Interview with Dr. Josephine Naidoo from 2018

Tomorrow would have been my mother's 93rd birthday. She was famously born on a leap day, and so we celebrated her "real" birthday every four years. She passed last year on October 24, 2024. And, after she retired from Wilfrid Laurier University, she was interviewed back in 2018 by IACCP - the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, where she recounted some of the events of her life, and her interest in race relations and overcoming racism. The interview is captured in a short 25 minute video that you can view here: 

Dr. Josephine Naidoo passed on October 24th, 2024

Mum passed on Thursday October 24th, 2024 at Clair Hills in Waterloo with Christina, Michele and I all nearby. Her funeral is this Tuesday at Erb & Good followed by a private cremation. We plan to host a celebration of life in the summer of 2025, followed by the internment of the ashes. Here is the obituary as published in the KW Record on October 26th, 2024:

Dr. Josephine Cecilia "Josie" Naidoo (1932 - 2024)

Obituary of Dr. Josephine Cecilia Naidoo

Passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 24^th, 2024 at age 92. Predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Dr. James (‘Jim’) David Leslie, she is survived by her three children and their spouses, Dr. Kenneth Leslie and Shannon Reynolds, Dr. Christina Leslie and Vijay Iyer, and Dr. Michèle Leslie and Patrick Meagher, and five grandchildren, Journey, Phoenix, Jayanti, Padma and Priya. Josephine was the eldest of ten children and is predeceased by her siblings David, Laura, Marianne, Raymond and Selvum, and survived by Joan, Carol, Cyril and Rajan.

 

Josie, daughter of Joseph Naidoo and Christina Lawrence, grew up in a prominent Catholic Indian family in Durban, South Africa. Her maternal grandfather, Vincent Lawrence, was personal secretary to Mahatma Gandhi during his early years as a lawyer in Durban, and the family was active in the country’s social justice movement. Josie’s birth story is famous in family lore. She was born on a leap-day, February 29^th, 1932. Her mother Christina was stricken with malaria during the pregnancy, and Josie was born two months premature and weighed only 2 pounds. Her maternal grandmother, Josephine Lawrence, saved her life by keeping her wrapped in cotton wool in a shoe box, feeding her powdered milk with a sterilized eye dropper and rubbing her down each day with olive oil.

 

Josie went on to flourish, excelling academically at St. Anthony’s Indian School and the Durban Indian Girls’ High School, where she was head prefect and valedictorian. She attended the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in 1952, although she faced numerous restrictions as a non-white student under Apartheid. After teaching at the Merebank Indian School for three years, she accepted a lectureship in psychology at Pius XII University College in Roma, Basutoland, now the National University of Lesotho. She was only twenty-four years old and the only Indian faculty member. While at Roma, Josie worked as an external student towards an honours degree in psychology. She applied to become a member of the (then all-white) Psychological Society of South Africa, but was rebuffed due to race. Decades later, she learned the organization had split over this decision, and she was awarded the PsySSA Fellowship Award in 2018 for her contributions to psychology in South Africa.

 

In 1959, Josie won an American scholarship that brought her to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, where she completed her Ph.D. in Cross-Cultural Psychology with Dr. Harry Triandis. While at Illinois she met her husband, James Leslie, a Physics Ph.D. student from Canada, in a cafeteria line. They were both wearing their respective school blazers, Jim’s from University of Toronto and Josie’s from Wits. As Josie would say, they came from opposite ends of the Earth, and their love transcended the ethnic and cultural barriers of the time. They were married on September 19^th, 1964. Josie moved with Jim to Waterloo, Ontario, where she worked first as a lecturer at St. Jerome’s College and later as a professor of psychology for almost thirty years at Wilfrid Laurier University (1969-97).

 

Josie had a lifelong commitment to social and racial justice that permeated her work and extensive community involvement. While at Laurier, Josie’s research focused on multiculturalism, race relations, women of non-Western origins, the South Asian diaspora, and adaptation of mental health to ethnic minorities. Her research articles were widely published in refereed journals and book chapters. Josie won numerous awards for her community work and research. She was very involved in the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) and served as Secretary General from 1994-96. She travelled extensively and presented at conferences around the world.

 

One of the most stirring experiences of Josie’s life was to serve as an election observer in the first democratic elections in South Africa while on sabbatical leave from WLU in 1993-94. She was based at the University of Durban-Westville and experienced the “de-racialization” of that institution, formerly segregated during the Apartheid era, remarking: “To witness the crumbling of an evil political system and ideology, and experience the triumph of the people, leaves an indelible memory.”

 

Josie spent the last years of her life at Clair Hills Retirement Residence in Waterloo, where she was active in community life, attending music performances and Catholic mass. The family would like to thank all the staff at Clair Hills and Paramed, who helped with her care during COVID and through her final days.

 

A Funeral Service will take place at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street South, Waterloo at 10:30am on Tuesday October 29^th, 2024. A livestream and recording of the service will be available on the funeral home’s website. Reception to follow. There will be a Celebration of Life at the University of Waterloo Faculty Club in the summer of 2025, date to be announced by email and in the Record. Condolences for the family and donations to Doctors Without Borders may be arranged through www.erbgood.com.

 

Long-awaited update

My sisters and I recently gathered in Waterloo for my mum's 23rd "real birthday" - she was born on a leap day and so we only celebrate her "real" birthday every 4 years, so she is actually 92. We gathered with friends and family at her retirement centre, Clair Hills. We did some video calls with family back in South Africa, including my cousin Christine in South Africa, my cousin Rosemary in the UK, and also a call with Auntie Joan and Ashok, Uncle Rajan and cousin Narissa, and Auntie Carole, all in South Africa. I made a point of bringing my wife Shannon and 2 boys: Journey (14) and Phoenix (10). Mum is getting weaker and more frail, and this does put some added urgency on finding ways to move the family history project, i.e., the Lawrence Project, forward. 

My sister Michele has taken an interest in the Lawrence Project, and in particular, she is interested in developing a work of fiction, or fictionalized history, set in the times of Vincent Lawrence. Similarly, I've received requests from my Uncle Rajan Naidoo in Australia, and my cousin Hugh Lawrence in New Zealand, for information pertaining to the family history. And, my cousins Rosemary Joseph in the UK and Harold Joseph in Durban have been long time collaborators on the family history. My hope is that together we'll find ways to share the stories of South African Indians and their contributions to South Africa and the world!

Lawrence Project is Back

Recently my sisters and I gathered to visit mum during a brief easing of Covid travel restrictions. Above you can see mum (Dr. Josephine Naidoo, retired professor of Psychology) with my sisters, Dr. Michele Leslie (rural doctor on Haida Gwaii) and Dr. Christina Leslie (Cancer Researcher at Sloan-Kettering in NYC) and me on the far right, Dr. Ken Raj Leslie (professor of Psychology), at my father's grave, Dr. Jim Leslie (former professor of Physics). 

I am glad to report that there is renewed interest in moving the Lawrence Project story forward! I think this could happen in a few different ways, including renewed activity on this blog, as well as a Wikipedia post on V. Lawrence, as well as the Lawrence Project video, which was my initial inspiration. 

I am delighted that my youngest sister Michele has gotten interested in the Lawrence Project narratives, including learning stories about various ancestors, like Vincent Lawrence, Ammonee, Auntie Sylvie, Uncle Ralph, etc. She is bringing fresh eyes and ears to the substantial amount of data that mum initially gathered, including an interview with Vincent Lawrence when she was 19. This data was gathered together and supplemented with a trip to South Africa in 2007. I am hopeful that we will find a meaningful way to share out what we have learned. Welcome Dr. Michele Leslie to the Lawrence Project!

