A LOST PEOPLE?

Photo By: Palesa Mohlamme

                       
Finally June 16 vibe has settled down, now I can speak my mind. How did you celebrate June 16? For sure you were drunk as ever ne? Not me though, I was enjoying my family's company and almost forgot it was a public holiday. I have been checking out the June 16 memorial arch at my hood. Funny enough the place is not fully equipped with information about the 1976 protest, the only original thing they have from 1976 is a dustbin lid used by students protecting themselves during the protest.

The documents displayed at the arch are copies and the originals are at the University of Wits. But why the hell don't we have the original copies here? I mean, after all its our history and what's written in those documents is what happened moo Kasi. I read the documents written by the Student Representative Council of Soweto and I quote, "June 16 shall be known as The Student's day. Prayer meeting shall be arranged by students and parents. A moment of silence from early hours in the morning till 9 am. On June 16 parents are requested to pledge solidarity with their children. Workers requested two days off from 16-17 June. Shops and business shall be closed on the 16th and half a day on the 17th. Shebeens must be closed from 13-19th June. Suspension of all sorts entertainment from the 16-19th June. Taxi services to have a moment of silence in the morning and no services rendered by Pucto drivers. And hostel people to align themselves with people of Soweto during the mourning period".

I tell you this because most of you don't know this and therefore the meaning of June 16 has lost it's essence. We commemorate the day by getting drunk and filling parks and pubs. Have we really given up on our "history"or are we just plain oblivious? What happened in June 16 taught me that, the Youth is supposed to be resistance, we are not supposed  to be comfortable with everything going on around us and we should question things.

You know, the only history we know is Black people have always been the victims of history. The only information that is given to us makes us feel less worthy of ourselves and I think that's why Black ladies do weaves, bleach their skin and speak english so well mara mother tongue, Dololo!. Why don't we ever question what happened to the Black history before colonial period? why do we define ourselves through colonial history and apartheid? Is that what we really are vele?  Outcast and victims of history? And what's worse about this is we have to pay for knowledge ya mahala at our so called Hector Peterson museum. This seriously pisses me off. Our schools are not educating us about Black Excellence, Black Pride and Self love.

Instead you have to search and dig up true heritage and origin of African people. And even when you research such info, you come across white authors. I don't understand why does a white person has to write about Black history, My history, after all this proves that what you know as history has been filtered and manipulated.  Lets tell our own stories guys, snap out of it and stop being passive with everything! Queen Elizabeth decided to have a White Wedding and now its supposed to be my culture. what is White Wedding moo Black culture? No wonder you have so many divorce. What is divorce anyway moo Black culture? OOOh Shame re rata dintho wa tseba! Bo Khulani ba bua nnete ha ba re VUKA DARKIE! when I say Vuka Darkie I'm not talking about being an entrepreneur but I'm talking about knowing yourself, Be aware with yourself and Love and Respect yourself. I must confess that I feel lost that I don't know my true heritage, raw history written by a Black person. Are we really a lost people? #MishMash