white witness - by marianne winter - reading selection

7/13/2019 White Witness - by Marianne Winter - reading selection

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INTRODUCTION

I write as an introduction, a Love Song,written in South Africa many years agoIt is a !ove song that many fee!, not on!y I,and "e!ongs to #an and what he fee!s in

wonderat the strength of Creation that is ours to

"eho!d,

to en$oy, to have and to share %wherever we may "e and

whoever we are

Marianne Winter


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WHITEWITNESS

CHAPTERINDEX

Introduction

The Karoo

White Witness

Johannesburg 1977

Chapter 1

How Long will it be

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

The Zulu Warrior

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Opportunity

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

On a bus to Pretoria

Chapter 16

Images

Chapter 17

Illness

Chapter 18

...........................................................

...........................................................

.......................................................

...........................................................

......................................................

#he $reat %ista&e' so%e (ac&$round

)ate 1800"s. *penin$ up the interior

+ disco,er- o dia%onds and $o!d ..

ro/th o the countr-' i%%i$ration ..

- stor- ............................................

ineto/n ...........................................

........................................................

oardin$ schoo! at St. o%inic"s ......

)in& -ears schoo! and uni,ersit- ..

C# ni,ersit- o Cape #o/n ......#he nor%a!it--ears in the %idd!e ....

#he other side o !ie on the ca%pus .

....................................................

A ne/ /or!dproessiona! theatre

and ohannes(ur$ .........................

Countess Soia inins&a ...................

#hose ten -ears in ohannes(ur$-

start in the opera ..........................................................................................

#he chan$in$ ace o Arica. .........

........................................................

Separation' $ettin$ read- to $o ho/:.

........................................................

#he ina! sta$e ..............................

p. 1

p. 4

p. 7

p. 9

p. 15

p. 38

p. 41

p. 52

p. 59

p. 69

p. 82

p.103

p.122

p.124

p.136

p.142p.164

p.177

p.194

p.195

p.213

p.231p.268

p.273

p.307

p.309

p.326

p.327

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ostscript

ri!ua Prayer

C!ose o (oo&

urder in ;o%e"uthor#s $omment

A

hoto in costu%e

#he ?SC* =erita$e

oer >o%adri@uas


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5od wa!&s c!ose to his Creation in this !and, harsh,dry and magnificent, where the mirac!e manifestsin f!ower(oceans after the rare rain(fa!! It is the!and of the diamonds that do not g!itter as the stars,and where the word semi()recious can "e a stone atyour feet It is a !and of fantasy and dreams, "ound

into a crue! rea!ity of surviva!, where man fee!s he is&ing, "ut a )art of 5od and Creation

This is the !and where I was "orn

A moonsca)e !and, a fantasy !and that they ca!!semi(desert A diamond !and, dry and hard, that)u!sates and scinti!!ates with !ife and !i&e the

diamond, shimmers forth its !ight and radiatesunder the hand of the #aster(cutter

arianne Winter

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CHAPTER 1

South Africa of the late 1970'

It is diicu!t to descri(e to a ?uropean' (orn and (red

on ?uropean soi!' the co%p!e< socia! rea!it- o the

true South Arica o those -ears. @or those o us /ho

!i,ed' suered and endured the%' it /as a ti%e o

a/areness + a i$ht a$ainst the incredi(!e e,ents in

Arica' e,ents sustained and perpetrated (- those

/ho /ere oten the %ost ,ocierous conde%ners o

inustice' (ut acti,e!- en$a$ed in it ne,erthe!ess. As

the Ita!ians /ou!d sa-' B#here /ere interests

in,o!,ed.C #he sad thin$ is that not %an- peop!e

/ere' or oten are' a/are o /hat those interests (e'as peop!e ha,e a tendenc- to (e in!uenced (-

ne/spapers' #D and %ore da%a$in$ sti!! 4 %ora! do4

$ooders 4 o /hich /e are in a(undant supp!-. As a

retired An$!ican 2ishop' a countr-4(orn ?n$!ish%an'

once said to %e in 3e,on in the "80"s' Buch o the

e,i! done in the /or!d is done (- peop!e tr-in$ to do

od"s /or&. od is Euite capa(!e o doin$ =is o/n

/or& and shou!d (e !et to do it =is /a-.C

I considered the 9ohannes(ur$ o those -ears a &ind

o pre4/ar 2er!in. eop!e /ere !i,in$ in a %ora! and

po!itica! %adhouse. As a /hite' one /as either

conscious o the situation and its %ora! rea!it- and

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/as thereore in,o!,ed in an atte%pt to (rin$ a(out

chan$e throu$h non4,io!ent %eans' /hich too&

%an- or%s' such as ha,in$ and %a&in$ riends

across the co!our4!ine at ris& o arrest' po!iceinterro$ation and in,esti$ation7' or (ein$ acti,e!-

in,o!,ed in non4,io!ent resistance' /hich a!so had

%an- or%s ro% that o po!itica! intri$ue to

charita(!e or e,en artistic and ourna!istic acti,ities7.