Remembrance Day

This Remembrance Day, I am remembering my great grandfather Vincent Lawrence, who served with Gandhi in the Indian Volunteer Ambulance Corps during the Boer War (1899-1902). You can see them both in the middle row, with Gandhi to the right of the Rev. Dr. Booth and Lawrence the second to the left (the Rev. Dr. Booth is sitting in the centre). It took courage and conviction to enter the battlefield without a weapon, to usher the wounded to safety. At the time Gandhi felt that Indians needed to do their part for the empire, because they were citizens. His views changed over time, and he lost his faith in the empire and instead led India to independence using non-violent means. Although war seems to be more popular than ever these days, let us also notice that there are many people patiently using non-violent means to bring about real change, for example, the peaceful student protests in Hong Kong, and the work of First Nations activists here in Canada.

Update: Back to Waterloo Again

I find myself back in the family home where I grew up, to care for my ailing father and aging mother. There have been a number of times that I've found myself back here. This time I am here with my partner, the lady Shannon, and my two boys, Journey (4) and baby Phoenix (10 months). We have been living for the past 3.5 years on the remote islands of Haida Gwaii, first in Tlell, and later up on Tow Hill Road outside of Masset. We decided to move to Waterloo after learning that my dad could no longer feed himself. He is suffering from Parkinson's Disease, which is a terrible and debilitating condition. It feels like he could go at any time. We pulled up sticks in June and made our way here to Waterloo Ontario, and I feel like we are only now finally arriving.

Along the way, I made a short trip to France with my mum, to attend the International Association of Cross Cultural Psychology (IACCP) meeting in Reims. Mum has been involved with IACCP for years. I presented on the intercultural animation project I've been working on, known as Haidawood. I also presented on Healthy Enrichment through the Arts (HEARTs), an intercultural health promotion project I worked on with my sister, Dr. Michele Leslie, one of the rural doctors in Masset. Mum presented on the Indian diaspora in South Africa.

Being home at this time does create an opportunity to finally move the Lawrence Project towards some kind of conclusion. I would still like to make a short movie that explains what the Lawrence Project is all about (perhaps it would include some animation?). And Mum has been talking about writing an article on Vincent Lawrence. 

The latest twist in this family saga is a new book on Gandhi's years in South Africa, called Gandhi Before India by Ramachandra Guha. You can read a review here. In the book Guha asserts that Vincent Lawrence was the Christian clerk in the chamberpot incident, even though we are sure he was not. This same error has been made by Lelyveld in his book Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India. We contacted Lelyveld in 2012 with what we knew and he removed his mention of Lawrence and published an erratum in the second edition. But it seems the error has propogated, and I'll need to contact Guha as well. Does it really matter to get these details right? Gandhi talks about Truth power (Satyagraha), so it behooves us all to do our best to get it right. Casting Vincent Lawrence as the untouchable Christian clerk who later made good does make for a good story, but the truth is more complicated and less dramatic.

Update

I am back on Haida Gwaii now, after a trip to South Africa with my mum, JJ (who will be 3 in November), and lady Shannon. It was an epic trip!

I've recently had a few inquiries about the Red Hot Jazz Pirates: an all-Indian Jazz band that featured one of my ancestors, George Lawrence (on the far right, standing in the picture). One of my mum's cousins, Eric Gabriel, is working on a documentary about the Jazz Pirates.

Another Lawrence Project update: we've been in touch with Joseph Lelyveld, the author of Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India.The book has been controversial, in part because it suggests that Gandhi may have had some kind of homosexual liason/interests.

We've been in touch with Lelyveld because in the first edition of his book, he identifies Vincent Lawrence (my great grandfather) as the newcomer untouchable in the "chamber pot incident." Gandhi doesn't name who was the low caste untouchable in the incident, and only says that he was Christian. In the literature, Vincent Lawrence seems to be the only notable Christian at the time, and so it's not surprising that Lelyveld suggested that it was Lawrence who was the unnamed person.

According to our records, there isn't any good evidence to identify Vincent Lawrence as the Christian involved: Vincent Lawrence had already been in Gandhi's employ for 4 years by that point, and was not a newcomer; and our records show that Vincent Lawrence was of the Kshatriya caste. We also have evidence that they had a good friendship and that their families spent time together socially.

Lelyveld has corrected the error in the second edition of his book, taking out references to Vincent Lawrence and including an erratum. I consider the matter closed.

I am not sure what is next for the Lawrence Project. Mum is planning to write a book. I've learned a lot about the family history, but the completion of a movie still seems a far way off. 

Looking for an Editor

A lot has happened since my last update... I've had a baby boy named Journey James. He's about two and a half years old now. Lady Shannon and I are living with him on Haida Gwaii, and large island off the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. We came up here when I accepted a position with Northwest Community College, as their Director of Education for Haida Gwaii. This was due in part to my work on the Haidawood Media Project. The position with the College didn't last: I was let go at the end of January 2012 during a budget crunch. Ironically, I am now back to making two more Haidawood movies.

I have plans to return to South Africa this summer to present at the International Association of Cross Cultural Psychology meeting in Stellenbosch, South Africa. I will be presenting on Aboriginal Language Revitalization in British Columbia, and plan to show one of the new movies we're making.

I am also looking for an editor to help me dust off the old footage from 2007, and have another go at editing together a 20 minute movie before we arrive in Durban on July 5th. Here's the ad:

Final Cut Pro Editor 2 week gig. Will edit 40 hours of footage down to a 20 minute documentary, starting on June 1st and ending on June 12th. Must be on Haida Gwaii or Vancouver.

Update

Wow! A lot has happened since I last posted. I'm now living in Victoria with my partner, the lady Shannon. I'm looking for work here, and have only just moved all my stuff over from Vancouver. That means that I've also gotten the Lawrence Project files and video out of storage, and I am hoping to make some progress on that project now that we've got a place to live, and are getting some measure of stability.

My "auntie" Heather Lawrence has been posting a lot of pictures and other information on facebook. If you are interested in the family history, than she would be a good person to contact! (I've got the auntie in quotes because I think we might be second cousins or something...)

Living on the Drive

These days I'm living on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. I've taken a job with Full Circle, which is an Aboriginal Performance Group, supporting First Nations theater, including training for young First Nations actors, development of original works of theater, as well as putting on the Talking Stick Festival, which will run from Feb. 9-15 2009... I was up in Haida Gwaii this summer, making some new Haidawood movies. I am pretty happy with the results, and I'll be showing some of the movies at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival.

I haven't made much progress on the Lawrence Project since February, and, I would like to find some time to sit down and edit a 20 minute short together. Perhaps over the Christmas holidays...

Back to business

Well, my romantic relationship with Sharmeen came to an abrupt end around Valentine's day this year, and this resulted in a big change of plans. Instead of going up to Haida Gwaii, I've instead been living like a gypsy here in Vancouver. So, I've been staying with my friend Daryl, and then a brief house-sitting gig at Yemaya's place, and finally a stint with my friend Chris. I am very grateful to both Daryl and Chris for supporting me through this challenging transition. The good news is that I've been making lots of friends here in Vancouver, and I've actually had a good summer, exploring Vancouver, as well as the Burning Man and Tribal Harmonix communities here in town. The bad news is that I haven't made a single edit on the 40 hours of footage I watched while I was back in K-dub. Hopefully the delay will give me some much needed perspective on the whole project.

I'm moving to Commercial Drive in Vancouver today. The Drive is a hotbed of art, activism, and community, and so it's a natural place for me to call home. The Drive has been calling me for a while, and I'm looking forward to living with my roommates Jen and Janine, and hopefully getting some much needed traction on the Lawrence Project as well.

