He who has a why can endure any how. - Nietzsche
Today, among other things, I bought several traditional African masks. I have been looking for some since I got here and was determined to not make the typical tourist mistakes I often see happening. I went to Green Market Square and met with a mask trader who was recommended to me my Mel, and, as it turns out, very correctly! Billy has been traveling all over Africa collecting used masks for over twenty years and, to be honest, I think he was glad to have a customer who actually asked questions and wanted to know the stories behind the masks, the meanings behind the carvings, etc. I talked to him for an hour and a half and, in the end, Billy gave me a big discount as a result! The three masks I bought are from the Xassian tribe of South Africa, which coincidentally is the tribe Mandela is originally from. They were being completely overlooked by most tourists, but I was immediately drawn to them because they seemed to be the most unique pieces at the market, in part because they have slightly different meanings (most masks are “protection” masks, whereas the ones I bought included a “joy” one and a “love” one)! So I am going home with authentic masks that are meant to protect me and bring me happiness!
And so, once again, just like last time, Cape Town has been a place of healing. Not that I came with any particular wounds or in search of a welcomed panacea – because I didn’t – but somehow, yet again, this city has surprised and inspired me. In part, my musings and thoughts have been fueled by the stunning natural beauty of this city, nestled in between the mountains and the ocean; in part, I guess, by what I can only describe as the strange openness of the people I have met here; and lastly, by the relaxed optimism I always feel here.
The people and the history here (which I do not mean to trivialize by stating so crassly) are absolutely faith-restoring. From the little stories of District 6 resettlement to rugby as a symbol of reunification after the end of apartheid, to children celebrating Nelson Mandela’s birthday all around the country on July 18th….it is a nation with a complicated past, but at the intersection of colonialism, apartheid, tribal heritage, several different languages and cultural groups, at THAT very intersection lies a nation that, despite many political and social problems, is moving ahead. It may be battling with the implementation of effective anti-HIV campaigns at the regional and local levels, but the documents dealing with this at the federal level are absolutely brilliant. The policies of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) may have had several unintended and negative consequences, but the country is still moving forward on the ingenuity, creativity, and drive of ALL its youth, be they white, colored, or black. South Africa is complicated, and I have spent all my time here in a city that might not be entirely representative of the rest of the country (in fact, I know it is not), but coming to Cape Town cannot but give wary travelers a certain kind of warmth and reaffirmation, if not in the country’s future then at least in some kind of redemption and forgiveness.
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