THIS IS AFRICA

Welcome to A BLOG LIKE NO OTHER’s very first conversation starter post, MOTHER OF THE LIGHT, an interview with Mama Miya, no relation to blog producers. 

The blog looks forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can ease the fears of mothers raising children with albinism on a continent where people with the condition are butchered for body parts, and also do away with the belief that human body parts are magical.

WATCH INSERT – MOTHER OF THE LIGHT

The team at A BLOG LIKE NO OTHER is excited to bring you the first instalment of new content!

Get ready for interactive CONVO STARTER PACK posts where the blog speaks to South Africans with extraordinary stories, and looks forward to hearing your thoughts and sharing your comments on the various topics, starting with…

MOTHER OF THE LIGHT

A mother talks about raising 2 children with albinism on a continent where albinos are butchered for body parts.

WATCH THE PROMO 

For the final instalment of the “As far as I’m concerned, MAYIBUYE I-AFRIKA!” series on A Blog Like No Other, I thought I should just drop these controversial pictures here. They were taken by University of Pretoria students at a private party as shown in the media.

Wena uthini? Your thoughts?

Students at a “blackface” party. – image – ewn.co.za

Students at a “blackface” party. – image – ewn.co.za

Thank you for following the Mayibuye i-Afrika series on A Blog Like No Other.

Akuna Afrika ezobuya singakaziqhenyi ngemvelaphi yethu. Izwe lethu liyohlala lisezandleni zabantu bangaphandle ngoba asizazi ukuthi singobani. Siyahlekana uma omunye wethu ekhuluma isiNgisi ngendlela ebheke eceleni.  Eningizimu Afrika wonke umuntu unelungelo lokukhuluma ulimi aluncelile, asikho nakancane nje isidingo sokuthi umuntu azilume ekhuluma into angayazi. Yebo isiNgisi ulimi oluqavile ikakhulukazi emsebenzini kodwa unelungelo lokuzichaza ngolimi lwakho uma ufisa.

English, set my people free. – image – jokideo.com

Siphikisana ngezinto esingazazi ngoba sesazilahla lezi esizaziyo, ezaziwa okhokho bethu. Senza imikhuba esiyizwa ngabantu bokuhamba. Amasiko ethu sesiwabiza ngamanyala uma siphambi kwabefundisi abahola amabandla angomafikizolo uma eqhathaniswa namasiko nezindlela zethu. Sesinemibono ekhombisa ukudelela uma kukhulunywa ngokuhlaba nokuxhumana nabadala abalele.

Ngiyayibona imbuzi, abanye abakwazi ngisho ukuhlaba inkukhu. – image – Ntokozo Sindane

Angeke ngikushumayeze ngamanzi amponjwana kodwa ngithi angibuze ukuthi uwuphuza kanjani wonke umholo ungakazigculisi izimfanelo zasendlini?

Angithi ke. – image – vukuzenzele.gov.za

Umculo waphesheya asiwuthandi sinomuntu phansi! Angiphiki wona umnandi kodwa nowethu ushisa izikhotha. Sinamakhabethe agcwele amacwecwe abaculi baphesheya kodwa asinalo ngisho necwecwe elilodwa likaPhuzekhemisi. Sivelelwe; abanye uma bebiza u-Enrique Iglesias, balikhipha ngamakhala igama lakhe kodwa uma kumele babize uMgqumeni ngathi kuyaliwa.

Umgqumeni, ongasekho emhlabeni. – image – article.wn.com

Kuningi esingakukhuluma kodwa ngibona kukuhle ngifingqe la. Kucacile ukuthi umbhalo wami ulibangisephi. Zithande muntu omnyama! UMdali akakubekanga emhlabeni ngephutha. Basikhohlisa kalula ngobukhazikhazi ngoba bafuna singayithatheli phezulu indaba yomhlaba wethu. Vula amehlo. Vula izindlebe. Vula ingqondo, mkhaya. Vula inhliziyo. Ukuze ibuye i-Afrika, kumele kubuye ukuzithanda kuqala.

MAYIBUYE I-AFRIKA! – image – ventureburn.com

Isimemezelo:

Ungayijabulela lemibhalo kaTsepiso Nzayo yesiXhosa kwi-blog yakhe ebizwa ‘Senditshilo‘.

We are halfway through A Blog Like No Other’s series called MAYIBUYE I-AFRIKA! and I thought it would be interesting to look at the events which laid the foundation for some of the issues South Africa and the rest of Africa faces today.

I came across this article on South African History Online and found it appropriate.

History of Slavery and early colonisation in SA timeline 1602-1841 | South African History Online.

This man, Abubakar Shekau, leads a Nigerian militant group called Boko Haram, which claims to be Islamist in its beliefs.

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. – image – rnw.nl

These are the Boko Haram men. They are known for terrorist attacks and atrocities against civilians.

Boko Haram militant group. – image – sunnewsonline.com

Boko Haram militant group. – image – punchng.com

These heavily armed, dangerous men believe that young girls should not be exposed to Western education and would better serve their communities as wives and mothers. Boko Haram have taken responsibility for kidnapping almost 300 Nigerian schoolgirls.

Nigerian schoolgirls. – image – theinfrastructurenewsng.com

Initially, media houses did not give this shocking story of human suffering enough attention.

People also felt that this man, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, was not treating the kidnapping with the urgency it deserves.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. – image – bcnn5.com

This led to ordinary people, world politicians, religious leaders, celebrities, businesses and other organisations taking to social media, armed only with the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls to demand the return of the girls and show support for the traumatised families.

So, next time you come across the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls on social media, do share and retweet the content to help raise and maintain awareness about the Nigerian schoolgirls until they return home safely.

Click on the links below for the latest developments in the saga.

Nigeria’s Boko Haram threatens to sell kidnapped schoolgirls

Kidnapped schoolgirls raped 15 times a day, says one who escaped

Mama Graça Machel, wife of late President Nelson Mandela writes open letter to girls and their families

Nigeria abductions: US and UK experts help seek schoolgirls

Nigeria ramps up search for missing girls