Name calling never helps.
In South Africa it is deemed hate speech to use the “k”
word, particularly if the person saying it is not black. However, as previously
stated I have heard on very rare occasions black people using it on each other.
The word (kaffir), whatever its origins, is simply hurtful and hateful and not acceptable.
However many black people find it acceptable to call a white
person Umlungu (Zulu), Ngamla (Sotho); and Afrikaaner is called “iBhunu” (Boer
or farmer); a Muslim would be called a “iSulumani”; and person of Indian
descent a “iKhula”. The latter comes from the term Coolie. Any of these names
group people in a manner which makes it easier to “define”, or “hate” them.
This is simply prejudice at work.
Our politicians – some of whom fought the “struggle” for
peace against the Apartheid regime sing old struggle songs – such as “Kill the
farmer.” This targets the white group in South Africa, in particular people of
Afrikaans descent.
The challenge here is that everything else except the use of
the “K” word are not seen as hate speech – by the perpetrators. They believe
that they have the right to say and sing divisive and hateful things. Until we
can build a nation where we can clearly state One South Africa, One Nation and “At
the level of respect, all people are equal” we will still live in a land of “them
and us.”
To add a few other dimensions even within, so-called similar
races, there exist names for each other. English speaking South Africans are some-times
called “Rooineks and Soutpiele” the first meaning rednecks – from the sunburnt
appearance of the British soldiers fighting in the Anglo-Boer war. The second
is a bit rough and I will not translate it here. Some English speakers call
Afrikaners “Dutchmen.” None of which are acceptable.
Amongst Indian-speaking South Africans the word “Coolie” and
it’s African language equivalents are not acceptable. Many of this group will
call themselves “Charous” - very few however allow others to do so. There are
further divisions amongst those who originate from North and South India, with
the Hindi-speaking northerners being known as Roti-ous and the Tamil speaking
as Porridge-ous. This is derived from the flat bread cooking of the Hindi
speakers and the porridge used in prayer ceremonies by the Tamil speaking
people. This has become a more fun way to describe each other.
The descriptions of other groups by South Africans of Indian descent - such as vet-ous (White people), Slam-ous (Muslim people) and Bruin-ous are some of the many colourful ways to single out members of other race and religious groups. (The word “ous”
is Afrikaans slang for people.)
And then in Africa, tribalism enters into the equation. This
is becoming more and more prevalent. We are occasionally called in to resolve
team conflict where there are no white people. One of the main challenges
listed is racism. Because the cultural beliefs and traditions are so different
one group may describe the other as, “animals.”
We do not need to separate by group, this prevents us from knowing people as humans. The time has long come that we should respect each other and venture into other diverse circles to find out what makes us tick. Are we so different? Or are we a bunch of human beings from wonderfully different diversities that have been tainted by our histories. Sadly we are being poisoned by the new wave of political utterings, too.
Let us not make the mistakes of the past. Let us build the future together - based in respect.
Brian V Moore 14 June 2012
