'Yes' she says, 'that is laksmi, I love lakshmi, also vishnu. I wear my sari and than we are going with the boat and we throw the god in the river and than everybody gets wet and we celebrate'.
Jeenah, 6 years old
Heritage: German, dutch, mixed creole but above all...
No boundaries for children, the world is theirs.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Identity, the suitcases.
Identity is hot. Research your heritage and find your identity! It is like suitcases coming in big amounts, full of content you yourselve didn't pack. I feel like I was totally blank, that without all this research where I come from I will be with no identity at all. And if I already had a identity I am now totally confused because suddenly I am a lot of things I didn't know of. Does it really matter? Does it say anything of what I am today because I know?
Here I am, sitting in this room talking about heritage and suddenly people are talking about how this will give me my identity, knowing who I am. Research is doen about where we all come from. Research about the hindustani, the javanese, the chinese, negros's. Research about our heritage of slavery, and I can mention more! I was not a slave, yes my great great great great grand mother and father were. I was not a contract labaror, my great great and so on.. was. Where is the 'now'? The things we do today, that make us what and who we are. Do we take responsibilities for the actions we do today, now?
Yes ofcourse i want to know about my history, there wouldn't be a me without it . But. I think sometime by myselve it is a great cover not to go with the progressive flow of all the things happening today, so bizzy constantly looking back instead of ahead. It is like legal stopping yourselve from going forward, while the whole world is moving and dynamic changes are made.
As for me , today , I suddenly got a lot of suitcases whith labels saying ' this is you'. Strange huh.. I am shaking hands with someone I don't know, the 'me' of the research.
I want to pack my own suitcases, label them with my own peace of paper as from my own work, from what I've learned when I grew up, from my own experience. Let this be my identity and leave history to identify the great great great grand mothers and fathers of all of us. Give them a place. Let my place be the one in the now, not through the window of what was, but what is. Let people look at me now, without trying to label 'Me' with history. Let me be the one I feel to be. It is what I choose from what the world offers me. It is where I feel comfortable and what makes me comfortable. It is the language in which I like to express myselve and the spirit I feel that carrieed me through history. It is the friendship I choose and the people that surround me. These, yes these things, I put in my suitcase of identity.
Here I am, sitting in this room talking about heritage and suddenly people are talking about how this will give me my identity, knowing who I am. Research is doen about where we all come from. Research about the hindustani, the javanese, the chinese, negros's. Research about our heritage of slavery, and I can mention more! I was not a slave, yes my great great great great grand mother and father were. I was not a contract labaror, my great great and so on.. was. Where is the 'now'? The things we do today, that make us what and who we are. Do we take responsibilities for the actions we do today, now?
Yes ofcourse i want to know about my history, there wouldn't be a me without it . But. I think sometime by myselve it is a great cover not to go with the progressive flow of all the things happening today, so bizzy constantly looking back instead of ahead. It is like legal stopping yourselve from going forward, while the whole world is moving and dynamic changes are made.
As for me , today , I suddenly got a lot of suitcases whith labels saying ' this is you'. Strange huh.. I am shaking hands with someone I don't know, the 'me' of the research.
I want to pack my own suitcases, label them with my own peace of paper as from my own work, from what I've learned when I grew up, from my own experience. Let this be my identity and leave history to identify the great great great grand mothers and fathers of all of us. Give them a place. Let my place be the one in the now, not through the window of what was, but what is. Let people look at me now, without trying to label 'Me' with history. Let me be the one I feel to be. It is what I choose from what the world offers me. It is where I feel comfortable and what makes me comfortable. It is the language in which I like to express myselve and the spirit I feel that carrieed me through history. It is the friendship I choose and the people that surround me. These, yes these things, I put in my suitcase of identity.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Yes we can!
No Boundaries!
With tears in my eyes i watched the emotion on people's face as the news of Barack Obama elected president of the United States of America came through. It was almost two o'clock in the morning, i was lying on the sofa watching figures passing by on television, 30% 40% and than the telephone ring.. OBAMA IS THE NEW PRESIDENT, he REALLY IS! I looked at the tv again, there it was... Barack Obama elelected new president of the United States of America. Than came Kenya, people dancing.
As for almost 14 years ago I also sat on my sofa with tears in my eyes. Different setting..same feeling. It was the moment when Nelson Mandela walked out of prison.. thousands and thousands of people.. Amandla!. yes it can happen.. yes we can.. we really can make a change.
Change, but change together. Change not to turn your back but change with open arms. Change not to forget but change to face and move on. Maybe it is this , Bisshop Desmond Tutu means by people who have this Ubuntu, this real human spirit.
Moments of truth. To make things happen, Yes we can. Thanks for the spirit that is given to Barack Obama. Hope this spirit can touch many others to make a change, not turning there back to love life.
LOVE !
