Wynpress Term 4 2016:
Personal & Cultural transformation
Letter from the editor: With all the wonderful changes going on at our school at the moment, we thought it would be a lost opportunity not to centre this term’s theme around them. However, in the true sense of Wynpress, we each gave it our own little twist. This term we decided to focus on both personal and cultural transformation because how can the one happen without the other? How can we expect to change our society without reflecting on ourselves first and, in the same way, how can we adapt and change ourselves without the, hopefully positive, influence of our society? The two go hand in hand. Adapting and changing each other as we go along. We want to encourage the people who read this to do just that: look at yourself and change for the better of society because by transforming yourself, you will transform our society for the better. Jewel Ormond
People Change Ilham Choonara As a teenager, I know that no one person ever stays the same. I know that anybody and everybody is always working to reinvent herself/himself because if they were not then no one would be moving anywhere. I know we are always changing something about the world and the people in it, but can you remember recently fully transforming yourself? People say that change is scary. Do you understand the capacity of this ‘change’? In any form, the course of this transition is abandoning what you have found you are relatively used to (or even comfortable with) and it is moving to where the seat is cold/ living in the new building until it becomes home. I believe that a society can’t move towards change as a whole if the individuals haven’t bettered themselves. No one can expect 100% benefit from a reform without recognising his or her own faulty pieces. “You ain’t gotta change a thing, the world could change its heart” is a comforting quote, but tell me, who is the world? What are these forces to which the living cultures of the world adapt? That’s our cue. What it takes is a crazy level of maturity to deal with change. While we say that we want to change the environment we live in to that of a comfortable space where everyone feels safe, it is not the environment, which we can change. The only factor that anyone has control over is herself/himself. Living your life in an integrated society is practically inevitable, and so the few things I want to say are: Bravery. Respect. What can you do to understand that with which you disagree, instead of disagreeing because you don’t benefit? Open mind. Decency. Apologise. Be wrong. If we could try to stare in the face of change, look into the terrifying swirls of society’s differences and see everything that upsets us and see that this is everyone else’s reality too. Start outside your comfort zone and know that we need to transform ourselves before we can try transforming our world.
Beginnings Amarah Dawood (Inspired by the beginning of our new school buildings) Things fall apart constantly. It is seen as something disastrous, something ending and being taken away. The atmosphere is often cold and mournful and almost subconsciously; a frown falls on faces of those who watch as something they have known and touched is torn apart like a scrap piece of paper. "Goodbye," is what the frown says. It is what the body feels, but "beginnings" should be the image seen and the thought evoked. The lush greenery seems dull and distant like someone has taken the complementary colour of this landscape away and left its partner all alone. It is the same landscape, the same flora and fauna, the same memories and familiar scent, but something is missing. The buildings which once surrounded a secret place, a shining star, now frown as we do at the cold and curious underground. A sombre mood settles around structures and students alike. ‘’Goodbye,’’ is what our frowns say, it is what our bodies feel, but, somehow, in the midst of all the tearing, clutter and chaos, new life is coming, the beginning of a new era. All is not lost. A renaissance is coming. A fresh, free flower is about to Under the rough and ready rubble, sweet sunshine is about what we hear contradicts what we suspect. Soon enough the and scaffoldings will be replaced by sounds more soothing
bloom on our doorstep. to surface. Although sound of shattering and sensual.
