"Where were you on
June 16, 1976?" I've learned while in South Africa that this
question is as meaningful as "where were you when President Kennedy was
shot? Or when the second plane crashed into the second
tower?" The date was the beginning of the journey South Africans took
towards the end to Apartheid. A young 13 year old boy, Hector Pieterson,
was shot and killed during a peaceful demonstration in Soweto, which marked the
beginning of a new day.....that culminated in the election of Nelson Mandela as
President in 1994.
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| Mortally wounded Hector Pieterson being carried by bystander while his sister screams and prays |
This past weekend we
were immersed in South African history by visiting three museums; the
Hector Pieterson museum in Soweto, the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill
(the site of the notorious Block 4 prison and the current hall of Justice and
Constitution). The art of form and the art of storytelling joined
together in each setting to paint the picture of a country damaged by
segregation and deprivation to one of hope and opportunity for the
future. The journey to this end is far from being completed, but the
steps toward respect, dignity, unity and cohesion are being made each day, step
by step, one person at a time.
It is an honor to witness this in on a very small scale. It is
heartening to see Hospice Wits make great strides in being a part of
this journey in healing, incorporating the values that all hospices
hold dear: choice, dignity, respect, advocacy and honesty.
Susan Bruno
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