Ever notice how sometimes there are certain themes in your life? This month it was the theme ‘everything is related to the South Asian diaspora via Africa route.’ Chick Pea’s mother fed me fried mogo w/ tamarind sauce, Yo’ Mom told me stories of her life in Africa as a child, and a friend of mine just got back from a summer social work stint working in the desi townships of Durban, South Africa. I’m very interested in the creation of political ethnic identities in the South Asian diaspora and was intrigued by hearing these stories, and seeing the different diaspora perspectives. 
Appropriately, I saw an early screening of the movie “Catch a Fire” last Thursday, and haven’t been able to stop talking about the movie since. Starring Tim Robbins (as the German Afrikaner oppressor), and Derek Luke (as the freedom fighter Patrick Chamusso), the movie is beautifully crafted, telling the story of a South Africa man who gets caught up in love, betrayal and the fight for freedom.
Catch a Fire is based on actual events that occurred in the 1980s. While Nelson Mandela was locked up for treason in the Robben Island prison, the banned and exiled ANC was engaging in sabotage against the Apartheid government. Patrick Chamusso, on the other hand, had found a job at the Secunda Oil Refinery, the largest coal-to-oil plant in the world. He preferred his simple family life to the underground movements. His wrongful arrest and subsequent interrogation and torture by the South African Special Branch forever altered his outlook and led him to Mozambique where he joined the ANC and received his military training. He volunteered to single-handedly carry out the operation to blow up the Secunda Oil Refinery and as per specific instructions, only property was damaged by the explosion.Robyn Slovo, who is one of the film’s producers, and Shawn Slovo, who wrote the screenplay, are actually daughters of Joe Slovo and Ruth First, pioneer white activists who stood up against the Apartheid government. Joe and Ruth joined the ANC, while in exile. [link]
Maybe I’m just a sucker for movies with men who play roles as fighters against injustice, like The Motorcycle Diaries. Or maybe it’s because in reality, Luke is paying for his on-screen daughter’s real-life education because she is the daughter of an HIV positive African woman. I’m not sure, but both reasons make my heart melt for this story, both on and off screen.
Ok, so there isn’t technically a desi character in the whole movie. But there is a large South Asian population in South Africa — rumor says Durban has the second largest Indian population outside of India. Gandhi did start Satyagraha when he was in South Africa. And apartheid did affect Indian immigrants.
The racial segregation in South Africa, known as the Apartheid, lasted from 1948 to 1993. Under the law enforced system, people were divided into four groups: white, black, Indian, and colored. Each group was assigned a territory and given rights, such as the ability to vote, primarily within those designated territories.[…] Public services such as education and health care were also subject to separation, with services for white people having generally superior quality. The Apartheid was condemned internationally as unjust and racist. [link]Discriminated against by Apartheid legislation like the Group Areas Act, Indians were forcibly moved into Indian townships, and had their movements restricted. They were not allowed to reside in the Orange Free State, and needed special permission to enter that province. […] Indians played an important role in the anti-apartheid struggle, and a few rose to positions of power after the 1994 elections in South Africa. [link]
I don’t usually watch nor promote movies, but Catch a Fire was really compelling. It definitely will get a few nominations come awards season. The movie is released in theatres across the nation this Friday, October 27th and I HIGHLY recommend it. After all this Africa talk, I would also love to hear stories from other mutineers about their experiences with ‘South Asian diaspora via Africa’ tales…
Songs I Listened to While Writing This Post: Sikhman and the Rasta by Transglobal Underground, Unbwogable by Gidi Gidi Maji Maji, Wise Up by Mutabaruka, and the album Catch a Fire by Bob Marley.
I believe the hot hot hot Gael GarcÃa Bernal fought against injustice in that movie.
Damn Shruti, you had to go ruin the greatest freudian slip since “dictatorship of the proletariat.” Stalin had better hair.
Ah, the saga of Shruti and Manju continues…
I liked last week’s episode, too.
interestingly, i did catch the trailer sometime early this week.. and i must say this movie has got something which can move someone.. definitely a must watch for the crowd that loves ‘true story’s with a pinch of truth’. 🙂
miss taz… mogo is actually cassava (yucca root), not taro ;0)… –the uprooted bean 😉
You are so awesome for posting your musical inspirations. I like this trend!
I lived in Zambia, where my parents were physicians working for Kenneth Kaunda’s government, until I was three years old. Here’s an essay I wrote a month back (with some photos of my parents in Zambia) about how those years affected my diasporic identity.
Yes, both Catch a Fire and the other recent movie about post-colonial Africa, The Last King of Scotland, are on my list of movies to see, once I get the time. Thanks for highlighting it.
Like tamasha, I also like that you mentioned the songs you listened to. How fun! I listened to The Killers’ “When You Were Young” and The Shins’ “New Slang” (same playlist), while typing this comment.
Democracy Now had a segment on the movie [includes video link].
Also :
Shouldn’t that be “Afrikaner”, rather than German ?