It's scary, Change So complicated but We can do this, Friend. I know your anger You feel my passion We're not the same I'm human too Selfish I'm scared Where are we going? Humanity Where are the people? Saving the world with the artist's fragments & Shards of intelligence Can we change? Inside Then Out. Ilham Choonara
IT STARTS AT HOME Nicole Engelbrecht Transformation, by dictionary definition, means a definite change in nature, form or appearance. Applying this to the school ground means our school will have to change. The students must change outwardly and inwardly- also the way the school represents itself to the ‘outside world’ but also to the people in the school. Transformation is there to change the school and hopefully the people within it. The very first time I heard anything about the somewhat controversial topic was in my first period lesson on one random Thursday morning. When I stepped into the tense atmosphere of the classroom, the open forum conversation was in full swing. Because I had been a minute, or maybe three minutes late, the conversation was all a jumble of words flying around me. It may have taken a while but the topic was soon revealed amongst the strong opinions being shared: transformation. What struck me the most about that specific conversation was that the majority of what the buzz in the classroom was about was the different problems each of us experience or have with our school. We were all quick to give our opinions, me included. ‘My problem’ was something minor but something that couldn’t be changed easily, not that anything apparently is. The more I spoke about ‘my problem’, the more I realised that I was actually whining and what I had to say wasn’t all that valid: it was an almost unrelated to the topic of transformation. I went silent after I spoke, pondering over the argument at hand and the different opinions and comments being flung around. I truly hadn’t understood what we were talking about, sure the topic was an easy concept to understand, but where it came from was far beyond me. And then… someone said, “Reverse racism.” and my brain automatically yelled, “It’s racism. There’s no such thing as reverse racism!” Within my clouded thoughts of not understanding what subject I had next, possible unfinished homework, the upcoming
Afrikaans mondeling, I came to the dumb conclusion of: another lesson gone and all we’ve done is talk about racism. Which essentially we had, but it was far more than that. It was no less than a week later that I was sitting with a group of girls who were passionate about the idea of transformation and spoke proudly about what they knew, me not knowing anything, where I came to another, but not new, realization: I still did not know much about where transformation came or even what was happening within my own country in regards to transformation. That’s when I took a step back from everything and asked myself why I didn’t know anything about this. I could say that it was because I didn’t have any devices at the time but then again newspapers and the TV, I did have. I could also say, I wasn’t interested in what was going on but then I would be lying, I was interested. The obvious answer to the question was: I’m a closed off person who hides in her bedroom and can’t do anything to help the transformation in her school if she didn’t know anything. To do anything for my school, I needed to change myself.
A transforming society Jade De Keizer Transformation is a word that has become a very powerful word in our school. The word has changed the way I think and the way many others think. The word has become a defining factor in our school, in our cultures, in our universities and even our country’s politicians are calling for transformation in our country. For me the word was almost non-existent in my vocabulary but now it lingers in my head most of the time. I feel that the word intimidates me because of its power. Transformation is needed in our school. It is needed to help grow and build our relationships with each other, but if you look closely, the dividing lines (in my opinion) are growing thicker. Due to the circumstances beyond our school walls we have become alert and more defensive for who we are as individuals and this wall of defence that we build for ourselves is tearing apart a world that some of us enjoy. I am a person who has never felt or seen the differences in who we are as people. To me, we’re and still are all equal. However, I cannot lie that with all of the transformation that is currently taking place and all the things that are being said and shared has highlighted the fact that, yes, there is a line of division to who we are. The word “transformation” has brought the fact that we are all afraid of saying what we want. With this word we can almost feel how people have felt for many years. This word shows us how we can break or build our future as a school and as a country. This word can apply so much pressure to us as the youth to where we’ll attend university and who our friends and enemies may become. I hope that this word can bring our school to a point where we no longer see the lines of divisions. I hope with this single word we will be able to identify with our own individuality and with others’. I want this word to scare me, but I also want it to encourage me to help build and grow the society of our school. It isn’t just our school that is transforming but we, as young women are transforming, too. I want this word to help mould me into an ever changing woman,I woman who can transform into greater things and I hope that this word can do the same for others because ultimately this word cannot make us “transform” but we can be guided to transform with one another.
The Girls’ School Effect
Zara Wichman For those of you who do not know me, I came to Wynberg from a small, co-ed Catholic school somewhere along our lovely coastline. Coming to a single-sex school was a big step for me – I was like, “All girls? Is this really for me?” And I was pleasantly surprised. I actually enjoyed it. However, as I draw closer to the end of my years at Wynberg, I find myself thinking back to my primary school years with an alarming frequency. See, I was a rather different person back then. And recently I’ve been wondering… what changed? So let’s take a look, shall we? When I came to Wynberg, I considered it a fresh start. I came here knowing minimal people (literally one or two), I came here scared, and I came here without really knowing what I was getting myself into. I was mousy. I was a bit pudgy, and I didn’t know the basics of looking after my hair. To put it bluntly, I was a mess. Yet, as the months passed, all of this began to change. But why? I suppose it’s because I was forced to adjust. I was pushed into this entirely new environment, full of strange people and strange things, and I had to get used to it. It was that, or get eaten alive (figuratively) by the masses. And, thankfully, I chose the right option. See, at the moment I like to imagine myself as a lot bolder, braver and more willing to take risks. Being around a ton of really great girls, who were confident and proud and unapologetically themselves, made me feel more comfortable in my own skin. As time passed, I started pulling myself together and began figuring out who I truly wanted to be. And it was fantastic. It was glorious, to actually enjoy being the person I am. I didn’t feel as out of place, as uncomfortable as I’d felt before. I began to feel like me. And I’m definitely not saying everyone feels this way. Some people hate being at a single-sex school. Some people would sell a kidney to get out. But this is how I experienced it. Being at a single-sex school gave me a better appreciation for other women, and a MUCH better appreciation for myself. It taught me how to use my voice and be strong for myself. I grew a hell of a lot, emotionally, and it’s because of my environment. Ask anyone close to me, and they could probably tell you the exact differences. But who cares about being exact? The point is, being at a single-sex school changed me for the better. Although there have been good times and bad times, it’s all been worth it because I would rather shave my head than go back to being the person I was before.
