...violemment ! Etape suivante, le bar. Tente gigantesque sous laquelle nous trouvons toutes les nationalités et toutes les couleurs (de gens et de vins). Pour finir nous nous invitons chez une vieille dame qui vit en face du bar car nous voulions avoir le commentaire et le patron avait décide que ca allait être une après midi techno. Elle appelle la voisine pour régler l’antenne et c’est parti. Pour la première fois nous avons un vrai aperçu de l’hospitalité africaine, et l’impression d’être à la maison, avec des amis.

Le lendemain visite de Robben Island, l’ile au large de Cape Town ou les prisonniers politiques étaient enfermes pendant l’apartheid. Un ancien prisonnier nous a fait visiter le quartier de sécurité maximum ou étaient enfermes Mandela, Tambo, Sisulu et beaucoup d’autres. Chaque visite est un peu la même mais en même temps chaque guide a le droit d’improviser un peu, suivant son point de vue, son expérience personnel. Evidemment lorsqu’il raconte les humiliations subies des gardes de façon quotidienne l’ambiance est lourde. Mais ce qui m’as surpris c’est l’accent qu’il a mis sur l’implication des blancs au sein de l’ANC (African National Congress) ou en dehors et toutes les vies perdues littéralement ou en prison par des sud africains blanc pendant les 30 années de ségrégation raciale.

Je me suis demande si a sa place – il a passe 9 ans en prisons et a été torture –  j’aurais cette même force de pardonner et même d’admirer un blanc. J’écris mal, et je ne peux pas retranscrire la force avec laquelle ses mots m’ont percutes. Pas en raison de la violence de ce qu’il a vecu mais de sa capacité à pardonner et a continuer à vivre sans rancœur. Apres le tour, il nous a avoue qu’il y avait beaucoup de matins ou il se réveillait et ressentait une répulsion physique à venir sur l’ile faire son job.

Il nous a remercie d’avoir pris le temps de visiter l’ile avec un sourire et une poignée de main et nous sommes repartis sur notre bateau.

Une des choses les plus difficiles n’est pas de changer la société, mais de se changer soi-même. 

N. Mandela (traduit de l'anglais par W. Packer :-)

The South African Way to Get Rid of a Pesty Monkey:

Yes, monkeys are cute but here are a few tricks to "monkey around" when they're bothering you...

1.      1. Apparently, monkeys are terrified of snakes, so during a hike, best to carry a rubber snake with you.  The monkey will freeze, “relieve” himself, and run away.

2.        2. Lay out pumpkins in front of your house with a small-sized hole carved out.  The monkey will stick their hand inside the pumpkin to grab the seeds, but once in a fist, won’t be able to pull it out again.  Unable to understand that it must let go of the seeds before they can get their hand out, they will walk around with their hand stuck in the pumpkin. Aha!

3.       3. If all else fails, you can paint the monkey white.  It will run back to its group of monkeys, who will be frightened that a white monkey is running towards them, and start running as well.  The white monkey will think they are running away from something and continue following the others, when in fact, they are running away from him.  This will chase all the monkeys far, far away from your house!

Remember, when you feed a monkey it expects food from humans, stops providing for himself and becomes aggressive to humans…for food!

Monkey Love

Em and Will

High Expectations

After driving 3,700 kilometers through rain, fog, cloudy skies and the brightest blue, we arrived in Cape Town!   We were a bit sad saying goodbye to our little white Chevrolet after spending 5-9 hours a day inside it, though we have since been reconnecting with our legs, and ahhh it feels good…  Looking back on our journey, one can quickly see how diverse this country really is – everything from its people to its terrain, there is something here for everyone! 

To spare you a twenty page description of all our stops, I’ve kindly summed up our trip down the N2 freeway into one, fact-filled sentence:  (deep breath…and go!)  Starting in Jo’burg, we first drove east to White River (Kruger Park), then down through Swaziland to the home of Bunny Chow – Durban, into the “Wild Coast,” stopping in the adorable beach town of Chintsa before heading off to Jeffrey’s Bay to see the famous wave Supertubes , again further south to marvel at Swellendam’s  pristine landscapes, followed by a few glasses of wine in Stellenbosch, and finally – to Cape Town, our final destination in South Africa.  So, after roughly two weeks of driving, here we are – at the southernmost tip of Africa!

