Here in ”Europe”, I did not understand a lot of things. Particularly the countless instances where everyone was saying there is something wrong, surprising, lucky, not enough and suspicious with me. Everyone: Scottish; Polish; Spanish; English; Roma; ”African”; Slovak; Indian; French and myself.
In order to find the answers: I read a lot, I listened to a lot of music, and I watched a lot of documentaries, movies, debates and news. Further, I kept a ”record” of my interactions with people! I (biasedly?) observed almost everyone: the bus driver, the diner, the MP, the fellow tourist, the clubber, the immigration officer, the high-school kid in the street, the grandmother, the shop assistant, the police, the lecturer, European students, Asian Students, African students and my MIND. Intentionally, I asked some of them provoking questions; or made intriguing statements – politely.
More importantly, I interrogated myself: who am I? How did I get here? Why do I like what I like? What am I afraid of? What are my plans, my aspirations? My achievements? My legacy? Equally, I had to be ready for my future mixed race children (wherever they are raised). Therefore, to a large extent this is daddy preparing (for) his children.
The quest for this introspection, knowledge and understanding of others led to my learned and informed (limited) enlightenment on: SELF; structural racism, individual racism, institutional racism; implicit bias, explicit bias; the effects of imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism; terrorism, genocide and slavery to the aforementioned everyone.
Thank you Scotland.
2012: Robben Island
Blessing Kgosi e tsile Kgasa 