Transformation: The key to our success. Aqilah Regal, Credit: Bhavika Khalan
A building was built in the middle of nowhere, but it wasn’t built properly from the start; it was rushed as people were desperate for it to be finished as soon as possible. As a consequence, even though the building looked good on the outside, underneath all the paint the walls were cracked and there wasn’t a proper foundation. Now it has been a few years and the paint has started to peel off, showing the cracks underneath. To add to that disaster, a massive storm has stirred, causing the walls to be worn down even further. This house was built at the end of apartheid and this storm is everything that has happened these past 2 years. And over this past month it has been all the protests happening in favour of a new and improved South Africa. Bringing it closer to home, the storm raging through Wynberg right now, is this era of transformation. Our school didn’t have a massive outcry like other schools and I believe it was the fact that we had the opportunity to talk about what we thought was wrong with the school, allowing our thoughts and ideas to be heard. The argument of whether these sessions actually made a difference isn’t the most important thing at this moment. But I think these sessions did what a lot of schools were unable to do: it created an environment for people to talk about what is hurting them, and for their complaints and views to be heard (even if we ran out of time in the end). This is a sensitive time that all schools are going through. We need to create a safe environment where we can hear everyone’s opinions, the main problem that I have found during this process is that not everybody is on the same page; some people don’t even know what transformation is! We want this process to happen so quickly, but we want to build a strong house, so we need patience and we need to remain calm: we don’t need radical views. We will soon get to that place where we will define some controversial words and maybe even achieve the desired equilibrium but, until then, we need to remain open-minded and not shoot down ideas immediately. We must give them some thought and, as cliché as it sounds, put yourself in their shoes. We need to take advantage of this platform: voice our opinions and not be afraid to be wrong. We need to be willing to learn, learn from our mistakes and allow people to teach us new things. Change is happening before our eyes. We just need to be willing for it to happen. We need to rebuild this house on a strong foundation and before we can do that, we need to be willing and accepting of change and of finding an equilibrium. This process of transformation is just in its beginning phases, but it is going to be the key to our new and improved house of Wynberg.
End the Perpetuation - A Self-study on LGBTQIA Identifications Tamia Morgan
It is easy to criticise the history of our world as we live in a time that seems so much different to what our parents and grandparents experienced. Genocides, however, do not happen overnight but are the result of extreme, culminating perpetuation of a status quo that advocates the exclusion of minority groups. Often we find ourselves contributing to those offensive jokes (Arguing afterwards, "Even gays say it. Chill!"), unwittingly preaching gender roles and worse, succumbing to the boxes society has placed us in. Taking this into consideration, who is to say that we will not find justifications for the next massacre, should one occur? The effects of domination and privilege over the past centuries are clearly demonstrated in the socioeconomic and political inequity we witness today and blissful ignorance of world issues is a way of preserving the attitudes towards it as well as the inequity itself. Selfeducation is what we need to end the perpetuation! The terms in this article deals specifically with the unrecognised LGBTQIA community and aims to bring some understanding into the preferred identifications. Now is the time to become to end the perpetuation.
Lesbian women physically and/or emotionally attracted to other women. Gay individuals who are physically and/or emotionally attracted to members of the same sex; commonly used to refer to men who are attracted to other men. Bisexual individuals physically, emotionally and/or sexually attracted to both men and women; also used to define an interest in genders other than male/female. Transgender individuals who determine their gender as outside of the man/woman binary or the gender based on the sex they were assigned at birth; includes "trans*" - an umbrella term for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Queer umbrella term for the LGBTQ+ community; a derogatory term reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community; also dentified with by those who aren’t/choose not to be specifically labelled. Intersex individuals born with both male and female anatomy and do not fit the traditional definitions of "male" and “female". Asexual individuals who do not feel attraction or desire for any group of people. Androgyne individuals with masculine and feminine physical traits. Butch a gender expression that fits society's definitions of masculinity
Cisgender individuals whose gender identity and biological sex assigned at birth align i.e. a straight man with male anatomy.