I'm also flying back to Ontario on Monday, and then making a trip with Mamma to Germany for the IACCP meeting. That might also give me some added impetus to bring closure to the Lawrence Project. Really, I just want to make a 20 minute movie that captures the essence of what the project is all about...

Meanwhile, in other updates, it looks like Gale Street will not be renamed Lawrence Avenue after all. Instead, it sounds like the street will have an African name, which is not too surprising given the political realities on the ground in Durban...

Mum's talk on Google Video

I took the liberty to post mum's talk on Google video, for all of you who didn't get a chance to see it.

Successful 19th Birthday Party!

Mum had a very successful 19th Birthday Party yesterday. There were over 100 guests, and people brought all sorts of cards and flowers. Mum gave an illustrated talk about her life, which we followed with a toast and champagne. There was all sorts of delicious food prepared by the University Club, and there was a string quartet that played as well. You can see a huge selection of pictures here.

Happy 19th Birthday

I've been helping Mamma prepare her slides for a talk she's going to give at her big birthday party this Saturday. Mum was born on a leap day, so she'll be officially 19 (that's 76) on Friday. The party is on Satuday, from 3-6 pm. Currently, we've got 114 confirmed guests. Mum will give a short speech about her life, and there will be plenty of food, as well as cake, and a champagne toast. Feel free to leave her a birthday wish in the comments below!

Auntie Therese Memorial Post

Auntie Therese, who was Vincent Lawrence's youngest daughter, died on January 1st, 2008 in the UK. She is survived by her daughter Heather. Here is a picture of the two of them back when Auntie Therese was young, and Heather was just a child.

Heather was good enough to put up some pictures from the funeral, which you can see here. Mum made sure to send a bouquet of South African flowers on behalf of the entire family.


I've taken this opportunity to post an Auntie Therese Memorial Gallery on my Flickr account, consisting of pictures taken from the Lawrence Project archive. If you would like to share a memory of Auntie Therese, you can leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Also, feel free to add any details you know about the pictures in the gallery as comments at the bottom of each picture (e.g., I've left a comment on this picture of Auntie Therese's university graduation). Also, please do email me any photographs that you'd like me to add to the gallery.

Full Steam Ahead

I seem to have found a temporary resolution to my 24p woes: I'm going to just go ahead an capture the footage in a 60i timeline, and edit that together. This means that I don't need to send the footage to Compressor, which I've found to be horribly slow. I did an edit of some of the 60i captured footage, and burned it to DVD, and played it on my player, and that seemed to work okay. So, my plan is to just push ahead that way. I could always send the clips that I am definitely going to use to Compressor, and edit together the final project in 24p mode later. The good news is I feel that I've got enough of a solution to move ahead with the project.

Dad and I have been watching the raw footage together. I find watching the raw footage to be quite painful times - sometimes it's boring, and sometimes it's frustrating for me because of minor details I got wrong. Basically, I need to watch it all, and separate the wheat from the chaff. So far, we've watched about 13 hours of footage together, including the interviews with Ela Gandhi, Joy Brain, Father Rattering, and now Devi Rajab. It's a big help watching the footage with Dad, and I appreciate him spending the time with me on this.

Mum has asked me to burn her DVDs of the different interviews. I'd like to finish watching and capturing all the raw footage, burn the interview DVDs, and get a rough cut of the project in the next two weeks, before I travel out to BC for my conjugal visit with Sharmeen from Feb. 6-15.

In other news, Mum and I met with the faculty club to begin to plan her birthday party for March 1st. Mum's actual birthday is February 29th - a leap day. So, although Mum will be 76, it will actually be her "19th" real birthday. We've got plans for a big party, and a short speech. I'd like to have a draft of the movie done by then, although it sounds like the movie premiere will happen at a later date.

More 24p woes...

Well, at the moment, I am really regretting shooting my footage in the 24p HDV mode on my HV20. I had originally chosen to shoot in the 24p mode, because I wanted to get the most "film like" look I could for the project. However, I've since discovered that this makes for a really nasty work flow, such that I have to capture the footage in Final Cut Pro 6, and then send it to Compressor to have it de-interlaced, etc., as per this apple workflow. Unfortunately, Compressor seems to crash when I give it too many files to process, and the processing is very slow, and the processed files take up a lot of hard disk space. I wish now that I had just shot the footage in either regular HD, or even just SD. Life would be a lot easier...

Anyway, there's nothing to do now but figure a work-around. I've been on the Canon HV20 Users Forum looking for solutions. But so far, the news isn't very good. I think my best option may be to log the tape, and then only capture the footage I need, and then send those short clips to compressor. This puts a bunch of the work of deciding what footage to use at the front of the work flow, which isn't my first choice, and, I don't seem to have any other option...

The good news: Dad has been sitting with me while I watch the footage. I find it a lot easier to watch the raw footage with him.

Happy New Year from K-Dub

I'm back in Kitchener-Waterloo, and here to finish up the Lawrence Project movie over the next two months. Sharmeen is working out on Vancouver Island, so it's just Mum, Dad, and I working on the project here.

At the moment, I'm just finishing up a short xmas video for the family back in South Africa. I've been a bit remiss in keeping in touch, and I am hoping this will help set things right. Most of the footage is of my little niece Jayanti, who is the latest addition to the family. Michele is also 7 months pregnant, so we'll have a new addition soon.

There is a lot of video to go through, and I've gotten Dad to agree to sit and watch the raw footage with me, which I think will be a big help.

Happy New Year everybody!

One step forward, two steps back...

I've been up in Hazelton BC for the past three weeks, trying to get a start on editing the Lawrence Project. The first problem I ran into: I couldn't upload the HDV footage, which I shot in 24p mode - that's 24 frames-per-second, instead of the regular 30 frames-per-second of regular video. The 24p is meant to give the footage a more film-like look. I made the decision to shoot it this way back in May, once I decided on the HV20 prosumer camera. The down-side is that I can't even upload any of the HD 24p footage to a hard-drive with my old copy of Final Cut Pro 4.5. I've ordered the latest version of Final Cut Studio 2, which hopefully will arrive any day now down in Vancouver. Of course, I still need to learn how to edit using that software, but one step at a time.

I've also started to watch the 37 hours of footage that I've shot. I'm only 7 hours in, and I find it all quite painful to watch! There is some good material mixed in with a lot of sub-optimal footage, with either poor sound or poor light. As I watch, I remember back to how frustrated I was with some of our shoots. I have been keeping a rough log of the footage, although that's a far cry from the transcript that I'd ideally have.

On top of all that, Mum is working on a book proposal for the Lawrence Project, and so she wants me to send her an overview of answers to the questions that I posed in the interviews. She also wants some kind of short proposal or treatment about the film project. I've started to think that I might be able to include some short and simple animations in the project, to help at least bring some of the stories to life.

I was scouring the web for advice on how to proceed. I came across this site about a first time filmmaker's making of the documentary "My Hippies." It all feels a bit overwhelming. I've got a lot more raw footage, and, I'm guessing less drama than he had. I am worried that the movie will come across as too academic, with too many talking heads, and not enough conflict or drama. Anyway, there's nothing to do but try and push the project forward as best I can.

I'd like to get a rough draft done for my Mum's birthday, on February 29th. At times, that seems doable, and at other times, it seems overly ambitious. I also think I would do well to keep the movie short: down to 25 minutes, with perhaps a longer version of the project at 60 minutes.

Lawrence Grave repaired

I just got this photo from Harold. As you can see, the Lawrence grave has been repaired. The last time I saw the grave, it was with Harold, and we were both surprised to see the gravestones over on their side. So, it's nice to know that things have been set right. It sounds like Rosemary and Natasha have had a productive visit to South Africa, and I will be interested to learn more.