Seeing the city crest over the mountains as we drove from Stellenbosch was truly thrilling.  Sandwiched between the impressive Table Mountain and the ocean’s blue thumb print – it looked comfortably nestled into the land despite its painfully recent history.  Unlike our impressions from being in landlocked Jo’burg – Cape Town seemed to be a city as calm and cool as the salty ocean winds that blew through it.  Over the hours spent in the car, we had read all about its history, its people, and the “Lonely Planet” hotspots that freckled the city. We were ready!  Though as excited as we were, we both wondered if it would really live up to our high expectations…

Luckily, our first full day in Cape Town happened to be World Heritage Day!  So with our “My Cape Town” stickers on our chest and the sun in the sky, we walked around the city, stopping at all the must-see museums and landmarks (for free!).  We watched groups of singers and dancers perform in outside squares, explored the arts and crafts markets, and inhaled the smoky smell of braai at every corner.  It was truly a wonderful day, and only the beginning of a great week in Cape Town!

Walking everywhere, we realized that this vibrant, buzzing city with so much to do is actually still quite manageable.  After just a few days, we had a pretty good lay of the land and no longer had to sneak a peek at our map as we went from A to B.  Throughout the week, we did all the recommended touristy things - like climbing up Table Mountain (taking the “easy” Platteklip gorge trail) or visiting Robben Island – sometimes going into areas that we had read were “off limits” or “no go zones” for tourists.  But before you start worrying too much, consider the fact that most of those warnings were written BEFORE the World Cup.

As we’ve heard from many South Africans, the World Cup gave this country a time to shine, a time to reinvent its world image.  Despite the headlines we’ve all read, criticizing the government’s preparation for the games, at the end of the day, South Africa pulled it off. It cleaned itself up with the whole world watching, instilling a new (and much needed) sense of pride within its people, all its people.  Finally, South Africans felt that the world could move beyond simple associations with the apartheid or its poverty-stricken townships – the few things people knew about it – and get to know its rich and colorful personality.

On an economic level, the World Cup generated new jobs, new businesses, and helped develop new areas – one being Green Point, where we’re currently staying, located just across the street from the new stadium.  On a human level, the World Cup was able to connect all South Africans – black, colored, or white – as they cheered, together, for a common “goal”.  Perhaps reminding them that despite the many languages, ethnicities, and tribes that constitute South Africa, by coming together, they could create a nation for which everyone would cheer. So, while they lost the tournament, they won something even more important – a positive sense of national consciousness.

Back when Will and I were deciding where we should stay in Cape Town, this newfound unity had not yet been registered.  Old blog posts and websites warned potential visitors of just about everything – don’t walk here, don’t stay there - all for good reason I’m sure, but out-dated none the less.  Green Point – a young, clean, and upcoming neighborhood, dotted with trendy bars and restaurants (where our hotel is) – was among them as a place to avoid.  So, if you’re planning a trip to South Africa any time soon – take the criticisms with a grain of salt.  Things have changed here. 

OK before I become liable for a mugging, let me just say….As a general rule, one should be modest when visiting South Africa – aka don’t walk around with a camera around your neck, bling bling designer clothes, and a huge map, basically screaming “I AM A TOURIST, PLEASE ROB ME.”  At least try and blend in as a local. But above all, the most important thing to bring with you for protection is an open mind and friendly approach.  Don’t be scared of what’s different or new.  We heard how refreshing it was to have tourists during the World Cup – completely unaware of the normal dangers or behavior - just happy to be here, walking around the city, mixing with people of different colors.  Your openness will be appreciated and most of the time, respected. 