Pansexual individuals who is sexually, physically and/or spiritually attracted to members of all gender identities and expressions.
Cisnormativity the assumption that everyone is cisgender and that cisgender identities are superior to trans* identities or individuals.
Polyamory the practice of ethically, honest, consensually non-monogamous relationships i.e. relationships which willingly may include more than one partner.
Demisexual individuals who feel sexual attraction towards people only with whom they have an emotional connection.
Skoliosexual individuals attracted to people who don’t identify as cisgender.
Fluid generally used with another name attached e.g. gender-fluid or fluid-sexuality; fluid(ity) describes an identity that may shift over time or occasionally within the mix of options available. Gender Normative individuals whose gender representation – by nature or choice – aligns with society's gender-based expectations. Gender Variant individuals who – by nature or choice – does not conform to society's gender-based expectations. Homosexual individuals primarily attracted to members of the same sex/gender; considered a stigmatizing term due to its history as a category of mental illness.
Transvestite individuals who dress as the binary opposite gender expression i.e. “cross-dressing". Womyn/Womxn used as a form of empowerment by some individuals to move away from the "men" in the traditional spelling of the word “women". Ze/Hir gender-neutral pronouns preferred by some trans* individuals which replace "he" and "she" respectively.
Metrosexual a man with a strong aesthetic sense and spends more time, energy and/or money on his appearance than is considered gender normative. Mx. a gender-neutral title as oppose to e.g. Mr and Ms. Pangender individuals who exhibit characteristics of multiple genders, deliberately refuting the concept of only two genders.
Credit: Jenni Ely & itspronouncedmetrosexual.com
Flying
Caris Gertzen
An egg sat lonesome. Surrounded by twigs, feathers and cotton, intricately pieced together forming a shelter. A reminder of parents who have left their last gift in order to allow their child to grow and thrive. To be what their little one was meant to be. To fly. The egg was a soft grey, speckled with pure white dots. Nothing spectacular...except for the knowledge that it contained the beating heart of new life. The branch on which it was balanced shuddered in the crisp morning air as the egg quivered ever so slightly. A small crack appeared from the top of the egg and travelled down the smooth shell. Slowly spreading into a web, as a single piece was pushed out by a pink mass. Minutes passed, when finally a slimy creature slowly made his way out of his cage. Then, at long last, a misshapen lump lay pulsing in the midst of broken shards of shell - not a lovely vision but a beautiful life form nonetheless. A beginning of something incomprehensible. The moment of peace suddenly ended with a flurry of sharp sounds cutting the early morning air. The cruel laughter of two tiny boys threatened the tiny bird. One calling up to other who had climbed up the tree to look on the grand prize that he would soon call his own. Grubby hands yanked the quietly majestic nest out of its place and the boy proceeded to climb down, giving no caution to a little bird that could not offer any protection to himself. Due to the careless travel, the boy misplaced his foot causing the nest to tilt dangerously. For a single second the bird slid slightly...and then it dropped over the edge. It fell through the air. Not flying. Falling. Unable to do anything to protect himself, the little bird floundered, trying to flap useless wings. All in vain. The boy reached the ground and alongside his friend stared dismally at what was at one point his most highly prized possession. Their sorrow was short-lived. That’s the funny thing about this situation. After causing so much destruction in another creature’s life, they continued to forget what they did. Or maybe they just didn’t know how to sympathise with a creature so small and helpless. They ran off with not a care in the world or for the little bird they left to die. All that remained of this once healthy spark of life, was an unmoving scratched lump of surrender. This little creature was caught up in branches which formed a cage of thorns. He was tired and broken. Unable to do anything. Alone and suffering. One may assume that the bird died in the cold morning breeze, but to the astonishment of any watching eyes the bird struggled to his feet. He fell on the hard unforgiving ground several times before managing to stumble a few steps. Eventually the pain of the embedded thorns in his
flesh was too great for one so young. The boney legs gave way to the emaciated body atop. Pink wings were streaked with dirt and blood, as the tiny bird cried out to the unforgiving air. Through the fluttering breeze, a lilting melody reached this shaking bird. A young girl had wandered into the forest and was singing to the hidden birds and beasts of the forest. She sang of her home country that was caught in troubled times, and yet, instead of calling on memories of suffering and pain, she sang of the hopes and dreams she had for her country. Hopes for her country to transform into one of equality and individuality. A country of people and of freedom. The little bird shut his eyes as the girl came closer to where he stood amongst the grasses on the ground. He shivered joyfully as a breeze flew over his damaged captured body. His eyes snapped open as the song ended abruptly. “Little bird, why are you on the ground?” The little girl was now crouching near him, her bushy hair