UBUNTU
Township, column in the Dutch language
Ik zat achterin de auto, moe van het gehobbel van de weg naar het Coesewijne natuurreservaat, achter Zanderij. Ik was in slaap gedommeld, besefte dat ik inmiddels in de stad was en deed langzaam mijn ogen open. Ik zag een lange zinkplaten schutting voorbij gaan met daarachter verweerde zinkplaten daken van huisjes dicht op elkaar, heel dicht op elkaar.
Was ik nog in Kaapstad dan. 'Township' flitste het door mijn hoofd, herkenning? Ik reed voorbij de wijk Abra Broki.
Mijn gedachten maakten een sprong naar een week of twee geleden. 'We moeten naar een township'. 'Je moet het gezien hebben' was me vooraf verteld. Maar ten eerste moet ik volgens mij sowieso niets en ten tweede, vind ik zelf wel dat ik 'iets gezien moet hebben'? Heb ik mezelf nu dan tekort gedaan, helemaal in Zuid Afrika en geen township in gelopen, geen armoede en ellende bekeken, geen zwarte ellende gezien, aanschouwd, gehoord uit monden van degenen die er wonen?
Ik heb wel een ex-gevangenis gezien, Robben eiland en de cel van Nelson Mandela, mooi opgeknapt en geverfd. Ik heb ook een verhaal gehoord uit de mond van een ex-gevangene van Robben eiland. Hoe verschrikkelijk de dagen van apartheid waren, de opsluiting, hoe erg het eraan toe ging. Hij heeft me rondgeleid. We kwamen nog langs een aantal hard werkende schilders die druk bezig waren deze ex-gevangenis een mooie grijze kleur te geven...
Iets klopt niet. Townships met verweerde daken en bijna vergane muren, verroeste zinkplaten schuttingen en hier stond ik in de ex-gevangenis van Robben eiland. Ook een belangrijke bezienswaardigheid , toch, waar echter niemand meer verbleef maar die wel een mooie opknapbeurt kreeg. Ja ik heb veel bezocht, gezien, de lege frisse ruimtes van vroegere ellende en ik heb de huidige ellende overgeslagen.
Ik weet nog dat ik vroeger, in mijn Europese jaren, op bezoek in vreemde landen wel de ellende opzocht. Zielige mensen in kartonnen huisjes, armoede in Thailand, sloppenwijken in Maleisie. Nu , jaren in Suriname wonend, elke dag geconfronteerd met armoede, gebrek aan drinkwater of schoon drinkwater, onbegaanbare bauxiet wegen, wijken met huizen waar drie generaties wonen op twintig vierkante meter, hutjes zonder electriciteit, kinderen zonder school, de dagelijkse struggle van het uitkomen met minimaal budget...misschien was ik wel even heel blij om van het stuk Afrika te genieten zonder de herkenning van de ellende van mijn eigen land!
Ja ik heb genoten van het landschap, de bergen die zich oneindig ver leken uit te strekken in een onuitputtelijke schoonheid. Ik heb de intense warmte die daar vanaf straalde gekoesterd. Ja ik heb het een beetje omgedraaid, gekeken naar het leven zoals het hoort te zijn. Als ik dan toch iets vind, dan vind ik dat ik RECHT heb te voelen en te ervaren wat de natuur bedoeld heeft voor ons: Dat het leven immens mooi is en ellende onnatuurlijk.
@KL-Paramaribo-25 october 2008
Was ik nog in Kaapstad dan. 'Township' flitste het door mijn hoofd, herkenning? Ik reed voorbij de wijk Abra Broki.
Mijn gedachten maakten een sprong naar een week of twee geleden. 'We moeten naar een township'. 'Je moet het gezien hebben' was me vooraf verteld. Maar ten eerste moet ik volgens mij sowieso niets en ten tweede, vind ik zelf wel dat ik 'iets gezien moet hebben'? Heb ik mezelf nu dan tekort gedaan, helemaal in Zuid Afrika en geen township in gelopen, geen armoede en ellende bekeken, geen zwarte ellende gezien, aanschouwd, gehoord uit monden van degenen die er wonen?
Ik heb wel een ex-gevangenis gezien, Robben eiland en de cel van Nelson Mandela, mooi opgeknapt en geverfd. Ik heb ook een verhaal gehoord uit de mond van een ex-gevangene van Robben eiland. Hoe verschrikkelijk de dagen van apartheid waren, de opsluiting, hoe erg het eraan toe ging. Hij heeft me rondgeleid. We kwamen nog langs een aantal hard werkende schilders die druk bezig waren deze ex-gevangenis een mooie grijze kleur te geven...
