Sports in South Africa are huge. This is a country that loves their braais, (BBQ) loves their wors, (Spiced sausage) and loves their sport. There is a true national pride in the beloved Springboks (rugby team), and Proteas (the name for all other national squads.) History has shown how sports in South Africa have acted as a cultural and racial divide, and in some respects it still exists today. But my many experiences here, as well as some recent national sporting events, have proven that sports play a powerful role in uniting people of different backgrounds.
During the era of the apartheid regime, nothing escaped the grasp of racial divides. Rugby and cricket were the main “white” sports, and soccer remained the “black” sport. This not only meant the kind of players in each sport, but even the fans who support the games. Rugby and cricket were played at all-white schools while soccer was the dominant sport at all-black schools in the locations, townships and rural areas. There weren’t many more segregated areas than professional sporting events, and this generally remained the case until 1995. In 1995, something amazing happened, a turning point in South African sports and national identity. The Rugby World Cup was being held in South Africa, and Nelson Mandela was a newly elected president. The South African team wasn’t favored to win and many had them at long shots to be champions. However, Mandela saw this as an opportunity to unite South Africa for the first time. He got behind the Springboks, and openly became a fan of the team. This enabled other South Africans, especially black South Africans, to feel alright about cheering for the team that symbolized white supremacy in South Africa. And as the movie Invictus beautifully portrays, South Africa won the World Cup and the entire nation celebrated their victory. This was a turning point for sports in South Africa, and would open the doors for the mutual love of the game.
A more recent and obvious example of South Africa unifying behind sports is the 2010 World Cup. The 2010 World Cup has been considered by many to be the best World Cup in history. The event electrified the African continent, and the world’s eyes were on South Africa for over 30 days last June/July. South Africa proved that it was capable of hosting such an event, and South Africans of all races and creeds played gracious hosts to the world. And they didn’t disappoint. Besides the South African team, Bafana Bafana (Boys, Boys), not performing like some wished, the event was still a success and widely supported by all South Africans. The theme song, Waka Waka, seemed to be the theme song of the nation, and can still be heard in the streets almost daily. The World Cup proved that South Africa is capable of coming together as a country in support of their sport, which is very promising for the future.
Some of my most memorable experiences here this year revolve around sports. During orientation, all of the volunteers were taken to a soccer match in Durban. We all played our Vuvuzelas loud and proud, and eventually befriended many of the African fans around us. Early in my year, I attended a soccer match between Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs in Bloemfontein. I attended the match with the Monama’s, my eventual host family. I remember high fiving, hugging and celebrating the epic 1-0 victory by Celtic with them and the people around me. I’ve also played a lot of soccer at my placement sites and in the streets. It is often the case that I am the oldest and the only white one playing the game when I do. And although we don’t speak the same language or share the same pigment in our skin, we share the game. I truly believe that soccer is the international language, and it has played an intricate role in accompaniment for me during this year.
The 2011 Cricket World Cup in India also occurred during my year here. I was amazed to see the national unity during the World Cup. The nation all wore their Protea jerseys on Fridays, and everyone was glued to the action on television. The news would often show people of all different races enthusiastically talking about the national cricket team. And I also noticed during that time that kids in the townships were playing cricket. I once thought soccer was the only game played by kids in the townships, but all of a sudden there were cricket matches going on. It was beautiful to see this. And a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to play cricket on the beach with some of the orphans who I went to the sea with for work. Once a sport completely foreign to me, it was now a game I could discuss with the arbitrary person in town and play with people completely different than me.
Sports play a big role in lives of South Africans. There is a strong love and passion for the national teams, and I’ve seen firsthand how large scale events can bring this nation together. There are obvious barriers and divides in the history of sports in South Africa. Sadly, those barriers and divides still exist in parts of the game today. However, sports have been able to unify this nation like nothing else before it. Celebrating a national victory or event is something that all South Africans can relate to. I believe that sports can act as a catalyst for South Africa moving forward. If sports become more integrated on the local level, it will resonate to the professional levels. And as people become more understanding and accepting of the different sports, their acceptance of one another won’t be as difficult. My hope is that South Africans continue to embrace their rich love for sports and let it evolve into a greater love for all. We’ve seen how the Rainbow nation can come together as one. Victory for a unified South Africa is not out of reach.
This blog was written as a monthly reflection for the elca-mud blog, which can be found at: http://elcamud.blogspot.com/
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