gently swaying in the wind and her eyes shining in the shadows of the forest. As she noticed the branches tightly wound around his legs and wings, her voice trembled for she felt the pain in the bird’s trusting eyes. “Little bird, I am going to help you, but it’s going to hurt.” She started to sing again softly, starting a song in a language that spoke of the joy of freedom, with words that could transform hearts. She gently lifted the bird and pulled at the restraining thorns. The bird attempted to nip at the firm hands and succeeded several times, but the girl continued, amidst her pain. Finally the bird’s wings were free. Raw flesh was exposed to the warm breath of the girl who started to inch away. Trying not to cause the bird any more pain, she stood and started to back away. The girl looked back one more time. Her soft eyes locked with the golden ones of the bird and she smiled. The golden eyes blinked slowly; showing gratitude that can be only communicated without words. Then she was gone. The bird stretched out his wings, causing a spark of pain to follow his raw skin. This was painful, especially for one so young. Yet years followed that moment in time. Years of health and life. The bird grew and thrived in his surroundings. Scars lay under deep layers of feathers; out of sight but not entirely forgotten. The scars will always remain as reminders of the time when freedom was given through pain. He has grown from suffering. He is now free. He can now fly.
The pros and cons of the Fees Must Fall Campaign Zayyaan Esau In life four things are constant: birth, death, taxes and change. For the past couple of months especially, South Africa has been subjected to transformation, both socially and economically because of the Fees must fall movement and like most things, this current transition has two parts to it - the pros and cons. With the Fees must fall Campaign constantly looming above our heads, many of us have forgotten the true meaning of the cause. Originally the cause was a means to raise awareness on the issue of inequality within the education system and because of that, tertiary education should be free, to make up for the many years of others being denied it during the Apartheid era. As a result, this movement has turned to violence in order to voice members opinions. The positive effects of a movement as big as this, is that it unites people against a common cause and that in the end, should it be effective, that many will reap the benefits of a free tertiary level education, on the basis that they meet the requirements for their chosen course. The negative effects are that although the people will be united, some of them might have been forced into joining the movement and if universities are free, the institutions will not be able to retain its standard of education and resources. The negative effect of the newer, violent take on the movement has disrupted classes and as a result universities have closed until further notice, in an attempt to protect their instruction from further dangers such as arson, theft and vandalism. Many students will now have to graduate later, delaying their entry into our workforce and thus negatively affecting our economy. During times like these, we need to ask ourselves whether we are certain or what we're hoping to achieve and what the best method to go about achieving it will be, in order to minimise the cons to the situation.
THE ART OF ADAPTING Chiara Birch
There was a French psychologist who believed in the power of assimilation and accommodation. This process deals with how the child - through play - defines her reality; we, through the information we receive, define our reality. Assimilation is the accumulation of information which we then process and add to our already existing bank of knowledge. Accommodation is the taking in of new knowledge and experiences that modify our reality, accommodation changes our reality grows our minds and expands them. For example when the child is shown a dog and told, "This is a dog," the child will call all four legged animals dogs. This is as example of assimilation for the child assumes that all for legged hairy animals are dogs. She uses her existing knowledge to define reality. When she is told, "No it's a horse," she accommodates that not all animals that have four legs are dogs. Instead of thinking - dogs have four legs, she will now know that - dogs and horses have four legs. By doing this she alters her reality We continue to do this through out lives; we just become less aware and willing to assimilate and accommodate. We refuse to adapt, to alter our reality. For example, I told my aunt that my teacher said we should talk about the elephant in the room. Her first question was, "What colour is she? My aunt has failed to understand that a person’s intelligence cannot be defined by the colour of her/his skin. In order to reach a place of enlightenment towards the reality of others, we must allow our minds to assimilate and accommodate constantly, encouraging our reality to adapt in order to better ourselves as well as those around us. Adaptation is key to survival. It means evolution (and who doesn't want to evolve), yet does not only refer to physical changes, but rather a mindset. This mindset can be shaped and chased into a metaphor: The tree is a good place to start for it remains half unseen by the eye. The ‘seen’ is affected and reliant on the unseen; just as the unseen is reliant on the seen. Yet the tree does not only rely on its buried and exposed components, but on the environment in which it resides. Give the tree a nutrient-rich environment - it will flourish. Starve and neglect - it will adapt .