Iets klopt niet. Townships met verweerde daken en bijna vergane muren, verroeste zinkplaten schuttingen en hier stond ik in de ex-gevangenis van Robben eiland. Ook een belangrijke bezienswaardigheid , toch, waar echter niemand meer verbleef maar die wel een mooie opknapbeurt kreeg. Ja ik heb veel bezocht, gezien, de lege frisse ruimtes van vroegere ellende en ik heb de huidige ellende overgeslagen.
Ik weet nog dat ik vroeger, in mijn Europese jaren, op bezoek in vreemde landen wel de ellende opzocht. Zielige mensen in kartonnen huisjes, armoede in Thailand, sloppenwijken in Maleisie. Nu , jaren in Suriname wonend, elke dag geconfronteerd met armoede, gebrek aan drinkwater of schoon drinkwater, onbegaanbare bauxiet wegen, wijken met huizen waar drie generaties wonen op twintig vierkante meter, hutjes zonder electriciteit, kinderen zonder school, de dagelijkse struggle van het uitkomen met minimaal budget...misschien was ik wel even heel blij om van het stuk Afrika te genieten zonder de herkenning van de ellende van mijn eigen land!
Ja ik heb genoten van het landschap, de bergen die zich oneindig ver leken uit te strekken in een onuitputtelijke schoonheid. Ik heb de intense warmte die daar vanaf straalde gekoesterd. Ja ik heb het een beetje omgedraaid, gekeken naar het leven zoals het hoort te zijn. Als ik dan toch iets vind, dan vind ik dat ik RECHT heb te voelen en te ervaren wat de natuur bedoeld heeft voor ons: Dat het leven immens mooi is en ellende onnatuurlijk.
@KL-Paramaribo-25 october 2008
Foto gallery south africa october 2008
De mamela band , friendship so warm, songs and music so beautiful, the power of words in music and music in words and the proudness of everyone's skills.
watch the pinguins, on the road from cape point to cape town.
and this is tablemoutain, feeling south africa, in my heart, my soul. 'Het is hier dat ik jou gevonden heb... table mountain poem,'mijn africa from myselve.
As die son op witgekalkte klippevan die slanghoekberge lig kom suggestiesvan die vakansie-oord in sig ...the first lines of a poem by my friend Marius Absalom.
views driving from cape point to cape town aside the indian ocean. South africa is all of the beauty one can imagine, it is a country worth fighting for, it is freedom in all its facets. Nature shows us the unhumanity of boundaries, of discrimination, of everything that happened during apartheid and before in South Africa. South Africa made me realize even more the power of life and the hope to live and love again and again. UBUNTU.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Africa and its diversity
And with all those months of preperation, of all those feelings of this 'big thing' to happen, i'm now back from Africa, back in Suriname and i should say. back home
But my home is now diverse, it is home with my children, home with thoughts and very dear friends in south africa, home with my work in Suriname; Yes home is so diverse!
It took a lot of days to ground again in Suriname as if thoughts were still in Africa, trying to unfold. As for my suitcase, it followed my thoughts and was left behind and came in after four days. The content of it was all shaken up, as it was in my head. Nature has it ways you know, to tell you things.
So about diversity. I felt how much influence non diversity has on diversity. That it is very difficult for this beautiful african country still to find the strength of diversity, to take advantage of this diversity, to live the diversity. I missed a diverse bunch of people, different colours, different languages. I know it is there, but it seems to have nog place to encounter, to share, to meet. Diverse people who do share, who do meet, therefor feel to me as very special people. I think it takes time to cross the borders of what was once a rule. There where it crossed, i felt the mixture of cultures in music and languages. As it was with the Mamela band and at the Table mountain. Table mountain not because of the mixture of people but because of the differences in views, every step you make on this mountain gives you a new vibe, a new view, a new feeling a new discovery and that all together felt so strong. Not just strong but unbelievable strong. It was there that i felt South Africa and its diversity.
But my home is now diverse, it is home with my children, home with thoughts and very dear friends in south africa, home with my work in Suriname; Yes home is so diverse!
It took a lot of days to ground again in Suriname as if thoughts were still in Africa, trying to unfold. As for my suitcase, it followed my thoughts and was left behind and came in after four days. The content of it was all shaken up, as it was in my head. Nature has it ways you know, to tell you things.
So about diversity. I felt how much influence non diversity has on diversity. That it is very difficult for this beautiful african country still to find the strength of diversity, to take advantage of this diversity, to live the diversity. I missed a diverse bunch of people, different colours, different languages. I know it is there, but it seems to have nog place to encounter, to share, to meet. Diverse people who do share, who do meet, therefor feel to me as very special people. I think it takes time to cross the borders of what was once a rule. There where it crossed, i felt the mixture of cultures in music and languages. As it was with the Mamela band and at the Table mountain. Table mountain not because of the mixture of people but because of the differences in views, every step you make on this mountain gives you a new vibe, a new view, a new feeling a new discovery and that all together felt so strong. Not just strong but unbelievable strong. It was there that i felt South Africa and its diversity.
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