Have you ever had a dream that is so powerful, so clear and so consuming, that it drags you away from your perceptions, into a new reality? That’s what happened to me. I had a dream. In the dream I saw myself being called to the road, carrying a backpack, a camera, a phone and a R100 and setting off on a country-wide ‘Ubuntu" tour. My dream had no questions like: Why? How? What if? And no answers either. But the dream had an ending - there was a book on the stands, a book telling of my incredible year long journey of discovery, telling of the 150 families who cared for me, telling of the extraordinary diversity of our country and telling of the reality of "Ubuntu" in South Africa. So, in October 2009. I quit my job, gave my car away and set off with a backpack, a camera, a phone, and a R100. On my own, on foot - and by thumb! Without a tent, a sleeping bag or a bank card, but with a deep seated belief that ‘I am because we are’; with faith in our humanity; with faith in our sense of Ubuntu; and with faith in our country’s journey of forgiveness; I set off from the outskirts of East London (I was there for my sister’s wedding). My name is Sonja Kruse, some people call me the UBUNTU girl. One year later saw my safe return after visiting all 9 provinces, stopping in 114 of our towns, big and small and staying with 150 families, representing 16 different cultures, who took me in, cared for me and made me feel at home. From Townhouses to Townships; from Shacks to Millionaires; from Pensioners to Students; from the ANC Youth League to the AWB; from Hunters to Vegetarians; from Long Drops to Bidets: from Christians to Muslims to Rastafarians and from Curries to Chicken Feet – I experienced the joy of them all! My journey lasted twelve months and is full of the most extraordinary stories of my "Ubuntu" journey. From my very first night with a Xhosa woman from Scenery Park Township near East-London who took me into her home, slept on the floor and allowed me to share her bed with her 2 children, to my last night when I met the only white Induna in the history of the Royal Zulu Household. My journey brought me into contact with people like Portia Mahange from Soweto, who graciously and wisely taught me to keep an open mind. (When she learned that I had no intention of going to Orania, she gently said: "You have decided to go on this journey, so you have to keep an open mind. People of Orania are people of our country and if you are looking for a sense of Ubuntu/community you will also find it there" And so Orania was added! I spent a morning with some ‘Bergies’, stepping into their world and finding out how they withstand natural and human elements. I shared an afternoon with an ex security policeman, who explained what it was like working under the Apartheid regime. I had a memorable evening sleeping on the stoep with members of my host family on a sweltering Northern Cape summer’s night. I stepped into the shoes and vehicles of others, often when people U-turned to find out what this woman was doing at the side of the road. I sat intrigued as an 11 year old street child drew me a picture of a house when he found out that I was homeless. 351 days on the road taught me about the generosity of the human spirit.
South Africans from all walks of life cared for me and my needs. It did
not stop to buy food, nor did I pay for accommodation and transport. SMS
bundles would mysteriously beep their arrival on my phone. From
‘padkos’ to winter woolies- my bag was always filled with gifts, most of
which I was able to share. In some cases people provided me with the
means to post these gifts home, to help tell our story.
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But what really hit home was to experience ‘Ubuntu" at work, to see how people carry one another, and to witness first hand how people care for each other on a day to day basis. I walked with Tannie Raais as she waddled next door every day, riddled with rheumatism, to help her neighbour with her diabetic injection. I saw how Ella fed her neighbour’s children from her back door. I lived with families who had little, but who found the time and the wherewithal to accommodate and feed me. I was truly humbled by these experiences everyday for 351 days. Not that the going was easy. There were days when I felt physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally exhausted. At the 6 month mark I was in the North West Province when someone asked me what I was doing. I became so defensive, because I did not have the answer! I made up my mind to change direction and go home. The man that gave me a lift had a completely different political point of view to mine and we were tolerant of one another’s position. That reminded me that this journey’s stories can and should have an impact, pushing me forward once again.
I want to tell my story. Why did I have this dream? Why did I embark on this journey? Why did I wander off into the South African wilderness? I am not sure that I know the answer, save to say that it has always concerned me that South-Africans often think, speak and act negatively about our country. Our newspapers are filled with stories of crime and corruption and our televisions constantly blare forth doom and gloom. I wanted to find out, experience, live the ‘truth’ of this country, I wanted to meet a cross-section of all its peoples. I wanted to experience all its cultures. I wanted to visit all its provinces. I wanted to find out if ‘Ubuntu’ is a reality in modern-day South Africa. My dream was about exploring for myself what happens every day; to see for myself if there is another side to our country, and to tell of my experiences. I wanted to find out if there is hope and love that lies within the soils of the hearts and minds of our people, if there is, indeed, a hunger in our people to know more about each other. My host families were just as curious as I was to know how people from other cultures live their lives. I saw hope everywhere, I experienced ‘Ubuntu" at every turn, in every province, in every home. So now after 351 days of travel I am back home, with my backpack, my camera, my phone and R142.50 in my pocket! I am busy penning ‘our’ collective stories to help raise ‘our’ collective consciousness about the good in ourselves and our society. My aim is to publish our Ubuntu book so that we can be reminded of the spirit of Ubuntu that exists within us all. When we take notice of this, then we can alter our perceptions about our country in order to see a more complete picture. This will be my thank you; my gratitude, my epiphany for all that was received on the journey. Because when we South Africans acknowledge what we have truly achieved in our country, we can teach each other and we can teach the world about the wonders of diversity.
Our time has come: Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu.
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