Love yourself Tamiya Safodien We live in a world where girls have so much pressure on them- whether it's the way they dress, the way they act or even the way they portray themselves to the world. Our society dictates who you are the minute you are brought in this world. You are labelled and placed in a box before you even know your nameeven that decides who you are as a person. But we are only given one life. One life to live one’s dreams and pursue one’s goals and become your own person so I believe that you should do whatever makes you happy. It's time for a change, time to start living our lives and doing the things we love and stop wasting our emotions on things that don't make us smile. Sometimes it will be hard to go through life with people who don't agree with the way we do things. But the best people and the ones who really carewill always be there to support you. Those are the ones you need to keep close and build a shield of love against the 'haters'. This is your life- you are unique and important. You're not some sort of fish in a school- who needs to fit in. You are much more, but it's your duty to make yourself known among all the fishies. We live in a world where we spend more time in a classroom than learning about ourselves, staring at a screen waiting for the next message to come through and even creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals for our upcoming final exams. But no matter how many times we try to push things aside for others or mentally list all the things we have to do- there's never going to be enough hours in a day to catch up on everything in life we missed. This is my daily routine for my daily life as a school-going girl: running around for extra-murals; spending too much time on my phone; checking the latest YouTube videos and making long lists of reminders on my hand that ultimately disappear before I even get home. I tried to give my all in everything I put myself in- until I realised... Is it worth it? Is this perpetual cycle of overthinking and overcommitment good for who I am? Am I damaging myself to prove to myself I am capable or am I doing this for others?
Going back in time to the kid who dreamed of being a Belly Dancer and a part time Hannah Montana- because you can never go wrong with the best of both worlds. Where did that little girl who wasn't influenced by society go? Where did the little girl who played games with herself for hours without a care in the world? Where did the little girl who would wake up late for school and not even care because that sleep was well deserved? Where did the little girl go who played recorder and didn't care what anyone said about the awful noise it made? Where did the little girl go, who cared less about the world around her and more about herself? Sadly that little girl grew up and now she's looking back not only disappointed in herself but saddened that everything had to changed. Now, all my days consist of are homework, studying, stressing and eating- and out of that list only one of them appeals to me 100% of the time. Time has become too much of a mystery in the world of today. Never waiting for no one and never having enough of herself to give to anyone- I'm starting to think she's a bit of a bad influence to be quite honest. We miss all the little moments in our short life when we try to please the world around us. We have been only given one life and to waste it on something not worthwhile is a waste of a good day- because the only thing in this life which is unconditional and immeasurable is love. So love the ones who give you a reason to smile; those who buy you food at the tuck shop and those who never stop believing in you. It's time to stop being in the rush of life and time to start living because on this roller-coaster of life there isn't any pause, rewind or forward button, but there is a play- and that's the only way we can control the way our pathways turn out and as a younger rapper by the name of Drake said, "you only live once."
OUR WORLD IS CHANGING Nonelela Madubedube
For a very long time, statements, beliefs, legends, customs and information have been passed down from generation to generation as traditions. When it comes to culture, traditions and customs are the very essence of it. Cultural transformation is the dynamic process where the culture is changed due to either inner or outer adaptations. South Africa is a country well-renowned for its diversity in cultures. With eleven official languages, the Rainbow Nation should boast equality for all right? We are a democratic country after all.People are allowed to vote and enjoy freedom with our beautiful constitution protecting them all. Yet there are women in our country oppressed by their own culture, where they are forced to be submissive to men just because it has been done for hundreds of years. We are able to attract tourists with our rich township culture and tourist sites yet black people are stuck living in townships due to the repercussions of apartheid, a culture that never really ended as people still live the way they did 22 years ago. People are afraid of change. It seems much easier to leave things as they are because transformation is uncomfortable.It seems completely absurd for a Zulu woman to be independent just as it is to see a white domestic worker in South Africa. But the world around us is changing with technological improvements being made, 256 intelligent people being born every minute and scientific discoveries being made every day. Being afraid of change is the reason there are millions of artistically gifted people who believe they’re not smart because they can’t do maths. The schooling system has been the same for hundreds of years yet we call ourselves and our country developed. If the world is changed by us every day, why can’t we changed with it?
