SA reads discussion

Pencils were not just for writing- labour

I found the first section dealing with intra group racism very interesting. I wasn't aware that it is also prevalent in the Coloured community. I suppose in the Black community it also has a tribal angle. I wonder if the fact that Africans from north of South Africa tend to gave darker skins is also a factor in the xenophobic outbursts that we see in some areas?

Carolien wrote: "I found the first section dealing with intra group racism very interesting. I wasn't aware that it is also prevalent in the Coloured community. I suppose in the Black community it also has a tribal..."

Carolien thanks for your reflection. It is very prevalent - and the more I read, the more I realise it is a global phenomenon. Perhaps one really needs to look at the agency that comes with being less black. It costs something to be blacker, it did then - when I was growing up and still does

Unfortunately in South Africa we do not talk about racism and colorism as much as we should. If you think about it all of us are products of a racist society over hundreds of years, but very little acknowledgment of what it means, what happened and is happening, and how do we individually and collectively deal with such an overarching scar

Even in my family it is not discussed, this book opened the discussion in my family, at least. Not an easy discussion

Thank you for explaining about the "Cape Coloured" designation. I knew some Cape Coloureds and I always found it to be an odd term. The term "Coloured" itself is bizarre to me.

I definitely wouldn't have passed the pencil test with my tightly curly hair! I swear, racists come up with the dumbest tests to measure "purity."

I so appreciate the discussion on colourism. Like Diane said, it's not a topic that's brought up very often but it affects me and people I know so I wish dialogue was more forthright.

The discussion on beauty was also something I can relate to. I know too many black women who bleach their skin and believe their dark skin is ugly, I know too many black men who prefer their women "lighter" in complexion. This striving for Eurocentric beauty is awful and psychologically so damaging.

Diane's comments on her father not wanting her to study law resonated with me. My parents also discouraged me from studying law. I do not regret my subsequent choice of town planning, but finally went back to study law 15 years later.

I wonder if most students have the same feeling when they finally start working in a large company. So often reality is miles removed from your studies and you are disappointed that you cannot change the world as you imagined while studying!

Rowena wrote: "I definitely wouldn't have passed the pencil test with my tightly curly hair! I swear, racists come up with the dumbest tests to measure "purity."

It is pretty stupid isn't it. Such blatant justification of fear and hatred makes me very angry.

Rowena wrote: "I so appreciate the discussion on colourism. Like Diane said, it's not a topic that's brought up very often but it affects me and people I know so I wish dialogue was more forthright."

A few years ago I attended a genetics lecture at Stellenbosch University. It was based on a study conducted at the university following the Human Genome projects. The point was to discuss genetic diversity but the lecturer provided some food for thought around colorism in our country.

I'm going to try to try to relay the information. Forgive me if some is fuzzy.

We know that certain genes are associated with certain races groups and may have served a protective purpose for the continent of origin the best example is the sickle cell gene. Originally from Africa, it serves to protect against malaria in this region.

The HGP found genetic distinctions in genes from Europe, Asia, Africa. When I refer to African genes I'm referring the genes of the people of origin in Africa; and the same for European genes.

The first finding in Africa was more genetic complexity than Europe. This is because life originated in Africa, genes have had more time to evolve than anywhere else. Looking at SA, there are distinctive differences in the different African populations which can explained through evolution; genes were protective in certain parts of Africa and those were the ones that stayed. For example, there is variation between a Xhosa person from the Eastern Cape and a Shangaan person from Limpopo. This could be example by population migration. It is also possible to see mingling of genes from these populations, particularly in younger generations. And every now and again a European gene popped up.

Because of this genes coding for different illnesses may be different in Africa compared to Europe and further studies were in initiated both in our African and Colored populations.

Genes in the Colored population confirm what Diane has so eloquently explained from a social level; there is wide genetic diversity which includes African, European and Asian genes. But the diversity itself is diverse with some people having a majority of European genes and very few African genes; or vise versa. This fascinated the geneticists, this diversity has huge implications for the expression of the genes as physical characteristics( such genetic complexity may be protective or predisposing to certain illnesses.)

Given that we know what Diane explained about people in our white population having ancestors who were African, but are called white due to their color; further genetics was conducted on the white population. The population studied was people whose families had been here since the Huguenot and Dutch settlers. This is because genetic changes take time. You won't see much diversity in someone who has just come from Europe and this would skew results.

This finding can actually turn colorism and racism on its head. Our white population has a generous helping of Afrrican genes. On a genetic level, it can be impossible to distinguish between people labelled black, white and coloured on a genetic basis, it is merely the expression of these genes that lead to our diversity in appearance.

Therefore, on a genetic level, there is little racial distinction. There is no evidence to discriminate on a racial basis. We are alike and should celebrate our similarities; plus our differences which are imparted by culture and environment.

During this lecture, I was sitting with my friend Booi who is Zulu but speaks Zulu, Xhosa, English and Afrikaans fluently and for me is an incredible expression of cultural diversity in hundreds of ways. I am pasty pale, in spite of the fact that my dad and brother are dark skinned with thick dark hair (my family have Huguenot origins from my dad's side and I'm sure my genetic plot would represent African and European genes). Booi turned to me with a big grin: "My dear, you're the whitest black person I've ever seen! We need to work on that tan!"

Lisa wrote: "Rowena wrote: "I definitely wouldn't have passed the pencil test with my tightly curly hair! I swear, racists come up with the dumbest tests to measure "purity."

It is pretty stupid isn't it. Suc..."

Exactly!

Lisa, thanks for your interesting comments on the genetics lecture! Very fascinating! I had considered getting into genetics myself and initially I was an Earth Science undergrad so it always interested me to learn about the so-called differences among the races. As a person of faith and therefore a believer in Intelligent Design, I completely believe that God made the different ethnic groups a particular way because of their natural environment. Like Lisa mentioned, sickle cell serves to protect people from malaria, hence the fact that its incidence among Africans is relatively high. Personally, as a black woman living in an area that gets little sunlight, I often feel tired and lethargic unless I take vitamin D pills, which I did not need when I was in Africa.

Thanks again for your fascinating comment, Lisa. And your friend, Booi is hilarious:))

That's so interesting! I wish somebody would write a readable book about it. I enjoyed The Seven Daughters of Eve which explained so much about DNA to me and this sounds similar.

Rowena wrote: "Thank you for explaining about the "Cape Coloured" designation. I knew some Cape Coloureds and I always found it to be an odd term. The term "Coloured" itself is bizarre to me.

I definitely would..."

Rowena sure is not discussed openly - in fact some wont acknowledge or speak to me after reading the contents. It is deeply entrenched and one is supposed to "just get on with it" or behave like it doesn't exist or worse still "stop taking things so seriously"

Lisa wrote: "Rowena wrote: "I so appreciate the discussion on colourism. Like Diane said, it's not a topic that's brought up very often but it affects me and people I know so I wish dialogue was more forthright..."

That is so informative Lisa thanks for posting so much detail on this aspect. If you think about it, the generous helping of African blood, shows how inane racism really is.
But as misguided as it is, it still has currency now - impacts people, job prospects, experience in the workplace, self esteem, etc. You need not just be in SA, just travelling to another country you get the sense that it is globally entrenched

I wonder what it would take not just in South Africa but around the world to stop racism