Lawrence Project Trailer

I'm up in the Haida Gwaii these days, aka, the Queen Charlotte Islands. I'm here with Sharmeen, and I'll be working on the Haidawood project over the new two weeks, which involves making stop-motion animated movies with Haida youth in the Haida language. You can see the proof-of-concept movie here.

Just by chance, the Whistling Bones Aboriginal Arts Festival was in town, and I got a chance to participate in a filmmaking workshop with Mi'kmaq filmmaker Catharine Martin. She encouraged me to work on a teaser for the Lawrence Project movie as part of the workshop.

It was a lot of work, and I didn't have much time, with only 2 1/2 days to shoot and edit the movie. I am reasonably happy with the results, and the film was shown at the closing ceremonies of the Whistling Bones festival here in Old Masset. I didn't have access to the footage I shot in South Africa - that's all down in Pemberton. My plan is to spend two weeks in Pemberton in September to make a start on the project.

As I think about the Lawrence Project, it's clear to me that I'll want to balance the tone between the seriousness of some of the content, including discussions of apartheid, satyagraha, etc., and my own sense of humor. I think balancing the tone will be important in making a watchable short movie.

Lawrence Avenue?

It's been a while since I've blogged on these pages. I've been traveling in British Columbia, visiting my sister Michele and my Dad up in Pemberton, and then making a trip up to Quesnel to reconnect with Sharmeen. Now I'm back in Kitchener-Waterloo visiting with Mum and Dad for a bit before visiting the States for a week, and then back to BC.

While Mum and I were in Durban, the eThekwini Municipal Government was in the process of renaming various street names. For example, Point Road has been renamed Mahatma Gandhi Road, Grey Street has been renamed Dr Yusuf Dadoo, and Victoria Embankment has been changed to Margaret Mncadi Avenue. The Point Road rename has been especially controversial among the Indian community, because the street is frequented by prostitutes and drug users. I don't think the Mahatma would mind - he was always compassionate towards people of all backgrounds and life circumstances, and who knows, perhaps the name change will help inspire people to adopt the principles of non-violence to help solve issues of poverty in the area.

Mum is not one to let an opportunity pass by. When Leslie Peters mentioned that he thought it might be a good idea to rename Gale Street, where Vincent Lawrence and his family lived for years (and where Mum was born), Mum jumped into action. With Dad's help, they have submitted an application to have Gale Street renamed Lawrence Avenue. They have just submitted all the relevant documentation, and it remains to be seen if their bid for the rename will be successful.

Devi's Diary

Devi Rajab was good enough to send me a transcript of her article, entitled "Creating a Peaceful Nation," that appeared in the June 4th issue of the Mercury. I've included the transcript here, for those of you who don't subscribe to the paper:

Devi's Diary Monday Column

I had an opportunity to speak with some foreign visitors to our shores recently. A mother and son team Dr Josephine Naidoo an eminent Canadian social psychologist and her son Dr Kenneth Leslie a clinical neuro-cognitive scientist had come to conduct research in SA. Effortlessly the conversation trailed to SA and the crime and its future. Although SA is a microcosm of the world, it is significant that they felt that it displays the most pernicious form of violent crime, which involves shocking acts of cruelty reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's film "A Clockwork Orange." They cite the example of a white man stripped naked by thugs who then crazy- glued his exercise bike and forced him to sit on it and then sealed his mouth with the same glue and proceeded to rob him. Attacks like these induce fear and revulsion in the population, and lead to a sense of hopelessness and despair. But they also tell a lot about the psyche of the perpetrators, which we need to study closely in order to understand why they do what they do. What follows is a series of questions and answers towards a better understanding of how we could fight crime by building a non-violent society.

Our prisons are overflowing. Lesser criminals become hardened, hardened become irredeemable. Recidivism is high. We spend more money on security than food and criminals are emerging like the proverbial Hydra monster, the more you lop of its head the more heads emerge. How should South Africans respond to ubiquitous crime, I asked. Other than employing private security companies, retreating to gated communities, building walls and electrified fences and filling up our jails with inmates, what should we do? “I have been reading Richard Gregg's "The Power of Non-Violence," which has helped me to better understand the principles of Satyagraha says Dr Lesley. The approach maintains that you cannot solve any problem at the level of the problem. A violent response to thugs only serves to reinforce the idea that problems can be solved through violence. In a sense, you are agreeing with the criminals, that might really does make right. The increased security approach is already showing its limitations, and it is clear that it will never solve the security problem in South Africa, or it might do so by returning South Africa to a police state.”

What about the efficacy of the principal of an eye for an eye as a quick and immediate deterrent I asked provocatively. Many South Africans are calling for the death penalty and cite the Arab method of cutting off limbs as a negative reinforcer. There is very little crime in Muslim countries where merchants leave their goods unguarded while they attend to their ritual prayers. While this may be so there is a great deal of collective violence displayed in the acts of the suicide bombers.

“ Violence begets violence and what we want to create is a society that is truly free and non violent. There is a real opportunity to explore alternative approaches to reducing violent crime in South Africa he said. One such approach would involve a Satyagraha campaign aimed at discrediting the use of violence. After all Gandhiji was also a son of Africa and for 21 years he incubated these ideas on this very soil”.

But surely this is a tall order and out of synch with the dominant culture I asked? Non-violence is wonderful as a philosophy but how do we translate this into some concrete proposals?
”Before we can begin to articulate a plan for a campaign against violent crime, it is important to understand the psychology of our opponent. A vital tool in disarming our opponents is empathy. I would argue that the men who stripped that man of his clothes and crazy glued him to his bicycle seat, have, themselves, suffered from feelings of being emasculated and rendered helpless and voiceless. From this perspective, their violent act can be seen as a tragic attempt to seek empathy, in this case, by victimizing someone else. An important part of our strategy is an attempt to help our opponents remember their humanity (by treating them like human beings instead of enemies), and help them recover their sanity.” Change will hinge on helping people to disengage themselves from their identity as gangsters, and help them instead to realize their own capacity for feelings of vulnerability and love. It is important to remember that this identity is only a persona, and not who the person really is.
Progress will depend in part on getting past enemy imagery, and seeing the humanity of our opponent, but what then?

“ The next step involves identifying opportunities for contact with violent criminals, and then creating situations where the power of non-violence can be used to maximum advantage. South Africa has many violent criminals in prison. Instead of judging these people, and reinforcing their identity as the "worst of the worst," which just plays into their egos, and reinforces a culture of violence and retributive justice, we could instead adopt methods pioneered by Kiran Bedi who reformed the infamous Tihar jail in India which many described as a hellhole and converted prisoners into noble citizens through a course in Vipassana, an ancient technique of self-purification, which has experienced a public revival in India after having been all but lost for centuries. Participants spend a rigorous ten days of meditation and prayer, learning to observe themselves. As the course progresses, the participant is brought face to face with himself. This experience has had a positive impact on many of the prisoners who claim that the course rehabilitated them as it forced them to look directly and without excuses into their dark sides.”

How can we confront violent criminals in a non-violent way that communicates self-respect and respect for the attacker, without taking foolish risks? “The answer will require more research, and I think it will involve Non-Violent Communication, and a delicate balance between asserting one's right to personal and economic safety and a willingness to let go of one's personal possessions. This idea could be extended even further: a willingness on the part of wealthy South Africans to embrace voluntary simplicity and live with less, and instead invest in strategies for making sure that everyone's needs get met, including the need for economic and personal security for all. This, along with access to education and opportunity, can help South Africans create a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Letter from Dr. Betty Govinden

Mum and I did an interview with Herbie and Berry Govinden, before we left South Africa. We also had a chance to discuss with them the application of Satyagraha to South Africa's violent crime problem, and Devi Rajab's recent article in the Mercury (you can see a picture of the article here, and I am trying to make a copy of the article accessible online for free). Here is Dr. Govinden's response to the article, which was recently published in the Mercury, for the record:

VINCENT LAWRENCE – Role Model for a Great Grandson

I was happy to read Devi Rajab’s account of her dialogue with Dr Kenneth Leslie, who told her of the power of non-violence, as espoused by Gandhi, to deal with the rampant problems of crime [The Mercury, June 4th]. Leslie’s constructive application of Gandhian principles to present-day problems of violence in all forms is worth understanding and following through purposefully both locally and internationally.

