En Route to Swaziland!

The drive to Swaziland was beautiful. Shadrack was very patient and stopped about, oh, ten times along the roadside for me to take photos. It was interesting to see the terrain change the closer we got to Swaziland. The hills and valleys resulted in gorgeous scenery and I finally got some shots of the traditional round houses with thatched roofs. Here are just a few of the scenic photos I took last Friday. Thanks again Shadrack for the trip and your patience! More to come from the Swaziland trip next week....

Botswana part II

Elephants anyone?

The game drive that we went on in Botswana presented us with our first opportunity to see elephants. Below Jill and I pose at the end of the game drive and we were nearly frozen! The photo was taken at about 6:45pm, and as you can notice it is getting quite dark.

Botswana

Last weekend, Jill and I tagged along with Shadrack to Gaborone, Botswana. He left us in the capable hands of his friend Mavis Koogotsitse and we had a fantastic weekend with her. Below is a photo of her family, who we had the pleasure of visiting on Saturday afternoon. The great thing about this weekend is that we were actually able to get out of the city and visit the villages in the countryside. Donkeys, cows and goats strolled about freely and the people we met were incredibly warm and generous.

Jill and I with the Koogotsitse Family

We also experienced two flat tires in two days! En route back into Gaborone Saturday afternoon, the car blew a tire. Now, I was a car owner for almost seven years and I never had a flat tire. I went to Botswana and had two flats in two days. LOL!! Four men on a donkey cart came to our rescue on Saturday (below). On Sunday, the bus blew a tire fifteen minutes into the six-hour bus ride back to Johannesburg.

I am psyched that I finally saw some Zebra....The one animal I wanted to see here. As soon as my next film is developed I will post some photos of elephants we also saw on this game drive.

Cape Town and Cape Point

What a beautiful city!! Table Mountain and visiting Robben Island were the highlights of this trip. We had beautiful weather and therefore a beautiful view from Table Mountain. The above photo was taken en route back to Cape Town from Robben Island. We went to the Island to visit the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for seventeen years. As the tour books predicted, the 2.5 hour tour of the Island was woefully short. An ex-political prisoner took us on a tour of the interior of the prison and offered a very touching personal account of his life and time on the Island. We stood in Mandela's cell. Below is the window from his cell that looked out onto the courtyard of the prison.

Cape Town is much warmer than Johannesburg. We, well, it was actually my decision to walk to the cable car station on Table Mountain. Between the heat, steep slopes, and my chest cold, I was nearly dead by the time we reached the station. One bonus is that I actually happened upon "Rossiter Street" en route. I had come across "Rossiter Street" when I was searching the National Archives database in Pretoria. What are the chances?

We also toured the peninsula, the highlight being "Cape Point." The drive there provided us with incredible scenery - but was not for the weak of heart. The roads down to the Point crawled around cliffs and more than not, there was no guard rail. Thankfully, I was so full of cold medicine and cough syrup, my nerves were calmed for me. Above is Hout Bay, taken from the roadside.

At Cape Point, we crawled up to the look off at the light house. I say crawled, because the wind was so strong, we were literally hanging on for dear life at times, almost crawling up the seemingly endless stone steps to the lighthouse. Once there, we were rewarded with some spectacular views...

Some random shots...

For my fellow archive students, this is Verne Harris. This shot was taken in the NMF archives after the madness of the Black Eyed Peas visit earlier this month.

On the left are Ethel and Boniswa, our co-workers from the Foundation. These photos were taken at the Apartheid Museum at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg.

That same day we visited the Apartheid Museum, we also visited Alf Kumalo's museum in Soweto. He is one of the most famous photographers in South Africa and a personal friend of NMs. His photos were amazing and it was one of the best museums I have ever visited (It helped that he walked us through and explained every photograph to us!!). A very kind man indeed.

The NM Foundation buildings and grounds.

More postcards from Namibia

Jill and I after our safari drive outside Windhoek

The Rhino makes his way over to our jeep...

And closer yet.....

This is taken without a zoom!

Namibia

Jill, Shadrack and I just spent a long weekend in Namibia. Shad was there for work and we tagged along for the ride. This is Shadrack Katuu, our friend and co-worker at the NMF, with Ellen Namhila, National Director of the Namibian Library and Archives.

We flew into Windhoek early Thursday afternoon. Shad had arranged for Edison, a driver from the National Archives of Namibia to pick us up at the airport, which is located thirty minutes outside the city – literally in the middle of nowhere!