After reading and hearing all the warnings about being in Cape Town (as other cities in S.A.), I can understand one’s reluctance to explore the ins and outs of the city.  Though once you do, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!  Not only are there places to wear your Sunday’s best and boogie down at a trendy bar, but places to learn about the country’s diverse mix of cultures and traditions – and I’m not just talking about museums.   The townships, while poor in material goods and basic infrastructure, are rich in strong minds, life lessons, and persistent hopefulness.  In a flash, you realize how lucky you are to have your own bed, a clean toilet, and food on the table…but then you also realize that the townships are no longer just a place to remember your good fortunes.   They’re a cool place to hang out.

We experienced this first hand after spending a whole day in Langa township.  For many locals, the idea is not to get rich and move out, but to stick around and develop the community.  Through tour guides, restaurants, and hotels, townships all over the country are beginning to bring in new visitors…and more business.  Shacks are slowly turning into houses and people are becoming more open to mix and mingle with other colors.   Our day in Langa with the founders of the Happy Feet dance group was one of our best yet, and deserves its own blog post (so look out for that soon!)

All in all, we were NOT disappointed! Cape Town met all our expectations and more! The lesson learned:  Figure things out for yourself before judging a person or city, they just may exceed your expectations. 

Love to everyone! Emily

Facon Swazi

Apres quelques jours extrêmement éprouvants a Mbabane au Swaziland, ou nous avons attendu notre « Pass Media », indispensable pour filmer le travail d’ACF et World Vision. En effet, suite a un documentaire trop critique du souverain de ce petit royaume, le ministère de la communication est assez suspicieux des étrangers en quête d’images chocs !

Des notre arrivée dans le pays, nous avons été émerveillés par les paysages swazis grandioses et paisibles. A notre arrivée à Mbabane (prononcez Mabaner) j’ai été surpris.  Dans cette petite ville qui compte 2 rues principales et une dizaine de perpendiculaires, le seul bâtiment qui a l’air d’avoir moins de 10 ans est le KFC. Rien avoir avec la Vallée d’Ezulwini, la vallée des rois, a quelques kilomètres de la. Il est d’ailleurs interdit de photographier les résidences royales…

Mais cette fois-ci on est en Afrique, pour de bon, et ca a du bon ! Demandez votre chemin a un passant et il saut dans l’arrière de votre voiture et vous accompagne jusqu’au ministère, a l’autre bout de la ville (20 min a pied mais quand même !), finit les regards tendus de Jo’burg, place a l’hospitalité swazi !

Et si ces quelques jours passe à attendre a Mbabane auront été frustrants, ils n’ont pas été totalement vain car nous avons pu filmer les nutritionnistes d’ACF a leur retour en ville. Et j’ai appris à dire Bonjour en Siswati : Sawubona littéralement « je te vois » qui transmet bien la notion de temps en Afrique. J’ai aussi appris à apprécier cet art de vivre si différent du notre (heureusement j’ai le tempsJ). Nous avons réfléchi aux sourires et la gentillesse de tout ces gens. Une jeune femme nous a dis que ce qu’elle aimait le plus dans son pays c’était le fait quelle pouvait dormir sur ses 2 oreilles. Un garçon de 8 ans nous a explique qu’il était important de bien se nourrir pour pouvoir aider ses parents quand ils seraient vieux. Au Swaziland,  le taux d’infection du VIH estime à 33% et l’espérance de vie moyenne est de 37 ans.

Bon, niveau éducation, liberté de la presse, sante, économie et innovation il reste pas mal de chemin à parcourir. Mais dans d’autres domaines comme le courage, l’humour  ou l’attitude en générale, mon passage au Swaziland m’a forcé à remettre en question certains aspects de notre style de vie. Je me souviens qu’une américaine m’ai dit, en toute bonne foi, lorsque nous comparions nos vacances, qu’elle n’avait que 10 jours de vacances mais qu’elle avait aussi 10 « sick days » et…les week-ends !  Je ne sais pas si il y a une bonne et une mauvaise façon mais ce qui est sur c’est qu’il y a plusieurs façons.