It is o(,ious that I ha,e !et out here those in,o!,ed

in ,io!ent chan$e as their actions ha,e (een /e!!

chronic!ed and it is point!ess repeatin$ /hat is

a!read- &no/n 4 or thou$ht to (e &no/n.

#here /ere on the other hand those /ho had decided

to %a&e the %ost o the situation 4 /hi!e it !asted 4

and e,en put it to their o/n use. So%e/hat !i&e

certain o the A%ericans resident in Cu(a (eore the

re,o!ution + or those /ho ir%!- (e!ie,ed that the-

/ere 3i,ine!- destined to co%%and an ineriorpeop!e + hence the accusation o ha,in$ a >aFi

%enta!it-' this %ost!- ro% certain ?uropean

sources7. 2ut the %enta!it- /as e,en su(t!er than

that. It /as tau$ht ro% so%e o the pu!pits o the

3utch ;eor%ed Church that the (!ac&s (ore the

"sta%p o Cain"' (ecause the poor de,i!s /ere (!ac&7

and that the Ari&aner /as the chosen peop!e in the

sense o "!oo&in$ ater" those chi!dren' in its (ettersense7' or in its /orse sense' ru!in$ o,er an inerior

race that had not the s!i$htest hope o (eco%in$

"od!-". In its /orst or% this %enta!it- produced an

a(ect crue!t- such as that recent!- disp!a-ed in IraE

durin$ the u! Wars 4 on (oth sides o the ence 4

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(ut I a% araid to sa-' %ore on that o the "ci,i!ised"

West.

#hose /ere terri(!e da-s that /ere to $et /orse orthose /ho opposed the re$i%e 4 e,en i passi,e!- 4

and un(e!ie,a(!- trau%atic or those /ho resisted.

9ohannes(ur$ /as essentia!!- an ?n$!ish spea&in$

cit- /ith a ,ast 9e/ish popu!ation' %an- o /ho%

/ere on!- one or t/o $enerations a/a- ro% the

"po$ro%s" o ;ussia and thereore ,er- sensiti,e to

inustice. #he ?n$!ish popu!ation ,aried ro% the

South Arican (orn' so%e /ea!th-' so%e not' to

/ea!th- or %idd!e c!ass i%%i$rants /ho /ere there

or reasons o /or&' i%%i$ration' post4/ar reu$ees'

6/hich inc!uded so%e o no(!e4(!ood ro% ?astern

?urope' or %arria$e.

9ohannes(ur$ /as a!so a cit- o /ea!th andinternationa! co%%erce' /ith the t-pe o /e!!

inor%ed critica! cu!ture that /ea!th can (rin$ + not

a!/a-s' (ut ,er- oten. #hose /ho %ade up the

$reater part o the su(stantia! i%%i$ration ro%

?astern ?urope ust ater the /ar' /ere either 9e/s'

sur,i,ors o' or !eein$ ro% ?uropean anti4

Se%itis%' or other/ise Christians ro% the upper

eche!ons o societ-' reu$ees ro% the Co%%unistpersecution and its thet o propert- and (usinesses.

#he ?astern ?uropean artisan c!ass arri,ed !ater

/hen the >ationa!ist $o,ern%ent rea!ised it had to

(rin$ in /hites to stren$then the nu%(ers o the

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We use #eath

To a" for LifeWhat madness or

What Logic this!

How long will it be

Before

Man sees

That

He is God

%nd stands

*ree

In the human race and

Minds not

The transcendence

Of difference

Between himself

%nd another manHow long will it be,

arianne

Winter

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;o- Ca%p(e!! e,en !a%pooned

the% in his The WayCgoose +19FE-2 2ut %-

i%peria!ist aunt !o,ed the% and this /as her st-!e o

!ie /hen she !ater %o,ed to ;hodesia to (eco%eschoo! inspector and !ater Dice irector o ?ducation

in the ;hodesian @ederation. #his /as the 2ritish

co!onia! societ-' so%e dedicated persons /ho

contri(uted %uch (ut others' upstarts and sno(s /ho

did their charita(!e /or&s + or societ- purposes and

persona! a$$randise%ent and a!so (ecause Euite

ran&!- the- had nothin$ (etter to do. #here are %an-

!i&e this a!! o,er the /or!d in a!! societies and

cu!tures' a!! /ith their o/n /a- o e


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",e$eta(!e Sa%%-" is here.C78 #he- /ere ace!ess

peop!e /ho $a,e a ser,ice to others to /ho% the-

re%ained ace!ess + an eterna! /or!d/ide disease.