Reading the article, I pondered over how Gandhian principles have been handed down from generation to generation. Dr Leslie is the great grandson of Vincent Lawrence, who was Gandhi’s secretary. Lawrence, a well-known community leader at the time, came from Madras in the early 1890’s as a trained teacher, and worked as a clerk in Gandhi’s legal practice in Durban.

He was a part of the Gandhi household for a time and imbibed Gandhi’s values and ideals, as did R K Khan, the well-known advocate and philanthropist. He worked side by side with Gandhi in the Ambulance Corps during the South African War. It is not surprising that Vincent Lawrence spear headed many petitions in the 1900’s against discriminatory laws which affected Indians adversely. Lawrence assumed the leadership of the Natal Indian Congress from time to time and contributed to several social welfare organizations, sporting, cultural and church groups. A devout Catholic, he was staunchly non-sectarian is his dealings, like his mentor. It is worth noting that Leslie’s great grandmother, Mrs Josephine Lawrence served the cause of education and social upliftment, especially that of women and girls.

Even after Gandhi returned to India, Lawrence continued with his political involvement, working with Manilal Gandhi, who himself followed in the footsteps of his father. Lawrence was among Manilal’s key supporters when there were South African solidarity formations in Durban for the Swaraj movement in India.

I would be very interested to know whose copy of Richard Gregg’s “The Power of Non-Violence” Kenneth Leslie is reading. This was one of Manilal Gandhi’s favourite books and was much in use in the early 1950’s when Manilal went on an extended fast in protest against the apartheid government’s policies. It was Vincent Lawrence who readily offered his support to Manilal at the time, as well as, among others, Gadija Christopher.

A great grandfather such as The Honourable Vedanayagum [Vincent] Lawrence - what an admirable legacy for Kenneth Leslie to draw on!
MS D GOVINDEN Phd

Writing for Change

Check out this IDRC sponsored website on effective writing. I continue to be impressed by my copy of "The Power of Non-Violence" by Gregg. His writing is very effective at getting his message across, and I'd like to learn to be similarly effective in developing ideas regarding the application of non-violence to our times, including the use of Non-Violent Communication, and both persuading and teaching people how to strengthen their own non-violent responses to life.

Delegitimizing Violence and Building Peace

I came across this article on Turning the Tide of Violence in South Africa by the Canadian International Development Research Center (IDRC). In part, the article suggests that violence was legitimized as a form of political protest during the apartheid years, even though in many cases, this violence was also economically motivated. How deep does this legitimization go? I was surprised to read Nelson Mandela's comments on Gandhi on the Tolstoy's Farm website. Mandela seems to be at pains to justify the use of violence to combat apartheid. Here is an excerpt:

Gandhi remained committed to nonviolence; I followed the Gandhian strategy for as long as I could, but then there came a point in our struggle when the brute force of the oppressor could no longer be countered through passive resistance alone. We founded Unkhonto we Sizwe and added a military dimension to our struggle. Even then, we chose sabotage because it did not involve the loss of life, and it offered the best hope for future race relations. Militant action became part of the African agenda officially supported by the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U.) following my address to the Pan-African Freedom Movement of East and Central Africa (PAFMECA) in 1962, in which I stated, "Force is the only language the imperialists can hear, and no country became free without some sort of violence."

Gandhi himself never ruled out violence absolutely and unreservedly. He conceded the necessity of arms in certain situations. He said, "Where choice is set between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence... I prefer to use arms in defense of honor rather than remain the vile witness of dishonor ..."

Violence and nonviolence are not mutually exclusive; it is the predominance of the one or the other that labels a struggle.

I disagree with this characterization of Gandhi. I doubt very much that the Mahatma would have endorsed violent opposition to the apartheid Regime. I imagine he would have instead argued for an even more strict application of Satyagraha, which, at its moral core is based on the concept of the application of courage and the acceptance of self-suffering as a tool for awakening the compassion and moral understanding of the oppressor.

It has become a widely accepted truism in South Africa that violence helped end apartheid. I would argue that other factors, such as economic sanctions, sports and scientific boycotts, and the end of the Soviet Union were more important. I believe that the decision to use violence will ultimately be seen as a strategic error, and that the violent wing of the struggle only served to make the regime more repressive, while also contaminating the peace in post-apartheid South Africa.

If the goal of the anti-apartheid struggle was to create racial and economic peace, then the decision to legitimize violence has delayed the realization of that goal, by creating a class of people who are willing to use violence to acquire wealth. This violent criminal activity is working to sabotage South Africa's economic development, and is undermining racial harmony. The solution out of this conundrum is not more law-and-order, and not more security firms, and not the reintroduction of the death penalty! That will only serve to return South Africa to a police state, but with a different master. Instead, a slow and quiet campaign of non-violent resistance to crime, and a compassionate re-education program for convicts are the most effective solutions to realizing the goals of economic peace and racial harmony.

I'd be interested in applying for a grant with the IDRC to develop concrete strategies and pilot projects for transforming violent criminals into Satyarahis. I believe this transformation is possible. As I have developed my own interest in, and understanding of, non-violence, I have realized my own violent tendencies and need to dominate, and through that awareness, relaxed into a more peaceful way of being. The difference between the violent criminals and me is only one of degree, not of kind. That is why I believe this transformation is both possible, and the best hope for economic and racial peace in South Africa.

Simple Living and the Now

The other day I came across this website on simple living. As my opportunities to become rich dwindle, and as my interest in and commitment to non-violence deepens, I find I am becoming increasingly interested in living simply.

Why doesn't everyone live simply? Part of the reason is fear. The fear of lack leads to greed, and the pursuit of material goods, often at the expense of morality, community, and the environment. Is there a way to trust that your needs will get met in the future? Is there a way to be more present, and by so doing, bring compassion and wisdom into everyday life?

E. Tolle suggests that if you are in the now, then you can relax, and just be. Then, whatever action arises out of your response to the now, can come from the core of your beingness. This right action can come from a place of acceptance of 'what is', and a willingness to work with 'what is.' Similarly, there is a Buddhist saying: "There is nowhere to go, there is nothing to do, and there is no one to be." This doesn't mean that we are to be complacent, instead, it means that acceptance, and a spontaneous and compassionate reaction to 'what is,' is sufficient. Another Buddhist technique is to ask yourself "Right now, what is lacking?" By constantly asking this question, you begin to discover that the present is always manageable. Relax. There is no need to worry so much about the future. And there is no need to fret about the past. Just be here now.

South African Send-Off

Mamma and I have arrived safely back in Canada. We should have booked a wheelchair for Mamma - there was really too much walking for her, in both the Joberg and Heathrow airports. Once we arrived in Toronto, they immediately got us a wheelchair, and that made things a lot easier. It's clear that there are more resources and fewer people in Toronto, so it's easier to get services. Also, we missed our connection in Heathrow, but Air Canada was very helpful, and just booked us on the next available flight. I was happy to see that all our luggage arrived safely, and with everything there, as far as I can tell.