The drive from the airport to the city was spectacular. The terrain is very different from South Africa. Namibia is a big country, but only one million people live there, unlike South Africa which has a population of forty-five million. The scenery really was incredible – hard to describe. Perhaps a photo would help…

After checking into the hotel, we ventured into the city. We hit the craft co-op, as well as a few other shops. I bought my first wooden mask and plan on getting one in each country I visit in southern Africa. Returning to the hotel, we were surprised to have two messages waiting for us. One was from Ellen Namhila (pictured above). She was checking in with us to make sure we were all right. When we did not answer the phone, we later found out that she had sent the hotel staff looking for us because she thought we were in our hotel room scared to answer the phone! LOL. Little did she know we were in the city making our contribution to the Namibian economy.

Shad was there to run workshops on Friday and Saturday for the National Archives. Friday morning, we met Ellen Namhila. We had a fantastic tour of the National Archives and the National Library, as well as a museum in the city. Here is Jill and I at the National Library and Archives:

We then visited the Penduka Traditional Village, located in the townships outside Windhoek. Namibian woman are known for their needlework. I had read about Penduka in an Air Namibia magazine and wanted to visit. I bought two GORGEOUS pillow cases. I just wish I could have shown them to Auntie (my grandmother) as I know she would have enjoyed examining their work. We saw the townships and “Smarties Land” – houses painted every color of the rainbow. It reminded me of the Magdalene Islands. Krista, you would have gotten a real kick out of it.

On Saturday we ventured out of the Windhoek. We went to the Daan Viljoen Game Reserve and a government reserve. We finally saw some animals. Edison drove us around the reserve in the "Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture" car and we pretended to be Namibians for a discounted park entry. Off roading in this “not a whole lotta car” was a riot. There was one hill that we barely made it up. We saw our first giraffe, as well as whole bunch of hungry looking wildbeest. We then proceeded to another bigger reserve (the name of which escapes me) and were lucky enough to get the last two seats on the safari drive. I sat in the front with the driver and there were no doors on this contraption. When I asked the driver if anybody had ever fallen out, he responded with a simple “Yep.”

We saw all kinds of giraffes, Bontebok, Springbok, and all kinds of other things with horns. The highlight for me, was coming within five feet of a seemingly tame rhino. I had to keep resisting the urge to reach out and touch it! The highlight for Jill, I suspect was coming across all kinds of warthogs. There are actually signs on the roads telling people to watch out for the little buggers. We also saw baboons en route to the airport. Here is a little taste of what we saw:

Edison took us to the townships again and we went to his sister’s house for a beer. My favorite beer is actually “Windhoek,” a very smooth Namibian beer. Edison’s sister was looking after a 6 month old baby, who proved to be quite the beer swilling baby. She loved it and probably drank more beer than we did! That night, the Archives staff treated Shad, Jill and I to a lovely dinner.

Namibia was fantastic. Windhoek did not have a big city feel to it, was very clean, and is much safer than Jo’Burg. We regret that we were not able to visit the Namib Desert, but I do plan on going back sometime. I would actually like to drive from Jo’Burg the next time. We did what we could this time around with both time and $$ constraints.

I will try and post some more photos tomorrow...hopefully of the friendly Rhino.

This week in Johannesburg

On Monday, Jill and I accompanied our co-worker Shadrack to Pretoria, where he had a job interview at the National Archives of South Africa. We had a fantastic morning. We were given a tour of the reading room and spent quite a bit of time looking through their database. We found many entries for Canada, including a map of the Dominion of Canada (1908) and “Mining Laws and Regulations” produced by the Director of Mines in Ottawa (1910). There were five records that concerned Prince Edward Island and I discovered that there is a “Rossiter Street” in Cape Town. Hopefully I will find it when I go for a visit. While at the National Archives, were also able to meet and chat with the staff in charge of the “sensitive files.” Very interesting indeed.

Pretoria is a beautiful city and has a very different feel from Johannesburg. Shadrack took us to the Office of the President of South Africa to visit his friend who manages the electronic records of the President’s office. The view from the Union buildings was fantastic and its gardens were beautiful. The security to get into the Union buildings was of course very tight. We needed to leave photo ID before being allowed to enter. Of course, I did not have anything on me. I never carry my passport around, and I had even taken my driver’s license and all other ID out of my wallet in case I am mugged. All I could find in my wallet was an expired UPEI Library card – and it got me in! I am now also recalling how a UPEI Library card I got on a grade eleven field trip with Larry McGuire’s English class also got me into a Concordia Beer Bash with my cousin Gerry (March Break, 1989, grade 12, and yes, I should not have been there). I HATE UPEI, but will admit that having its library card has been beneficial now twice. I am glad it is good for something.