#he icecrea% arri,ed (- (ic-c!e' ridden (- a -oun$

Arican %an /ho ran$ the "icecrea% (e!!" and a!!

ca%e out to search throu$h the ice(o< on the ront

o the (i&e. I can sti!! re%e%(er the taste o %- irst

icecrea%. 0- unc!e =ector' %- ather"s (rother' /as

/ith us and he heard the icecrea% (e!! and as&ed %e

i I /anted an icecrea%. I /as three -ears o!d.

BWhat"s that:C I as&ed.

=e turned to %- %other and said' B=asn"t this chi!d

e,er had an icecrea%:C

BI don"t /ant to spoi! her'C she rep!ied.

ate -our /a- do/n the crea%- %i


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#a(!e 0ountain /as a!/a-s sp!endid at ni$ht. It /as

not !it up as no/' so /e /ou!d oten sit up to /atch

the spectac!e o the !i$ht chan$in$ as the ni$ht

pro$ressed and as da/n152 ca%e' e,er-one s!o/!-

dra$$ed the%se!,es o to (ed. 153

And then o course there /ere the er,ent

discussions. As Chris /as oten a/a- /ith his $roup'

or out p!a-in$ so%e/here' /e /ere a!! conscious o

the tre%endous (att!e to sur,i,e in the po!itica!

c!i%ate that /as s!o/!- c!osin$ do/n a!! the ,enues

/here a (and co%prisin$ %usicians o %i


13/21

We /ere %et at the door o the nice !itt!e residence/here the uni,ersit- had housed the proessor and

his a%i!-. =e /as u!! o Euestions a(out %usic and

har%onic pro$ressions. A!! ,er- intense. Chris" and

%- de(ate or$ed ahead' constant!- to (e suspended

to ans/er urther Euestions.

BWhat do -ou thin& o this or that har%onic

pro$ression:

Breat' ust $reat' /ou!d (e the rep!- $i,en in4

(et/een our de(ate.

#hen the %an"s chi!d ca%e to sho/ %e a (utter!-

she had cau$ht and put in a $!ass ar' to$ether /ith a

(eautiu! hi(iscus !o/er.

B)oo& at %- !o,e!- (utter!-' she said sho/in$ %e

the ar /ith the (utter!- inside.B2eautiu!' /as %- rather so(er rep!-.

#he chi!d /ent to Chris and as&ed the sa%e Euestion.

Bo -ou !o,e -our (utter!-: he as&ed her.

B*h -es' she said.

Bo -ou !i&e to run in the $arden and p!a- in the

sun: he as&ed.

B*h -esJ she said. #he a%i!- had co%e ro% %ist-

and rain- Scot!and.BAre -ou sure -ou !o,e -our (utter!-: Chris as&ed

a$ain.

B*h -esJ she said. BI !o,e %- (utter!-.

B We!! don"t -ou thin& -our (utter!- /ou!d !i&e to

run and p!a- in the sun too:

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#he chi!d !oo&ed at hi% and /ithout a /ord' /ent to

the door and unscre/ed the Aar and the (utter!- !e/

a/a-.

B=o/ did -ou do that: the ather as&ed incredu!ous.BI",e (een tr-in$ to $et her to do that a!! %ornin$J

Chris !oo&ed at hi% as i he /ere !oo&in$ at a %ad

%an.

B 9ust !o,e' he said. B9ust !o,e.

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preparin$ to under$o an i%%ense!- co%p!icated

po!itica! transor%ation. #here /ere de!icate issues

too /ithin his a%i!- + a socia!ist sister and a step4ather /ho /as an eot/ithstandin$

the act that %ost o those in,o!,ed in open

resistance had (een either put in prison or under

house arrest and thereore (anned' orces o

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opposition /ere ne,erthe!ess (ui!din$ up. #hese

/ou!d e,entua!!- (rea& out /ith the So/eto uprisin$

in 1976' see Herman ;hapter 1-2 *ne /as e,en

(eco%in$ increasin$!- a/are /ithin the /hiteco%%unit-' that one had to "choose one"s /ords"

un!ess one (e a%on$ c!ose and trusted riends. ut

there /as one ,er- open and o(,ious po!itica!

sti%u!us + that o the theatre. #he po!itica! situation

sti%u!ated the dra%atic theatre and the /ritten /ord.