The Last King of Scotland is #1 on my must-see list. POV’s Twelve Disciples of Mandela is also waiting for me on my DVR.
Both sets of my grandparents migrated to Africa (West and North) in the late 30s and my dad and mom were born in Ghana and Morocco respectively. I was born in Ghana. I’ve reflected on my diasporic experience here and here. Both pieces were written a while back but …. I just thought I’d share.
Dint you know? Shruti and I are engaged 😉
The Indian experience of Apartheid in South Africa isn’t terribly well documented. There’s an amazing photograph at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg of a white man and an Indian woman (well dressed and well-to-do) about to board a plane for Britain, since their marriage was illegal. It’s a classic black and white shot–picture Cary Grant and Shobana Azmi–about to climb the ramp to the aircraft.
Gandhi’s house, school, and printing press in the Phoenix Settlement in Durban were destroyed in 1985, overrun by poor blacks in a race riot. The buildings were reconstructed, apologies were tendered, and now the area is a tourist attraction, though it’s in the middle of a black shanty town. Indians today are afraid to go there.
Durban’s decling industrial economy and the weakening of organized labor have caused hardship for Indians after democracy. Durban had been one of the main sugar-growing and producing areas, traditionally an Indian industry, but not so much any more. Indian unemployment is high, and all the government schemes to create jobs (quotas and other initiatives) favor blacks, putting Indians at a severe disadvantage.
But South Africa’s rich Indians are getting really rich, and as a whole the community’s lot is fast improving. The South African Institute for Race Relations noted in 2004 that in five of SA’s nine provinces, the average household income for Indians was higher than that of whites in the formal economy. Will the rising tide lift all boats? Will Indians in SA continue to be a market dominant minority (link), resented and attacked for their insularity and comparative wealth?
There is an unfortunate (but descriptive) saying about the three races in South Africa: on the weekends, whites go shopping, Indians spend time with their families, and blacks go to funerals.
I just blew a fuse, my favorite topic on my favorite blog. DonÂ’t know where to start, but you donÂ’t need a history lesson. Apartheid was worse than you can imagine, we werenÂ’t all lucky enough to be born free. South Asians have played a major role in the fight against injustice, to mention a few: Fathima Meer (we love her)her husband Ismail, Mac Maharaj, Strini Moodley, Ahmed Kathrada, Divas Patel, Jai Naidoo and I could go on. I myself was an active member of the ANC youth, did some time for rabblerousing.
Its true that Durban has one of the largest Indian populations outside of India there are huge Indian townships, such as Chatsworth and Phoenix.It does make for great Diwalis, great Eids, great Melas, tons of S.Asians to date so you can be picky (: We grew up not knowing of the caste system and that people like to be classified as Pakistani, Indians, Bangladeshi, etc, we were brown it was enough. Running in sugar cane fields, eating green mangoes with chili powder and salt, begging your dad to bring home a ‘bunny chow’ (do wiki that, its hilarious how it came about), surfing and being out in the sun all day everyday. Durban where the fun never sets.
Totally excited to go read literarysafari’s Sankofa essay. While I was living in Ghana in 1994-95, I didn’t note any substantial Indian diaspora (not that I was intently looking for it), though there seemed to be substantial numbers of Lebanese and Koreans. I think there was on Indian restaurant in Accra, and that’s the only time I saw anyone who looked desi.
Awesome to see stuff here about the African diaspora!
There were 3 restaurants a few years later. The Indian cultural center was right across from the US counsulate, and it had been there for decades. And many of the most popular bars / clubs were desi owned. You just had to know where to look. However, in Osu especially, they were there.
Desis must be one of the most hated communities in S.Africa of today.
Rightly or wrongly they have been thought as supporters of aparthied considering many Indian business flourished during that time. Most of the big business (auto dealerships, import export, money exchange, stock exchange) are domains of desis in S.A.
Desis pretty much live a strictly seggregated life – no mingling with blacks so that has not helped either.
All in all a sad situation today considering India (as in Indian government) was one of the largest donor to ANC’s cause – Mandela’s first visit after his release was to India to thank Indian government. And current generation has absoultely no clue nor love to India nor Indians.
Actually, the songs I listed are blog posts all there own- but I figured the post was long enough. Sikhman and the Rasta actually has a line in it about the Zulu people, which got me thinking about this topic more. Click through the links — fascinating the history of songs how they help revolutions. And FYI, the first two songs listed were on the SM Meetup Best goody bag ever… 😉
I was born in Nairobi and left when I was five. All I remember is bougenvillas, Morris Minors, and the loooong ship ride back to India…..Wish I could go back. I feel a connection to the continent.
Thanks, taz. So I saw the comment on Bunny chow and did a blogsearch and discovered this fascinating article titled ‘Where Africa meets India’ (with recipes)!
I dont think Motorcycle Diaries was about ‘Fight against Injustice’ movie, as far as I can remember it was a ‘Making of a Communist Freedom Fighter and/or Terrorist’ movie with beautiful landscapes and untouched vistas.