I was very touched to see so many family members there at the airport to see us off, including Auntie Carol and my cousin Christine, as well as Harold, Auntie Joan, Auntie Saroj, Uncle Raymond, and cousin Thanusha, and Uncle Cyril and Auntie Kogi. Everyone was very loving, and I felt very loved... I ended up wearing a red shirt and a striped suit. I had brought the suit for my birthday, but had left it in my mum's closet, and totally forgotten about it. I only discovered it again on our last day, so, I opted to wear it, even though it wasn't the most sensible choice.

I am very glad to be safely back in Canada, and I am looking forward to going out to BC on Sunday, so visit briefly with my friend Daryl, and then see my Dad for a week. And, of course, I am very much looking forward to seeing Sharmeen! The family in South Africa is very curious to meet her, and of course, they are encouraging us to get married! I told them I've got my best people working on it!

Back to Canada

Mum and I fly to Johannesberg today at 5:40 pm, and from there on to London, and then Toronto. We've had a good trip, although this has definitely been more of a working holiday, than a vacation. The family is coming over soon for a last send-off, and we'll be incommunicado until our arrival in Canada on Friday night. Wish us a safe flight!

Last Full Day...

Tomorrow Mum and I fly home... it's been another full day. Right now Mum is cleaning the fridge... We started the day by saying goodbye to "all my ladies," including Thanusha, Auntie Saroj, and Christine. Later, we had lunch & a lively discussion with Pat Poovalingam and his wife Shakuntala. And in the evening, we had dinner with Julienne and some of her family. She has 9 children, a whole bunch of grandchildren, and one great grandchild, and she's younger than my mum! She told us the story about Auntie Sylvie's death in Sri Lanka: what an ordeal! Julienne went to accompany Auntie Sylvie to Uncle Claude's Diamond Jubilee in Sri Lanka - he had spent 60 years as a priest. Soon after, she died of a heart attack in Candy. We got a group photo in front of Auntie Sylvie's old piano to remember her. You can see all the photos here.

Long day for a Tuesday

Mum and I are winding down our trip, and so there is a rush on to fit in everyone we can. Today we visited 4 different sets of people, which was pretty hectic. We started the day at Dr. Lulu Mahabeer's place. She was good enough to serve us a lovely lunch, and we had a nice social visit. After, Leslie Peters picked us up, and we got to visit with him, and my Mum's school chum Emily, and their son Melvin, who is a jazz pianist. We had a nice time, and then made our way over to visit with Herbie and Betty Govinden. There, we discussed Satyagraha, and I pulled out the stops for an interview. And then, finally, Jackie Nagan, and her husband Aubrey picked us up, and we had dinner and discussed the Naidoo side of the family. Jackie is my second cousin, which means that her grandmother was my grandfather Naidoo's sister. What a day! You can see all the pictures here. Frankly, I'll be glad once we are safely back in Canada. I'm looking forward to just relaxing for a bit with Dad.

Satya = Truth

My commitment to and understanding of the principle of Satya continues to deepen. This from Gregg's "The Power of Non-Violence":

"In the persuasion of non-violent resistance, there must be not only gentleness and love but also truth. All human beings make mistakes. Adherence to truth requires public admission of our mistakes. If, out of pride or ignorance, we wait until others show up our error, then people mistrust both our ability and our honesty. But public confession of faults promotes trust because it shows: (1) a realiztion of one's likeness to all other people in respect to liability to error, hence a sense of human unity; (2) humility; (3) honesty; (4) disinterestedness towards one's personal fortunes; (5) willingness to pay the price of mistakes; hence (6) a sense of responsibility; (7) courage; (8) a revival of intelligence after a lapse into stupidity; and therefore (9) worthiness to be given another opportunity; and (10) the realization of an intellectual prerequisite to progress. When I have made a mistake in arithmetic, I cannot correct it and get the right answer until after I have admitted, at least to myself, that I made a mistake. Thus, in the moral realm, frankness and humility are modes of intelligence."

Comments

I know that Sharmeen, Rosemary, and Natasha read this blog, as well as perhaps Harold, and Christina and Michele and Dad more sporadically. However, it appears that you are not in the habit of leaving comments. Did you know that you can click on the "comments" button below, and leave a comment, thought, or reaction? Did you know that you can also read other people's comments? That's what the Friday Five, etc., are all about!

Today is Tuesday. We've got a full day of interviews - actually, Mum has optimistically lined up 4 interviews today (when realistically I think we can only do two). Somehow, the plan is to bend time, and get them all done. We're going to have to do that, because I've only got 4 DV tapes on me at the moment. There will be an opportunity to get more tapes tomorrow, but for today, those 4 tapes will have to do.

Monday Monday Monday

Phew... what a day... I started today carving avocado pits into heads. I was introduced to this practice by my Haida friend Gwaai. He's been carving avocado pits for years, and we used them to make the action figures for the Haida Raid movie. These heads look kind of "african," which I think makes sense, given that I'm on the continent. I was reasonably pleased with my first attempt at this.

I also was pleased to see the article that Devi Rajab wrote in today's Mercury, about some of the ideas that I've discussed in this blog, about non-violent approaches to South Africa's violent crime problems, etc.. I was delighted to read the article, and I felt Devi did a good job communicating some of the key ideas in a concise manner. I will be interested to see what type of reaction she gets. It also makes me think that it'd be interested in writing a grant to develop a Satyagraha-based approach to this problem, possibly with Canadian funding. I'll give it some thought, and then contact Ila Gandhi at Satyagraha.org.za.

We had lunch at the revolving restaurant, which gave us ample wonderful views. I went up onto the roof, which was super windy, and snapped a bunch of pics and shot some video.

Later, we visited Uncle Raymond & Auntie Saroj's place, and then, spent some time at Auntie Joan's. I took a bunch of pictures of old photographs (see below). It gives you pause, when you see how young and good looking everybody was. My advice: take lots of pictures now! You can see all of today's pictures here. And check out these pics from back in the day: Auntie Joan and Mamma, when they were both young, and a picture of Mamma as a young child with her brother David, her Mum and Auntie May (I think), and a woman I don't know in between...

Birthday Weekend

Well, we've definitely celebrated my birthday in style. In addition to the party on my power day, my Auntie Carol organized a big birthday bash for me at my cousin Josie's place. We had a lovely time, with my Uncles Raymond and Cyril in attendance, along with Aunties Joan, Carol, and of course Mum, in addition to all the other aunties and uncles and cousins, etc. We even managed to get in a Skype with Christina, Vijay, and baby Jayanti in NYC. You can see all the pics here. I am pleased that I managed to get everyone to line up like this!

Yesterday, Mum and I did an interview with Fatima Meer. She's not in the best health these days, but she has been a boon to the community. She has written numerous books, including:

* Portrait of Indian South Africans
* Apprenticeship of a Mahatma
* Race and Suicide in South Africa
* Documents of Indentured Labour,
* The South African Gandhi: The Speeches and Writings of M.K. Gandhi
* Resistance in the Townships
* Apartheid our Picture
* Passive Resistance.
* She also authored Higher than Hope, the first authorized biography of Nelson Mandela, which was translated into 13 languages.

As Mamma is fond of saying, "Fatima Meer deserves a medal!"

After, Hester came by and picked us up and we had a lovely meal and discussion with her and Harold. Harold gave us a wood carving that Father Leo Gabriel had done for his Uncle Vincent Lawrence. That was really sweet of him. We talked about all sorts of stories and memories, and I got to hear more about Justin, my second cousin who died under mysterious circumstances in Arizona. I identify with him, because he sounded like a seeker. I'll need to visit Rosemary some time in the UK to learn more.