Atho! Cu$ard rose to the ore and the %ere act that

his p!a-s had an audience in Apartheid South Arica'

stron$!- indicated that there /as a !ar$e sector o the

/hite popu!ation that /ere not in a$ree%ent /ith the

$o,ern%ent"s racist po!icies.258

258"thol Augar& > /amous %outh "/ri$an playwright' no.elist'

a$tor' &ire$tor' tea$her2 His writings mostly &eal with the human

situations $reate& by the %2 "/ri$an ra$e laws2 His wor4s ha.e

been per/orme& an& a$$laime& worl&5wi&e O// 3roa&way' 6ew

or4B @oyal ;ourt Theatre' Lon&onB 3arbi$an ;entre' %outh

3an4' Lon&onB @oyal 6ational Theatre' Lon&onB Kuwait et$2

"mongst the most /amous are #3loo& Knot#B #%iCwe 3anCi is

8ea +/ilme& by 33;

un&er the Immorality "$t# 5 a long list2 He $ollaborate&

etensi.ely with John Kani' Winston 6tshona an& Za4es )o4ae'

o/ten a$ting in his own plays2 I saw him in #3oesman an& Lena#

an& #People are Li.ing There# whi$h he &ire$te& an& $o5starre&

with .onne 3ry$elan&2 )any plays were a&apte& to awar&

winning /ilm#3oesman an& Lena# +Obie "war& 3est Aoreign

Play' 1971--B #)arigol&s in "ugust#B #)aster Harol& an& the

3oys# +3est Play 8rama 8es4 "war&s 19E,-B #The @oa& to

)e$$a# +3est Aoreign Play 5 =.ening %tan&ar& "war&'19EE-B

the boo4 5 #Tsotsi# +"$a&emy "war& /or 3est Aoreign Language

Ailm He has Honorary 8o$torates /romale :ni.ersity 19E,B

Wittenberg :ni.ersity 199FB :ni.ersity o/ the Witwatersran&

199,B 3rown :ni.ersity 199DB Prin$eton :ni.ersity 199EB

:ni.ersity o/ %tellenbs$h F((*2 i.en numerous other awar&s'

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and e,en durin$ the ?stado >o,o re$i%e o *!i,eira

Sa!aFar259' the 1ortu$uese $a,e a!(eit !i%ited accessto the educated Arican to $o,ernin$ in the co!onies'

/hi!e /e in South Arica /ere !i,in$ in a $o!den (oot a popu!ar point o ,ie/ (ut true ne,erthe!ess.

259 )any in "/ri$a at that time will not agree' but the

snobbishness o/ the Portuguese was $ultural' not ra$ial2

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2e-ers >audQ had e


19/21

2e-ers >audQ had e


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I NE&&

The Hollow in the sand slied into nothing

%nd Time ran through his fingers

It was as if Life had ne$er been

%nd he was left thinking

Into an emt" shell+

arianne Winter

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trained musicologist. She sung professionally as asoloist in the lyric theatre and on the concert platform in

recital, chamber-music and as guest artist in symphonicperformance including a special CommandPerformance for the South African State President - andhas collaborated with leading names in the music andtheatre worlds. She also worked briefly as aphotographic model.

As a young girl, Marianne played first iolin in a

!ational "outh #rchestra formed by the $nternationalArts %eague of "outh and was also awarded a Silermedal by the Proince of !atal for the iolin. She holdstwo uniersity degrees and seeral diplomas. Mariannewas awarded a &old Medal in Campidoglio, 'ome, forher ision of Art as a (%anguage without frontiers).

*er origins are primarily Anglo-Celtic coming from a

family with a long recorded history that has oer thecenturies, produced internationally renowned academicsand scientists whose work is acknowledged on threecontinents.

As a person she is innately curious about the world andits different peoples she sung in + languages isdeeply cultured and inherited from her father deep loe

and respect for Africa and her peoples.

Aside from hite itness, she has written much poetryand a collection of fairy tales, The Little Book of Elves andOther Stories' which includes, 'The Butterfly and the

Chameleon) now in production as both book, e-book andrecorded isual form.

She lies at present in $taly.

white witness - by marianne winter - reading selection

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