Identity Under Question
Juliet Stromin Culture is the way in which we shape ourselves in accompaniments with the elements we are surrounded with in the world. It is a way of divulging ourselves in the environment and societies we find ourselves in. For many, it is a form of identity and for Wynberg Girls' High School, it is an identity under question. Hurt and upset, identity has been a matter that has been massed discussed, not just among the students but the staff and the governing body too. This is a step in the right direction as Wynberg has started its ascent into the evolution process, trying to catch up to the rest of the world ,and it's about time. Our culture forms an integral part of who we are, as people and as Africans, and by acknowledging our differences, we become stronger as a unit. For some, this is a sensitive topic as often, emotions are typically attached. But how could they not when culture is a deep rooted element that encompasses religion, family and historical traditions? It's time we stopped questioning the importance of another person's culture and start accepting it because who are we to say where value resides? Discussion has been passed around and often the same question has been raised: "How can we move forward as one if each group of individuals i not safe in their own community?" In other words, each group of ethnicity, race and creed need attention to be placed on the personal issues they face before they can address the issue as a whole, including the whole human race. These problems need to be acknowledged and can no longer be pushed under the rug. Because, without recognition of the discrimination and prejudice, we fail to acknowledge the hurt these groups have experienced and this simply, devalues them and their histories. How we go about these issues are yet to be discovered, but with the introduction of pants and headscarves in the future dress code, Wynberg Girls' School has, no doubt, introduced new, transformative change by opening up the doors for discussion and welcoming friendly arguments with positive and inclusive results in mind.
Listen to my story, before you call me ‘Skollie’ Stacey Goliath ‘Noem My Skollie' a movie based on the life story of John W. Fredericks. It recounts the lives of coloured boys during the height of Apartheid and the lengths to which they had to go to ensure their protection, inside and outside the walls of Pollsmoor. But this article is not a review and is not going to discuss the best and worst parts of the movie. It is not going to tell you why you should see it. But it is going to discuss the Cape Coloured culture and the stereotypes associated with it. Toothless
Being coloured in Cape Town is about coming from a history of oppression and poverty, being from a culture that was so often shoved aside. But being coloured is not a bad thing. There is beauty that is so often overlooked due to stereotypes.
Gangsters
There is also the beauty of the resilience found in struggling. Despite all the efforts, the scales are still not equal after Apartheid. There is still poverty, there is still hurt, there are still sounds of gunshots in the streets of Manenberg, but there is resilience. There is an unspoken attitude of soldiering on despite the world leaning against you.
Uneducated These are a few of the generalizations attached to coloured people in Cape Town and that have formed part of an unconscious stereotypical attitude. The coloured identity in South Africa is not one that can simply be explained or simply put in a box. It is a complex identity, one that cannot be diluted to a 5 minute explanation of what it means to be coloured. But society seems to have done this, a perception of coloured people has grown so much so over the years that it seems to be the generally accepted idea of what it means to be coloured. ‘Being coloured’ is not just having a certain colour of skin, it is not the stock standard definition of being of mixed descent nor is it saying “Awe ma se kind” while running around without teeth, a 28’s tattoo on the arm and a Grade 4 education. It is a culture, a culture that is so often misunderstood due to society looking through lenses of stereotype.
Things like Koesisters, the colourful, collaborative use of English and Afrikaans, the fact that everyone older than you, whether they are related or not, is your “aunty” and “uncle” as a sign of respect, the colourful streets of Bo-Kaap and the sounds of the minstrel choirs making their way down the streets on the 2 January.
Even though there are stereotypes, these stereotypes are not who we are. It may be the lens through which we are viewed, but if people bothered to look a little deeper, they would see the beauty. I may be coloured, but do not assume that I am your toothless, uneducated, gun wielding, Grade-7-and-pregnant ma se kind.
