Growing up in the old SA
COMING OF AGE: MEMOIR PROVIDES ROAD MAP TO SELF-DISCOVERY
Book offers lesson in healing as author details suffering she and her ancestors experienced.
Words have the power to incite change and with this powerful, yet heartbreaking admission, debut author Jesmane Boggenpoel sets the stage for her memoir with lessons, My Blood Divides and Unites: Race Identity, Reconciliation, as she recounts her poignant coming of age tale of oppression, discrimination and marginalisation as a young girl growing up in apartheid South Africa.
Boggenpoel’s story offers a universally powerful message and provides readers with a road map to self-discovery, reframing their personal stories, and becoming inspirational leaders for others so that all individuals, groups and nations can, as one, look toward the future with hope.
Written with unflinching honesty and authenticity, the book offers an important lesson in healing as the author details the suffering she and her ancestors experienced at the hands of their oppressors, and the subsequent process as she struggled to explore her past and learn her true self.
Despite the devastation and pain endured along this long road to forgiveness, Boggenpoel shares how she was able to find the light in such tragedy and take control of and reframe her own story.
– Citizen reporter
WHAT INSPIRED
YOU TO WRITE THE BOOK?
My inspiration was three-fold: Firstly, being raised in the marginalised community of Westbury in Johannesburg, I wanted to use my story and others’ stories to empower those living in marginalised communities to create positive change.
Secondly, I want to tell the story of apartheid as it affected communities of colour to an international audience because so much is still not understood about the historically mixed race community of indigenous and slave descent (or as we were referred to, coloured) in South Africa, especially and particularly during this volatile time in South Africa’s history.
And thirdly, we’re at a time when, globally, the racial divide is greater than ever and my story brings in the stories of others from around the world spanning from the US, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Rwanda.
These stories provide a message to all on racial reconciliation.
WAS IT A CATHARTIC EXPERIENCE?
Absolutely. It was like peeling layers of an onion and I got to the core of self-discovery, sharing my story expanded my awareness of my humanity and how this connects to everyone else.
Exploring my identity and understanding my father’s life story brought liberty and healing.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE WILL TAKE AWAY FROM IT?
That it can help people get to a place of self-discovery, healing and hope and unity.
That everyone can be an inspirational leader. In the case of my book, it’s in the area of racial reconciliation and healing trauma.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THIS COUNTRY?
Currently, disturbingly, #shutdownsouthafrica is trending due to femicide and xenophobia.
The message of my book talks directly to this about how empathy, telling each other’s stories, reframing the past and dealing with lingering emotions, forgiveness can bring oppressor and oppressed groups together.
My core message is about inspirational leadership in racial reconciliation and that we can ban hate and bias while bringing people together.
I am also aware that stigmitisation of a marginalised group, that often goes hand-in-hand with racial discrimination, can be stemmed by upfilting that group economically.
WHAT DO YOU READ FOR PLEASURE?
I like different topics based on my areas of interest.
I mainly read nonfiction on technology, startups, business, and psychology books.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAMILY’S REACTION
TO THE BOOK?
It felt like a family project as I checked ideas with my parents and siblings.
My parents were invaluable with sharing family history.
My brother is passionate about exploring our DNA and helped with identifying different genetic DNA sites to provide additional DNA information.
He also informed me about the slave lodge in Cape Town and suggested I visit it, which I talk about in the book.
Having a twin sister is a bonus as she could help me recall childhood memories.
The book brought healing to our family and peace concerning troubling aspects in our past.
DID YOUR PARENTS READ TO YOU AS A CHILD?
When I was a child my mom worked for CNA and as a staff perk, could get outdated copies of magazines at reduced prices.
She bought me and my twin sister loads of books and magazines to read when we were young. She did read to us.
With picture books it was easy for us to read ourselves. I remember nursery rhyme books and the Bible in picture stories for kids. This instilled a love for reading at a young age in my sister and I.