Like many World Cup visitors, Brady and I were interested in contrasting post-Apartheid South Africa with what we knew of the country from our formative years, and on our first full day in South Africa, we visited the visually, emotionally, and intellectually stunning Apartheid Museum. The museum includes lots of photos, artifacts and commentary, as well as two films—one of the history of the country up to Apartheid, and one focusing on anti-Apartheid activism in the 1980s, including memorable footage of the Soweto uprising (which was commemorated in a national holiday while we were there: Youth Day, on June 16).
It was with that context in mind that we drove through the countryside to the Drakensberg Mountains and in the Afrikaaner Voortrekker country, and as we listened to people conversing in the eleven official languages of the country. It was with that context in mind, as well, that we traversed the areas around Johannesburg, saw the legacy of the old townships, went to Soccer City in Soweto, and stayed in housing in the mostly white enclaves that are still considered the safest places for foreigners affluent enough to visit.
In visiting the country and driving through countryside that looked to us remarkably like parts of the American West, we were struck by our countries’ parallel histories of white privilege, stubborn independence, activism, and religious diversity. It was as though we were visiting our own country, but with several crucial differences at key points in history.
South Africa still has a ways to go to overcome the history of what several people we talked with called “the bad old days,” but it has made really remarkable progress.
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