Are we going to University? Aqilah Regal
Are we all going to be able to go to university in the few years to come is a major issue that all high school students are asking themselves at the moment. This fear is quite reasonable considering everything that has been happening the past year. With the violent and radical protest, it is no surprise those Universities’ only option was to shut down, in order to keep everyone safe: introducing a system of blended learning, a combination of face-to-face and online learning. Except there is no face-to-face learning and the majority of universities have actually turned into an online university (like UNISA). With this lake of proper schooling and all the lecture theatres and Libraries being closed, it seems no one is going to be able to write their exams, forcing them to scrap this academic year, causing major problems. The first being that all students would have to repeat the year and this would actually be to the detriment of all the protestors because this would cause them to pay another year of fees, something some of these people can’t afford. The next problem has to do with all the students who are undergraduates. Those studying in the medical faculty would have to study for another year as they can’t begin to practice without their degree no matter how close they came to almost graduating. Therefor there would be no interns in the hospital for the following year and even if everything were to continue as normal next year, there would be too many interns for all the doctors, causing a backlash of students. And then we have to the one who affects us the most: The first year students would also have to repeat their year, and because lecture theatres can only hold a certain amount of students, the number of leaners being able to go to universities would be much less and there would be a much more competitive environment. This directly affect s, and we all know how difficult it is to get into universities now, so what happens when this tension just increases. These are just the major issue that will occur if this year were to be scraped and let’s not forget that if this year is wasted, the rand would plummet far more than it did earlier on this year. So the silent protest that happened outside UCT, wanting them to keep the doors open for learning was not uncalled for. If no solution is found, South Africa will enter an era where we would be an economic crisis and a massive increase in unemployment. However the solution might be simple. There is no need to have free education for everyone, ignoring the fact that that is virtually impossible but rather that you pay for your education according to your household income. This solves the problems that the students are facing, allowing then to pay however amount they are able to and the problem that universities are facing because now they would still have some sort of money inflow, not just the little amount from the government. Even though this solution might not be ideal, it is better to have some sort of victory rather than none because at this rate, nothing I going to happen but more violent protests and more demands that the universities are unable to grant.
Words of the Students Robyn Brown High School is a journey in which we learn, grow, and most of all, transform into the adults that will venture out into the big wide world. I decided to interview 3 grade 11 learners and ask them about their journey so far. Only initials have been given for confidentiality. Robyn: How does it feel to have been in grade 8 and now you are nearly in matric? One learner jokingly said it’s about time she spiced up her wardrobe. D: “I have been at Wynberg since grade R so I'm very much excited to leave high school as I have been wearing brown for about 12 years now” Robyn: Do you have any memories you will always cherish from Wynberg? C: “The great building exercises at camp helped a lot. Grade 9 and 11 camps are very emotional as they use a lot of tactics to get you to bond with everyone” D: “I think I will remember some of the teachers like Mr Bodie, Ms Underhill and Mr Schutte” Robyn: What life lessons have you learnt at Wynberg? C: “Not really a life lesson, but at Wynberg Girls’ there's a lot of cattiness and you look at it and say ‘Okay i'm not going to be like that’. You learn to know who you are.” D: “Because you are at an all girls school you kind of realise what type of woman you don't want to be and what you want to aspire to” P: “I think you learn problem solving skills because its a girls school so there's a lot of drama and you have to work with that in a mature manner. I also went on a Peer guide training course and felt it taught me a lot about problem solving and about myself” Robyn: What life lessons have you learnt at Wynberg? C: “Not really a life lesson, but at Wynberg Girls’ there's a lot of cattiness and you look at it and say ‘Okay I'm not going to be like that’. You learn to know who you are.”
D: “Because you are at an all girls school you kind of realise what type of woman you don't want to be and what you want to aspire to” P: “I think you learn problem solving skills because it’s a girls’ school so there's a lot of drama and you have to work with that in a mature manner. I also went on a Peer guide training course and felt it taught me a lot about problem solving and about myself” Robyn: Do you feel that Wynberg has transformed at all since you have been here? C: “I feel some people have lost their drive and motivation and have no incentive to do well so i think going forward we have to celebrate everybody's talents no matter how big or small it is. I also think there needs to be more discussions in class as its like you are taught the work, then tested , then you go home”. D: “I think Wynberg is mainly changing this year and i like the way that they are focusing on the students for one of the first times that i have seen it happen at the school. They are really starting to care about how the students feel and what they have to say” P: “I feel like the school hasn't changed much actually. I feel like they just come to school then leave, then come to school, learn, leave. Which I know is what a school should be but I think we should spice it up a bit because that will encourage learners to want to learn and want to come to school” Robyn: So is there anything you are expecting for 2017 or any goals you have in mind for matric? D: “I’m quite excited for the upcoming year because i'm part of Enviro Club and we are planning some very big things which we will all found out about next year” P: “Im very excited for next year because of the transformation process, which the teachers are also a part of now, I think there will be changes, but let's hope that changes are made and not just talked about.”