I know exactly which restaurant you’re talking about!There’s actually a temple a few blocks away, off the main road, opposite the US consulate – a bit off the beaten path – that’s been there since the 80s.
That’s funny — I know that place too! (or did back then. i was there in 95 myself)
Knew that was coming…
taz,
Aaaahhh…the links are fascinating. Sorry for my misinterpretation. I’m still quite dense at 7am and only get denser throughout the day. 😉
literary safari,
I really enjoyed your sankofa piece, and look forward to reading the other one at the end of the day.
If I recall, the restaurant in Accra was about a block off Cantonments Road, and called Haveli or Haweli. It was pretty posh compared to most of my usual Accra dining haunts. Cool that several here on SM have been in Ghana!
Haveli – Yup. that’s the one. What I find interesting is that there’s a lot of material about Indians in East and South Africa, but not so much about their/our experience in other parts of the continent.
Taz, everyone, you’ve seen Amandla, yes? Great movie.
I’ve heard interesting things about indians in africa, some of them quite unfortunate. it would seem that at least some segments of our communities are in exploitative positions compared to indigenous africans. e.g., indians “employing” africans in virtually slave-like conditions in Kenya, Indians tacitly supporting the apartheid regime (which Gandhi has also been accused of) against Africans, etcetera.
the market can fix this, regardless of what the reality is, so i’m not worried about it.
There was a whole issue a few years ago in SAMAR Magazine dedicated to the connections between South Asia and Africa.
Mmm-hmmm…
I’ll hold you to that. I doubt it will receive a single nomination.
While Catch a Fire is a decent film, it perpetuates the premise that American actors can and should play foreign roles. Why couldn’t South African actors be used more here? Especially given that Tsotsi won an Academy Award last year, and the film industry in South Africa is finally emerging on the global film scene. South Africa has a wealth of talent, and I wish it could be showcased more.
And Taz, as for Gandhi in South Africa, he wasn’t a politically mature individual during his time there. Many accounts reveal that he fought the cause of the Gujaratis, and that, the upper-class Gujaratis, exclusively. He even argued to the British (who were at that time ruling SA) that Indians were their loyal subjects and civilized, in contrast to the black Africans. So definitely take the whole Gandhian presence in South Africa with a grain of salt.
South Africa is a very complex place, and the role that the “Indians” assume there is often troubling vis-a-vis their fellow South Africans – filled with racism and that zealous obsession with the motherland. That said, there were and are some very politically and socially progressive Indian South Africans, who see themselves first and foremost as South Africans. Mac Maharaj, Jay Naidoo, etc. come to mind.
Also, Preston, don’t forget the Coloureds. Though it is an artifical construct imposed by the apartheid-era government, it is still significant to recognize the identity of this community as other than strictly black, white, or Indian. Hopefully, one day their identity will be recognized as a global norm.
Never said he was. For the Gandhi in South Africa arguments, read the blog and comments to the article I linked to in the post.
I know next to nothing about South Asians in Africa, but I saw Darwin’s Nightmare last year, and given only that film, I’d say you’re right. (A couple youtube links if you want: 1, 2.) The film was very compelling (I was literally depressed for a month after seeing it, and I don’t think I’ll ever allow myself to waste food in any way).
Of course, there’s always the question of artistic framing vs. accuracy, so I’ve also been wondering about the South Asian angle on that film. All I’ve been told is that desis fall under the “colored” category, which is still higher than the “black” category, and this makes a difference in treatment, culturally and institutionally. Can someone enlighten me?
Shruti, Under apartheid, Indians were a separate racial category from Coloureds, and very distinct communities. Coloureds are basically a community of mixed-race individuals, many of whom trace some part of their lineage back to India, but further back than the Indians – who largely started arrived in the mid-19th century onwards. In terms of treatment, Indians and Coloureds were treated similarly, such as in prisons where Indians and Coloureds, say, would be given 2 pieces of bread, whereas “Blacks” would be given 1 piece of bread. The depth of legislated institutional racism was just appalling.
Taz, Rather than conflating the distinction between Gandhi the symbol and Gandhi the person, may be better to do a little more research next time – and that too, from the SM archives themselves. http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/000472.html http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/gandhi.html
Thanks SouthAfricaPhile – interesting stuff, but would you also happen to know about the role and treatment of South Asians in Africa outside of South Africa? My original question was actually in regards to Yeti’s comment about Indians exploiting blacks in Africa. Darwin’s Nightmare is set in Tanzania, and it shows Indian Africans in the “middleman” position – they exploit the blacks to death (literally) and serve as a buffer for the giant European corporations, who, obviously, make the largest profit from the whole setup.
I’m not a film geek, so I don’t know what one would call “visual rhetoric”, but there’s this one really tense scene (which actually gets repeated to highten the effect!) where the Indian businessmen are being interviewed. The way they skirt the issue and deny involvement in anything unethical clearly conveys to the audience that they do have an idea of what’s going on and where they fall in the race hierarchy, but don’t care about all the death and depravity they’re causing as long as they’re getting theirs.