On Tuesday, we were taken on a tour of the South Africa History Archive (SAHA). The extent of their holdings proved to be much larger than I was expecting. Piers Pigou provided us with both an entertaining and enlightening discussion about the problems with access to information in South Africa…..a very different view than we had been given the day before at the National Archives.

This week, Jill and I have been doing a lot of research for a benchmarking exercise currently being undertaken by the Foundation. This morning, I was looking at the website for the Carter Centre in the USA. The centre has initiatives around the world and for South Africa, they had some interesting information, and four shocking statistics about South Africa on its website:

- 50% of the country lives below the poverty live.
- The average annual income is $2,500 USD
- The average life expectancy is 44 years.
- There are five million people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

On Thursday, we are flying to Namibia for a four day weekend. More as it happens…

Rossiters of Bath

My friend Krista just got back from a trip to the UK and recently sent this photo to me. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my Rossiter ancestors came from Wexford, Ireland. There are, of course, many Rossiters in England and Wales as well. They can all be traced back to the Normandy region in France, although my father has a fit every time I mention this....the same way I have a fit when my brother Peter tells people that I am one of the "Newfoundland Rossiters." Thanks for the picture Krista!

Proof - for Cousin Erica!

Jill took this second photo of me chatting with "Will.i.am." I believe I was telling them that I enjoyed their performance on the Juno Awards in Halifax. It was then he said, "You're Canadian? Cool!" This was following by one of those three step handshakes that always result in me feeling very old and very clumsy. Speaking of age, William is 31 - I thought he was much younger.

Finally some photos....

The Black Eyed Peas outside the Foundation with a few of their staff members.

Black Eyed Peas members autographing NMF memorabilia for staff members.

Bonsiwa opening NM's briefcase for Jill and I in the archives, where it is stored. This is the briefcase that he used when he was President. Apparently he still asks for it when he makes trips abroad.

There is no struggle unless it is documented properly

I am still doing archival description and am on box 378 out of 387 boxes. Something I forgot to mention is that earlier this week I was going through a box marked "general correspondence" and came across a signed book by David Backman (Beckman: David Beckman My World Photography by Dean Freeman). I am not a fan of soccer or David Beckman, but I still thought it was pretty cool. While going through another box of general correspondence yesterday, I came across letters from Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton! (for all my American classmates...)

Last Thursday the Foundation hosted ten grade twelve students from the Erasmus Monareng Secondary School in Vosloruus. The students discussed the first three comic books under the Madiba Legacy Series. The students and NMF staff also listened to accounts by Mrs. Amina, Mrs. Alina Mkhwanazi and Mr. Peter Magubane, who shared stories of their experiences of the protest marches of the 1950s and 1960s.

Peter Magubane is a photographer. He brought with him photographs of the student uprising in Soweto on the 16 June 1976. The photos were powerful images, some of them horrifying, but still very powerful. Mr. Magubane was also attacked by the South African Police that day and had his nose broken. More upsetting to him was the fact that the police made him expose some of his film. He stated, "I fought my struggle with my camera." He said that he knew his nose would eventually heal, but the images that had been exposed to the sunlight were lost forever. Some of the students that day also did not want photographs taken, but Mr. Magubane talked to them and convinced them in stating "There is no struggle unless it is documented properly." Peter Magubane published a book, Soweto: The Fruit of Fear in 1987, which is a photographic account of the June 16th uprising in Soweto.

That afternoon, our coworkers Shadrack and Boniswa took us to Soweto. We visited the Hector Peterson Museum and the house Nelson Mandela used to live in during his time in Soweto. Both Jill and I were pleasantly surprised. There has been a lot of economic development in Soweto and it is no longer the shanty town in my mind as depicted in Paton's Cry the Beloved Country. Boniswa made friends wherever we went which resulted in free tee shirts and hats at the Mandela Family Museum in Soweto. They even had some of Mandela's old boots (which I took entirely too many photos of) on display in the bedroom of the house.

A very exciting Monday morning in Johannesburg.

