I am very happy to share about my experiences in the OIYP Gender and Culture Workshop. First of all I am very happy and excited that I am selected for the wonderful opportunity. I am sure that I will use the learning’s out of this visit for the effective implementation of my work at the communities. I am herewith trying to explain my learning’s day wise. For further details see my website.
DAY 1
The day two started with introductions of core facilitators to the workshop, Nompumelelo Mbatha and Laura Washington. The facilitators have immense experience in facilitating workshops on gender and culture.
The facilitators have assigned few exercises to action partners which reflected about each one’s cultural and personal identity. The exercises have given lot of scope to understand the diversities of culture existing within the same group of participants.
The later part of the day was filled with excitement from all the action partners as we made a visit to the local community. This was an opportunity for learning the culture of the community and also simultaneously sharing about our own. The enthusiastic youth in the community have performed a role play illustrating the emotions that take place in a HIV infected family. The role play has further lead to the discussions between the community members and the action partners; to learn about the scenario of HIV/AIDS and its relation to culture in each one’s country and community in specific. The community exposure visit came to an end with random questions about the impact of cultures and traditions in the cases of marriage ties, divorce, Leadership of women, Water issues etc.,
The cultural night session was the final and late night session of the day. Despite the tiredness, every action partner had participated in this session successfully by sharing about the culture they follow in the community in specific and also giving the picture of the country in general. The colourful traditional dresses each action partner had worn and shared about its significance stands as most interesting part of the evening. The youth from the local community has participated in this session, giving more space to sharing and learning.
Day 3 started with a small assignment, Defining the culture and what it means to each one of us ! Also there was one food for thought, which demanded us to understand what makes my gender in decision making or position in family, Powerful or ignored.
After the Morning tea break, we visited the Bambayi community. This is an opportunity for us to interact with the youth and understand the culture. The discussions were organized at the drop-in centre, this is a place where the HIV infected or affected orphan children are provided required support. The drop-in is also used for the counselling of PLHIVs. The youth in the community has started the meet by performing a local traditional dance. The cultural dress they had worn for the dance has made the dance very interesting. After the dance programs the discussions between us, the action partners and the youth from local community, have started. The discussions ranged from learning about each ones opinion about sexuality to the practice of culture in marriages. The discussions seemed very amazing and interesting as the youth had explained everything in transparency and clearly. After the visit to the community, we had the very rare opportunity of visiting the Mahatma Gandhi settlement called Sarvodaya. This is the place where Mahatma Gandhi had lived for nearly 21 years. I also had the opportunity to view the press material he used for his publications “The Indian Opinion”. I am very much excited with the visit to sarvodaya.
After coming back to the hotel, the facilitators have organised a reflections session about the visit. Here all the action partners had shared about the experiences in learning the new things and also shared few points, while they compared the bambayi community culture with the communities back home. The facilitators have given clarifications to the doubts each action partner raised. Further they also provided a history of the bambayi community, thus creating a sense of understanding of current situations and reasons for the problems the community is facing as a result of consequences of what happened in past. Bombayi community is turned out to be the scape goat as a result of rivalries between the Enkatta group and the liberation group. Bambayi community was supported by Enkatta group due to which the liberation group supporters were chased out of the community. This process also witnessed terrible violence within the community resulting the death of 10,000 people. Over a period of time the liberation group supporters had totally come out of the bambayi. The liberation group is supported by the Afrian National Congress (ANC). When ANC had finally come into power, they started ignoring the bambayi community – due to the myth that they are permanent supporters of enkatta group.
After the reflections session, the groups have discussed about the topics to be discussed during the workshop sessions ahead! Here all the action partners have given their topics of interests. During the same session, the facilitator has also explained about the Lobalo or Lobalal or the bride price culture in most of the South Africa. The culture of paying cows as bride price by the groom’s family is seen quite common across the country. It is generally 11 cows, the minimum bride price dicided. Discussing about the original of this magic fig 11, Laura, The facilitator, has explained that between the 1800 – 1878 when british occupaied the land, has forced the local zulu community to pay taxes. Tax was levied on every possible asset like bicycle, dog etc.,so as to ensure that the sale of the same shall raise the income of the administration. However this strategy failed due to the self-reliant zulu communities which already acquired what all necessary. Looking at this situation, an colonial employ / chancellor ? Mr. Theophilus Shepstone has made the exchange of 11 cows as a minimum Lobalo in the community. The communities in south Africa has totally been practising labola. This practise can never be stopped. So the lobala pricing by the administration had made zulu community work for the government so as to make money and buy the cows for the lobalo.Thus the money started rotating resulting in the raise of income for the colonials. The learning from this story is that some time culture might have been designed, benefitting a particular sects of people, which we must be aware of .
Day 4 – The day for Relaxing with excursion and visit to natural sanctuary !
I am very happy that today my dream of going to safari is fulfilled. We visited the Tala Wildlife Sanctuary which is hostage for Hippopotamus, Antioquia, Rhinoceros, Giraffes, Deer and Wild pigs?? We had the opportunity of having a close look at the animals 1
The day came to an end with the barbeque hosted by Mr. Allan, The acting country director – Oxfam Australia: South Africa Head Office.
After the wonderful workshop, I shifted to the Gibela Backpackers Lodge located at 119 Ninth Avenue, Morningside, Durban. I have chosen this youth hostel to spend my extended stay in Durban; considering the economical price and also the security reasons. Another action partner Mr. Coulibali ba is also accompanying me during the stay! On the very first day we walked for nearly two hours only to realise that Durban is one of the best city to live with, however is not a tourist place. The next day I attended the IPL cricket match between my home team Deccan Chargers and Chennai Super Kings. I attended the match with my cultural dress thus being an exhibition to people in the stands and camera! The third day we spent at North beach and the Indian shopping markets. All the stores had general items required for living however there were no souvenir shops available. I spent the last of my stay in attending my pending work. It was of more fun to be in a very quiet place and attend your work with one around you disturbing. Thus my wonderful trip to Durban, South Africa came to an end. I whole heartedly thank OIYP for this opportunity.
