Our adventures in Africa were multi-dimensional, and without a doubt, transcendental. First and foremost, of course, were the animals! We were blessed to see the Big Five, more than once, and so much more. K had bought me a fancy camera to use, and as a novice, I was a bit leery of wielding such an intimidating instrument. Gracias a Dios, even a child (or should I say, even a Dummy) could have taken world-class photos with it. We cataloged thousands of breathtaking pictures between the two of us, some worthy of National Geographic, dare I say. 🙂
Being in such close proximity to these magnificent animals, as voyeurs in their natural habitat, gave me inspiring insights into their world, and surprisingly, into ours. We marveled at watching the grazing of gigantic vegans like the elephants and rhinos and were blessed to witness kills of some carnivores, namely the leopards and lions. Blessed because that is the way of the jungle if you will, where every animal has its place and purpose. No secret agendas or jealousies to speak of, just the laws of survival at play as they have been since the beginning of time.
While experiencing the animals was a life-changing event, experiencing the African people was even more so. On our first day in South Africa, we visited Soweto, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, as well as home to some really atrocious ghettos. On our last day, we visited Robben Island, where Mandela spent some twenty years of his twenty-seven years of incarceration for opposing Apartheid. A fitting point/counter-point to our journey.
And there it was, inescapable, like a slap in the face, when we left the bush for “civilization”. Apartheid, or Separateness, as the Dutch christened it. After almost a month in South Africa, my blood would boil when we went to the White neighborhoods and businesses, still segregated, all with heavy overtones of the Dutch culture and their continuing policy of racist separation. Just for some historical perspective, they didn’t even launch their official Apartheid purgatory until after the end of World War Two.
Of course, my “fellow” Americans have demonstrated their own racism and hate for people of color. No denying that, but there is no condoning any of it, either. And granted, the Dutch received some assistance in promulgating their offensive and inhumane policy of cruelty from the British and a handful of other European countries. I’ll just say that the policies of Apartheid and racial discrimination are still thriving in the slums of South Africa. I encourage all to bear witness to this atrocity. Or you could just go to some of the slums in major urban areas in the States for the same effect, I ‘spose.
But in spite of it all, the most impressive aspect for us on this adventure was experiencing the resilience, hope, and beauty of the African people. Their culture is very similar, in fact, to the Costa Rican culture, but perhaps even more loving and forgiving, not to mention much less violent. As a case in point, Mandela was a great role model for his people. He did not debase himself or his ideals, even while pounding limestone in the hot sun on Robben Island as punishment for opposing the oppression of his people.
With the exception of life in the current slums recently created by the Dutch to continue Apartheid, in their home towns and villages the African people take care of each other and share whatever there is to share, with love and abandon. In a country with 90% unemployment, the crime rate is 1%. Pretty startling stats. If a man is caught stealing in his village, they take care of justice in their own way. If it’s his first offense, his family and friends help him, praise his virtues and give him purpose to lead a better life. A multiple offender will be dealt with more harshly, with a beating or worse, banishment from the community. Wow.
As survivors of a recent home invasion at gunpoint in CR, K and I still have a lot of healing and forgiving to do ourselves. We both agree that our journey to Africa was more effective than a year’s ingestion of Zoloft. Interaction with majestic animals and inspirational new cultures helped us get in touch with the goodness in ourselves and how to harness that positive energy moving forward.
In my research of PTSD, I have learned that anti-social acts and blaming of others are two very common coping mechanisms. Sadly, we have been subjected to both and have struggled to forgive this form of mental instability. After experiencing the beauty of the Africans, I was moved to tears and found myself longing for a more loving and forgiving world for us all. Everywhere, regardless of skin color or religious belief or social status. Asking too much? Perhaps, but I have a new role model to emulate. Greta Thunberg, the courageous teenage climate activist, wants to save the planet. Too much? I hope not, for all our sakes. Love and blessings…
Namaste 😘
Sep. 28, 2019
Judy Richter 