I just met the Black Eyed Peas!!!! They gave a concert here in Johannesburg last night and came to the Foundation today for a visit. I took a bunch of photos and had a photo taken with them - I think. It was so chaotic and crazy. I got to talk with "Wil.i.am" a little bit so that was cool. He was surprised when he found out I was Canadian and he seemed to think that was cool.

Dancing to a Different Rhythm

Last night I heard some African jazz. We went to a bar in Melville to listen to some jazz and it was great. So was the South African wine I drank. Too good in fact – at 6:30am this morning I realized that at my age, the “not on a school night” law will need to be enforced.

I am still doing archival description. In the past two days I have come across some really neat stuff. To start on a light note, I first came across a letter from Montel Williams, then a note from Melinda Gates, a Christmas card from the Dali Lama, and then a letter from the “Greatest of All Time” – Muhammed Ali. There were also letters from both the Bush Presidents, but forgive me for adding my own bias in saying they do not fall into the greatest of all time category. Then there was a folder of letters from Kofi Annan

Much to my delight, I found a box marked “OPRAH.” I am not sure how many visits she has made here, but the records I came across concerned her 2002 ChristmasKindness project and her school for girls. There in the box were photos, like snapshots. Not sure who took them and nobody knew they were there.
One of the more amusing things I have found was a CD containing a Christmas card list. This is like no list I have ever seen in my life. Oprah again made he list, along with Whoppi Goldberg, Sidney Portier, Quincy Jones, Mrs. Gandhi, Elizabeth Taylor, etc…Sarah Furgeson made the list, but Queen Elizabeth did not. Does anyone have any ideas on that one? Then, there in front of me was Denziel Washington’s residential address in LA. I had to close the file. It was simply too tempting to copy it down.

Last night, Jill and I attended a book launch with Verne Harris at a lovely gallery here in Jo’Berg. Zarnia Maharaj’s Dancing to a Different Rhythm is an account of her life story as the wife of struggle activist and former cabinet minister Mac Maharaj. There have been many volumes written by South Africans involved in the struggle for democracy, but few are first-hand accounts by the women. Verne managed to get our copies signed and I am looking forward to getting into the book this weekend. At the launch, we also met Ahmed Kathrada, a close friend of Nelson Mandela who was mentioned frequently in A Long Walk to Freedom.

The origins of humankind

I am currently in the midst of going through the archival records and creating descriptions for their current holdings. I just happened to take a closer look at an itinerary for a trip made to Monte Carlo for the opening of the World Sports Academy. In one afternoon, NM met with Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone, had lunch with Naomi Campbell, and had dinner with Prince Albert and Eunice Kennedy Shriver!!

This past weekend was a productive one. Professor Duff has an impressive network of friends here in South Africa. On Saturday, her friend Leiza took her, Jill and myself to the “Cradle of HumanKind” at Maropeng. We saw fossils that are two million years old, and have proven that humankind did begin in Africa. We were fortunate to see the world famous original fossil, Mrs. Ples, that was discovered in South Africa in 1947 by Dr. Robert Broom. We also saw the Taung Child fossil, which people tell me is also a significant archaeological find.

That afternoon, we visited the Sterkfontein Caves where the fossil of “Little Foot” still lies embedded. Yep, that’s right, I was crawling around caves with Professor Duff. I was actually crawling in places and it proved to be a bit of a work out. Upon leaving the caves, we discovered it had rained and we were greeted by a magnificent rainbow: a nice way to end the day.

On Sunday, we visited the Origins Centre at Witwatersrand University. We had a four hour and fifteen minute tour with tour guide ‘Vera.’ She told us that we had broken her previous best record of three hours! Vera is a retired Librarian who worked for many years in Soweto, and she proved to have a passionate interest in South African history. We had dinner at an Indian restaurant, which was followed by a tour of a market in the Indian section of town. It was a small, but incredibly busy market. All in all, it was a great weekend.

Taung Child

Today from Johannesburg

Today Jill, Wendy Duff and I visited Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. This was the location of the prison in Jo’Berg where such prisoners as Nelson Mandela and Gandhi were held at various times. We left with a mixture of emotions. Throughout the exhibit, there were interpretative displays with commentary from former prisoners. The conditions were absolutely horrifying, which was highlighted by the fact that the prison operated until 1983. The positive aspect is that the constitutional court was built on this same site, using bricks from the former prison: this representation from the past being used to build the foundation for future change.

Tomorrow is our first day at work of work. That means an early morning rise for the first time in a long time!