The wind that day was terrible and so things were much more stressful then necessary. Three huge tents were set up, but by noon only one remained standing and the HIV testers in the that one had to evacuate shortly after that when poles started falling down on them. The production did not get started until 12:45 as opposed to 10:00, but hey, that is not so bad. There were some disagreements about the order of the program at the last minute, or rather during the minute, and some confusion over who the food was for. Our bakkie broke down the morning of the event so everything was about 100 times more challenging but everyone pulled together. Really it was amazing!
One of the main goals was to bring education to the youth of Bethany (pronouced Bet-tany) as to why we celebrate youth day here. It was hard to find someone who could meet the standards we insisted upon regarding the message so at the last minute I was elected to deliver the speech. I timed it and it was less than 10 minutes, but with translation it became far too long (plus the kids wanted the hip-hop group back on the stage) so I was cute short. I wanted to put something on here about the meaning of youth day in South Africa, so instead I will just post my speech as I thought it was pretty good for only having 24 hours notice!
Yep, that is one of our favorite friends Busisiwe acting as MC dressed in a school uniform borrowed from one of our new interns! Love her even if she was the one whispering in my ear "cut this short" as she translated for me.
Here it is - written for easy translation, but not easy enough!
Why do we celebrate Youth Day? What happened on this day in 1976? More importantly what took place before that day and what happened afterwards – what changed? We can’t go back all the way to the arrival of Europeans in South Africa, but we can go back to the creation of Apartheid and the establishment of the Bantu Education system. The Bantu Education system was created in 1954 and before that year most black students did not go on to secondary school. The system was set up to provide the bare minimum of education to black students, allowing them to become qualified for only the most basic of jobs.
Dr. Hendrik F. Verwoerd, the minister of Native Affairs explained the law this way: “There is no space for the native in the European community above certain forms of labor. For this reason it is of no avail for him to receive training which has as its aim the absorption of the European community where he cannot be absorbed? Until now he has been subjected to a school system which drew him away from his community and misled him by showing him the greener pastures of European society where he cannot be allowed to graze.”
In the years leading up to 1976 white children were able to attend school for free while black children had to pay R51 a year which was equal to the average workers half a month’s wages. Black children also had to buy textbooks and other supplies and often their parents were expected to help pay for the school to be built. On top of this the government spent R644 a year on a white learner while only R42 a year was spent on black learners by the government.
After the creation of the Bantu Education system, missionary schools began to fall away and more and more children enrolled in public schools. This was a good thing, but as class sizes increased, the level of education rapidly declined and often unqualified teachers, teachers who 10% had matriculated themselves were teaching large classes often of 60 students or more. The learners began to realize they were being severely short changed.
Between 1954 and 1976 the education system was designed, as the creator of the system stated, because “blacks must be taught from an early age that equality with whites is not for them.” So what happened 35 years ago today? It started in the years and months leading up to the 16th of June 1976 as more and more black children were given a chance to go on to secondary school. As that happened they began to see the injustices they were forced to live under and when a lack of funding forced many to stay behind in primary school, the learners began to ask serious questions and look for a solution. And they began to talk to one another. So when the government decided that important subjects like science and math would be taught in Afrikaans after grade 7, the youth of Soweto decided they were ready to act. They were not responding to the language of Afrikaans, but to the fact that most of their teachers were not equipped to teach such subjects in this language – they were reacting to the idea that a proper way to punish black children that were becoming too assertive was to force them to learn in Afrikaans. They were reacting to a poor education system.
First students at Orlando West Junior Primary School organized a classroom boycott. Seven other schools joined in. The Department of Education sent the police and then the Special Branch police officers. This did not frighten the learners, instead they realized their power. Their power came from their righteous cause and their support of one another.
Then on the 13th of June 1976 a student’s meeting was held. 400 students attended. A demonstration was planned for the 16th of June. On that morning, students all over Soweto gathered at different points to march to Orlando West where they would pledge their commitment and sign Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika. Some say that between 1,500 and 2000 students marched that day.
The police responded to the march and because of their fear and ignorance, many black youth lost their lives. Between 22 and 200 were killed, depending upon which source you consult, with many more being injured and/or arrested. Even when violence broke out, the youth did not back down because they knew what they were asking for was right.
So what was the outcome of the protests and violence of June 16th 1976? The system changed and you all are now free to participate in an education system that is supposed to be equal. More schools were built and the standard of teachers for white and black students is now the same. Young people of 1976 realized the importance of education and fought to ensure that later generations would have access to an education system that did not box them in to a limited role. Because black children were provided with the opportunity to go to school past primary grades, they began to see things that were not right that had been taken for granted by others. They saw that what was was not right and found a way and the power to change it.
What else changed? The people in Soweto, and all across South Africa, realized the power they have, when they stand firm and commit to one another and righteous causes, to make a real important change. As a recent journalist said a couple days ago, “ we must always celebrate June 16 because the courage of the youth then proved to us that it is possible for young people to bring change in our country.”
When you look around your schools and your communities do you see this same belief in the importance of education and the power of the youth to make things better? Do you believe in the importance of education? Do you live a life that tells others you believe each of us has the power to make a difference – to change those things in our communities which are not right or good? If you are not satisfied that the education system you participate in is as it should be, what do you do to make it better? To make it stronger? What do you do to make your communities and your country better? What are you doing to fight poverty? HIV/AIDS? The abuse of women and children? What can you do, working together, with passion and commitment?
So what can we learn? First, this change did not come easy. It took strong leadership, commitment, time and courage. Change never comes easy. But anything worth having is usually not easily obtained. Let us not be discouraged by challenges. Instead we should welcome them as a sign that we are fighting for something worthwhile. If the young people of Soweto in 1976 had been overwhelmed by the challenge of changing a system much bigger then themselves we might be living in a very different South Africa right now.
Second, the young people were willing to take the risks they did and to make the commitment they made because they realized the power of education. Please do not take this for granted. No one can put a price on an education and only you can determine the quality of that education. An education and the ability to think critically is something no one can ever take away from you.
Another thing we must realize from this history is that we the youth cannot wait for the government to do things for us, but must realize our power to bring about change when it is needed. We must take ownership of our own development and lives and stand up for our rights, our future and our hopes. If you are not willing to help yourself or make a sacrifice for something that is good and right, then when help does come from someone else, you will not recognize it.
And finally, there is power in numbers. One person might be able to do very little to change something, but many people working together and committed to a common cause can do a lot. So support one another. Don’t let jealousy and insecurities keep you from supporting your fellow community member in the battle against poverty, disease, poor education, abuse or any other form of injustice.