Social Entrepreneurship

I've been in touch with Devi Rajab, after interviewing her for the Lawrence Project. She's decided to write an article in tomorrow's paper about applying Satyagraha to the problem of violent crime here in South Africa. Success will require a sustained effort, and innovative approaches to the use of Satyagraha in this context. I also think it will be important to start small, and build on small successes, while also adhering to Gandhian principles of self-reliance. One way to do this is via Social entrepreneurship. I've just been looking at the Canadian Center for Social Entrepreneurship in Alberta, as well as the Enterprising Non-Profits guide, for ideas on how to build sustainable businesses that also transform society for the better.

How can we support the good in violent criminals and help them transform into Satyagrahis? Is this even possible? This transformation will require an attitude of compassion, and a willingness to see and support the good in others. When I was in Canada, I heard about a socially proactive business that was explicitly started to provide jobs for ex-convicts who were returning to society. Even in Canada, no one wants to hire a criminal. So, the group started a construction company with experienced formen and managers, and hired the ex-cons as labor. The ex-convicts got a job, and skills training, while also working to create houses for people in the larger economy. As I think about what I want to do next, I think I really want to find a way to marry the innovation and viability of entrepreneurship with the good works of social and environmental activism. It seems to be, this is really what the world needs right now.

Friday Five

Today Mum and I had a lovely interview with Dr. Devi Rajab. I really enjoyed meeting her, and her mother, who is also an artist (and adorable!). You can see some of the pictures here. There are also a few pics from my trip to Sibaya with Thobeka, and a pic or two from the Symphony (thanks to Nichelyn for taking us!).

We've been here in South Africa for over 3 weeks now, with just 6 more days to go. Of course we've got a big party planned for Sunday, thanks to my Auntie Carol. Otherwise, Mum and I are going through the trunk of old pictures, documenting everything, and we've still got a few more interviews to shoot. We're doing our best to wrap things up.

However, my thoughts have already turned to home... so, this week's Friday Five is all about home and family:

1. Where is home for you?

2. Are you at home now, or away?

3. What do you miss about home when you are away?

4. Who are your family?

5. Can you ever really leave home?

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday we celebrated my birthday (May 30th) here with family in South Africa. Back when we were first planning this trip, I knew I wanted to celebrate my birthday with my family here - that's why we did the trip in May! I started my day by waking up from a dream, and then writing down my intentions for the day:

My intentions on my power day. Let me endeavor to be conscious and non reactive. Give people space to be. Express compassion and feel love. Deep love. Sense my own depth, and not take myself too seriously. Always see the good in others, and strive to reveal that good.

I spent the morning writing emails to friends and family, and also playing around with my facebook profile. I also had a nice Skype with Michele (who is thoroughly enjoying having our dad there in BC).

In the afternoon I went with Mum, Auntie Sarojini and Uncle Raymond and Thanusha, and Auntie Joan, to the Sun Coast Casino. Auntie Saroj had baked me a lovely cake, and had brought a bottle of wine. We ate at Center Court, and I must say, for a buffet place, the food was remarkably good. I especially enjoyed all the Afrikaaner meat dishes, including various lamb ribs and pork, and their curries were good too... After, the cake was brought out with a sparkler on it. Here they sing happy birthday after you blow out the candles - a little different than what I am used to. I let the sparkler run out and cut the cake, and then we had to actually light the candles so that I could blow them out... in the end, I got a bunch of presents, including a wire basket, and Gandhi's autobiography. Thank you! You can see some pictures from the celebration here.

After, Thanusha and I went to see "Pirates of the Carribean." Visually, the movie was literally stunning, in that I felt stunned. I must say that as my interest in and commitment to non-violence deepens, I find I am getting less and less out of these kinds of movies. It was interesting to get reconnected with mainstream American culture, which seems more apocalyptic and violent than ever. Still, it was nice to see Kiera Knightly dashing all over in her bustier, and I did enjoy the more psychedelic moments in the movie. After the movie, Christine showed up briefly to wish me a happy birthday, and then we made our way home. We ended the day back here at the cottage, and I had a nice phone call with Sharmeen, who is back home in BC.

Our interview this morning has been canceled, due to poor health of our interviewee, which is too bad. Still, it's nice to have a bit of an extended break. We still have a lot to do, and less than a week left! I am looking forward to a bigger birthday party on Sunday, with Auntie Carol and her family, over at my cousin Josephine's place.

Non-Violent Resistance to Violent Crime in South Africa

Having spent 3 weeks here in South Africa, it is clear to me that one of South Africa's biggest problems is violent crime. The most pernicious form of which involves shocking acts of cruelty reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's film "A Clockwork Orange." There was an example in the paper of a white man who was stripped naked by thugs who then crazy-glued his exercise bike and made him sit on the bike, and then proceeded to crazy glue this mouth shut and rob him. Attacks like these induce fear and revulsion in the population, and lead to a sense of hopelessness and despair.

How are people responding to South Africa's crime problem? My observation is that there has been an explosion of security firms. This has led to the employment of many people, including many Africans, and at best, has created tiny islands of safety, e.g., the Gateway Mall outside of Durban is a place where people of all races can come together in security. Similarly, people with money have walls around their houses, which are then protected by locks and "armed response" teams. The end result is that people of means are relatively safe in their homes, and criminals now rob them in their drive ways, or car jack them, or somehow catch them in transit. It must be remembered that many poor South African's are also victims of violent crime, and indeed, South Africa is purported to have the highest incidence of reported rape in the world.

I have been reading Richard Gregg's "The Power of Non-Violence," which has helped me to better understand the principles of Satyagraha. And, I've also become very interested in Marshall Rosenberg's Non-Violent Communication. Both approaches maintain that you cannot solve any problem at the level of the problem. A violent response to thugs only serves to reinforce the idea that problems can be solved through violence. In a sense, you are agreeing with the criminals, that might really does make right. The increased security approach is already showing its limitations, and it is clear that it will never solve the security problem in South Africa, or it might do so by returning South Africa to a police state.

There is now an opportunity to explore alternative approaches to reducing violent crime in South Africa. One such approach would involve a Satyagraha campaign aimed at discrediting the use of violence to achieve economic means, and instead, supporting individuals in finding non-violent ways to meet their own needs for economic and personal security, as well as their needs for meaning, and self-respect.

This is a tall order, but it is no more difficult than other non-violent struggles that have been attempted, either here in South Africa against the white racist government, or elsewhere (e.g., against the British in India, against the Nazis in the Netherlands, against racist whites in the Southern United States). The only difference is that the people whose minds we are trying to change are not part of any government and they are not in charge, although many are part of organized crime syndicates operating within the country.

Before we can begin to articulate a plan for a Satyagraha campaign against violent crime, it is important to understand the psychology of our opponent. An important tool in disarming our opponents is empathy. I would argue that the men who stripped that man of his clothes and crazy glued him to his bicycle seat, have, themselves, suffered from feelings of being emasculated and rendered helpless and voiceless. From this perspective, their violent act can be seen as a tragic attempt to seek empathy, in this case, by victimizing someone else. As such, an important part of our strategy must be to give our opponent empathy, in an attempt to help them remember their humanity (by treating them like human beings instead of enemies), and help them recover their sanity.

Another aspect we must address is youth thug (or Tsotsi) culture. As in the United States, violent gang culture has been celebrated, and becomes for its participants an identity. Gang members form an identity for themselves that is based on being bad and violent and tough. When newspapers criticize the acts of "violet criminals," this only serves to reinforce their identity as bad people. This is just another form of ego inflation, but in this case organized around being the baddest and the toughest, and the most unfeeling. It is important to remember that this identity is only a persona, and not who the person really is. Change will hinge on helping people disidentify with this identity as a gangster, and helping them instead realize their own capacity for feelings of vulnerability and love.

