Use arts and culture to bring nation together
WE have come a long way since that memorable day when our first president, Nelson Mandela, put on the No 10 jersey at the Rugby World Cup in 1995.
We all believed that the rainbow nation had arrived.
The opposite has happened. It seems that we have drifted apart rather than moved closer together.
Our constitution and the Bill of Rights, which is the cornerstone of our democracy, however bind us together as they affirm the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom for all.
If we want to move towards an inclusive society we have to deal with our understanding of two simple words: inclusivity and transformation.
By inclusivity, the Morris Webster definition states: “Covering or including everything; open to everyone: not limited to certain groups or people”.
The first thing that we have to get right is that we have to own the concept of inclusivity. Thus when we speak of our people, it must be an all-inclusive phrase not designated for particular groups only.
Second, the word transformation. The South African version of the Oxford Dictionary has narrowed the meaning of transformation to “describe the process of making institutions and organisations more democratic”.
When Mandela put on that jersey at the World Cup, it was more than just a jersey. It was a symbol of embracing the many and diverse cultures in South Africa, behind one team and behind our team.
Second, transformation is more than just removing a statue, it is more than changing the name of a street or a building, and it should be more than the shallow drive of putting a black face in a leadership position. The government has to understand that the transformation agenda is also about changing the practice and the institutional culture of organisations.
While we recognise that the scars of apartheid will remain for a long time, internal transformation cannot happen while continuing to blame current incompetence in some para- statals and government departments on apartheid, Jan van Riebeeck statues or immigrants.
Internal transformation looks beyond personal needs which corrupted our society and is about paving the way for those who will come after us.
This is where the Department of Arts and Culture comes in.
This department is best placed to rekindle that flame that draws us together.
We already know that through sports we bring our nation together. Let us use this same drive to build social cohesion.
The language of the arts is universal. There is no difference in the emotions that arts evoke in people of all colours and creeds.
This department should fully grasp the opportunities given to bring people together.
I once said that this department was a huge public relations department for the government. Look what our provincial festivals are doing.
If it forgets about culture, it forgets about race and the like.
From the Cape Town Jazz Festival to Macuffe in the Free State to Oppikoppie, people come together and cultures mix.
The organisers have identified the gap to bring communities together.
The next step is for the government or this department to come to the party.
National Youth Day, Freedom Day and other public holidays should bring South Africans together.
Arts and culture can bring people together in new ways and provide opportunities to build foundations for mutual respect and understanding.