It also goes without saying that the vast majority of criminals who are commiting these crimes are young black men. In this way, this Satyagraha would be different than previous campaigns, because the people whose minds we are trying to change have been traditionally disempowered and disadvantaged. As such, this campagin may require different tools of passive resistance and active non-violent communication.

Progress will depend in part on getting past enemy imagery, and seeing the humanity of our opponent, but what then? The next step involves identifying opportunities for contact with violent criminals, and then creating situations where the power of non-violence can be used to maximum advantage. Let me explore some possible leverage points:

1) Prisoners. South Africa has many violent criminals in prison. Instead of judging these people, and reinforcing their identity as the "worst of the worst," which just plays into their egos, and reinforces a culture of violence and retributive justice, we could instead adopt methods pioneered by Kiran Bedi, who reformed the infamous Tihar jail in India. I would propose an active campaign that provided empathy for prisoners, vipassana meditation, education and vocational training, as well as training as Satyagrahis. Even a handful of Satyagrahis taken from the ranks of South African jails could have a massive impact on this struggle. No one understands the motivations of gangsters better than the gangsters themselves. These gangsters cum Satyagrahis would then be in the best position to provide for a coordinated Satyagraha campaign to target communities.

2) Transforming Victim Consciousness. Part of the campaign should also focus on developing Satyagraha among the ordinary population. Gandhi maintained that Satyagraha requires courage, and a willingness to suffer, and a desire to change the mind and heart of the attacker without inflicting suffering on them.

How can we confront violent criminals in a non-violent way that communicates self-respect and respect for the attacker, without taking foolish risks? The answer will require more research, and I think it will involve Non-Violent Communication, and a delicate balance between asserting one's right to personal and economic safety and a willingness to let go of one's personal possessions. This idea could be extended even further: a willingness on the part of wealthy South Africans to embrace voluntary simplicity and live with less, and instead invest in strategies for making sure that everyone's needs get met, including the need for economic and personal security for all.

3) Youth. There are already many programs aimed at "at-risk" youth in South Africa. These programs could be strengthened, and students could be taught Non-Violent Communication skills, as well as educational and vocational skills. Personally, I am very interested in initiatives aimed at increasing internet access to disadvantaged areas.

4) Children. I am particularly interested in training youth to in turn train children in Non-Violent Communication. This, along with access to education and opportunity, can help South Africans create a peaceful and prosperous nation.

5) Positive Visions of the Future. Finally, I think it is important to put our energy into developing positive visions of the future we want to manifest, instead of energizing our fears. With so much mineral and agricultural wealth, and with a solid infrastructure and roads, and with only 44 million people, it should be possible to create a safe and prosperous South Africa. This would be a country that ensured economic and personal security for all its citizens, as well as ample room for personal autonomy and expression, including linguistic and cultural diversity. South Africa is a microcosm of the same problems that are facing the rest of the world, and as such, there are many allies all over the world seeking to solve these challenges through non-violent means.

Back from Mariannhill

Mum and I made a trip with Harold and Thanusha out to Mariannhill today (now the Missionaries of Mariannhill), to meet with Father Henry. We had a good visit, and I found Father Henry to be quite warm, and full of good stories.

We have a story that Vincent Lawrence and Gandhi walked out to Mariannhill together, back when it was still a Trappist Monastery. Apparently Gandhi had planned to write an article critical of missionary Christians, but he was so impressed by the piety, vegetarianism, and industry of the Trappist monks, that he scrapped the article. Things changed in 1909, when Rome ordered that the monastery should be changed into a mission. Even so, they are still involved in schools, skills training, and Mariannhill has become the largest diocese in South Africa outside of Johannesberg, so they've been quite successful at converting people to Catholicism.

I took a bunch of pictures and also shot video. As usual, my video camera was a big hit with the kids, and I've got the video to prove it! I let the kids film their own video, and that resulted in children literally doing back flips for the camera! I also have some video of the kids and I dancing and clapping. It's clear to me that these children come from a strong musical and rhythmic tradition, and that their sense of music and rhythm is very sophisticated, especially when compared to my own.

Later, we shot the interview with Father Henry, and we got to see some of the archives. I have been particularly impressed by the founder of Mariannhill, Franz Pfanner: he sounds like he was quite the charismatic leader, original thinker, and man of God (in the best sense of the phrase). I also learned a bit about Bernard Huss, who was quite active in promoting self-sufficiency among African peoples in the region, and has been described as a kindered spirit of Gandhi's (although they never met in person).

You can see all my pictures from today here.

No rest for the weary: weekend in review

Today we're about to head out to Marian Hill Monestary, which was a big source of inspiration for Gandhi, especially around the creation of his intentional communities, like Phoenix. This has been a busy weekend, and I am looking forward to having a more relaxed visit to the Monastery. On Friday night we Skyped Christina and Dad, back in Waterloo. Dad was scheduled to fly to Vancouver on Sunday, and so we are now waiting to hear back from him.

On Saturday we made a trip to City Hall, where Mum had given an address years ago, during the height of apartheid, to the Catholic Youth of Durban. It was a gutsy thing for the Church to do at the time: Archbishop Hurley was on the stage, and Mum wore a white sari. Later, we visited St. Anthony's Church. Vincent Lawrence was instrumental in founding St. Anthony's, and many of my relatives here were educated in the adjacent school. Finally, we made a trip to Durban's Botanical Gardens, most of which was off-limits to Indians during Apartheid. We ended Saturday night with a celebration of Graeme's birthday. The family had organized a typical South African "braai," and, in Indian fashion, the men were all outside around the bri, and the women were largely inside. The food was fabulous.

On Sunday we interviewed Hassam Seedat. Mr. Seedat was an anti-apartheid activist, and also has an extensive Gandhi library. After the interview, he was good enough to show me his amazing Cycad garden. He even showed me how to propagate these rare plants. We also looked at a number of pictures, including of him and Farida, when they got married, as well as a picture of his newborn son, taken when Mr. Seedat was in prison for his anti-apartheid activities (he saw his newborn son for the first time in prison).

You can see all the pictures from this weekend here.

Two weeks down: two to go

Well, we've finished up another week here in Durban, which leaves us just under two weeks to go... After a slow start, with no land line, and a multitude of small obstacles, we've now actually made some good progress: so far I've shot 15 hours of footage, and I've expect to shoot another 15 hours, all to make a 30 minute documentary!

This morning, Harold and I went to the West St. Cemetery, to document the Lawrence grave. We were both shocked to see the Lawrence gravestone knocked over, and lying on the ground! To make matters worse, Harold's parents' gravestone (i.e., the Joseph gravestone) was also on the ground... I can only imagine how he felt. Harold made a call, and I am confident that this will be sorted out before we leave. I'm glad Mamma wasn't there with us: she would have had a conniption to see the Lawrence gravestone all tossed over on its side. I mean, Mum had her box of Lawrence documents put in the bank vault before we left Canada!

Afterwards, we went to the Emanuel Cathedral, where Vincent Lawrence went every day for mass at 6 o'clock in the morning, having said his prayers at 3 o'clock in the morning... I find it hard to imagine this level of commitment to Catholicism, and clearly, his faith ran deep. After, we walked across the street to the Madressa Arcade, where Lawrence had an office for many years. I enjoyed being in the bazaar, and I was also glad to have Harold there, watching my back as I shot all sorts of footage with my video camera. I really enjoy spending time with Harold: he's full of colorful commentary and good stories, and I felt confident that he'd be able to take care of any trouble.

Afterwards, Mum, Harold, and I went out to Kloof to visit Dr. Joy Brain, who has written a book on Catholic Indians in Natal. It was interesting to get out to a white area, and to cross the color line, as it were. We had a lively discussion that ranged from Catholicism, the nature of faith and conversion, to life in the new South Africa.