BEFORE YOU READ
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that
separates people accordingto their race. Can you say which of the three
countries named below had such a political system until very recently?
(i) North America (ii) (iii)
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela? Mandela,
and his African National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic elections were
held in
in 1994, and Mandela became the first black President of a new nation.
In this extract from his autobiography, Long
Walk to Freedom, Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the
inauguration’. Can you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with
this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black
President
|
Nelson
Mandela has become ’s first Black President after more
than three centuries of white rule. Mr Mandela’s African National Congress
(ANC) party won 252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of ’s
history.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the
Union Buildings amphitheatre in
today, attended by politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. “Never, never again will this beautiful land experience the
oppression of one by another, ” said Nelson Mandela in his address.
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of followed the
ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating together... More than
100,000 South African men, women and children of all races sang and danced
with joy.
|
TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the
past few days I had been pleasantly besieged by dignitaries and world leaders
who were coming to pay their respects before the inauguration. The inauguration
would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on South African soil.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in . For decades this had been the seat
of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different
colours and nations for the installation of ’s first
democratic, non-racial government.
On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied by
my daughter Zenani. On the podium, Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second
deputy president. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president. When
it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution and to devote
myself to the wellbeing of the Republic and its people. To the assembled guests
and the watching world, I said:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here...
confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an
extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of
which all humanity will be proud.
We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have
today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on
our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having
come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a
common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political
emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the
continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other
discrimination.
Never, never, and never again shall it be that
this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human
achievement.
Let freedom reign. God bless !
Oral Comprehension Check
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can
you name any public buildings in that are made of sandstone?
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’
in ?
3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela
mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. What does he mean by this? What is
the “glorious … human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
4. What does Mandela thank the international
leaders for?
5. What ideals does he set out for the future
of ?
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in
awe as a spectacular array of South African jets, helicopters and troop
carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings. It was not only
a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a demonstration of the
military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and
fairly elected. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African
defence force and police, their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from
days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty. I was not unmindful of the
fact that not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me.
Finally a chevron of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green,
blue and gold of the new South African flag.
The day was symbolised for me by the playing
of our two national anthems, and the vision of whites singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel
–iAfrika’ and blacks singing ‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the Republic.
Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once
despised, they would soon know the words by heart.
On the day of the inauguration, I was
overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first decade of the twentieth
century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth,
the white-skinned peoples of patched up their differences and
erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their
own land. The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest,
most inhumane, societies the world has ever known. Now, in the last decade of
the twentieth century, and my own eighth decade as a man, that system had been
overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms
of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
That day had come about through the
unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of my people, people whose suffering and
courage can never be counted or repaid. I felt that day, as I have on so many
other days, that I was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had
gone before me. That long and noble line ended and now began again with me. I
was pained that I was not able to thank them and that they were not able to see
what their sacrifices had wrought.
The policy of apartheid created a deep and
lasting wound in my country and my people. All of us will spend many years, if
not generations, recovering from that profound hurt. But the decades of
oppression and brutality had another, unintended, effect, and that was that it
produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the Yusuf
Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our time* — men of such
extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known
again. Perhaps it requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of
character. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its
soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and
truer than the purest diamonds.
It is from these comrades in the struggle that
I learned the meaning of courage. Time and again, I have seen men and women
risk and give their lives for an idea. I have seen men stand up to attacks and
torture without breaking, showing a strength and resilience that defies the
imagination. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the
triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who
conquers that fear.
No one is born hating another person because
of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must
learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for
love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even in the
grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits, I
would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a
second, but it was enough to reassure me and keep me going. Man’s goodness is a
flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. What do the military generals do? How has
their attitude changed, and why?
2. Why were two national anthems sung?
3. How does Mandela describe the systems of
government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and (ii) in the final
decade, of the twentieth century?
4. What does courage mean to Mandela?
5. Which does he think is natural, to love or
to hate?
In life, every man has twin obligations —
obligations to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and he has
an obligation to his people, his community, his country. In a civil and humane
society, each man is able to fulfil those obligations according to his own
inclinations and abilities. But in a country like , it was almost
impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfil both of those
obligations. In ,
a man of colour who attempted to live as a human being was punished and
isolated. In ,
a man who tried to fulfil his duty to his people was inevitably ripped from his
family and his home and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence
of secrecy and rebellion. I did not in the beginning choose to place my people
above my family, but in attempting to serve my people, I found that I was
prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a
husband.
I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was
born free — free in every way that I could know. Free to run in the fields near
my mother’s hut, free to swim in the clear stream that ran through my village,
free to roast mealies under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-moving
bulls. As long as I obeyed my father and abided by the customs of my tribe, I
was not troubled by the laws of man or God.
It was only when I began to learn that my
boyhood freedom was an illusion, when I discovered as a young man that my
freedom had already been taken from me, that I began to hunger for it. At
first, as a student, I wanted freedom only for myself, the transitory freedoms
of being able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and go where I chose.
Later, as a young man in ,
I yearned for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving my potential, of
earning my keep, of marrying and having a family — the freedom not to be
obstructed in a lawful life.
But then I slowly saw that not only was I not
free, but my brothers and sisters were not free. I saw that it was not just my
freedom that was curtailed, but the freedom of everyone who looked like I did.
That is when I joined the African National Congress, and that is when the
hunger for my own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of my
people. It was this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives
with dignity and selfrespect that animated my life, that transformed a
frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to
become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a
home, that forced a life-loving man to live like a monk. I am no more virtuous
or self-sacrificing than the next man, but I found that I could not even enjoy
the poor and limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not
free. Freedom is indivisible; the chains on anyone of my people were the chains
on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.
I knew that the oppressor must be liberated
just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man’s freedom is
a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and
narrowmindedness.
I am not truly free if I am taking away
someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is
taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their
humanity.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. What “twin obligations” does Mandela
mention?
2. What did being free mean to Mandela as a
boy, and as a student? How does he contrast these “transitory freedoms” with
“the basic and honourable freedoms”?
3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free?
Why/Why not?
Thinking
about the Text:
1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend
the inauguration?
What did it signify the triumph of?
2. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of
all those
African patriots” who had gone before him?
3. Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create
“heights of character”?
How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples
to this argument?
4. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age
and experience?
5. How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Long Question:
Q. Write about inauguration ceremony took place in the Union Buildings amphitheater in Pretoria on May 10th 1994?
Ans. Nelson Mandela was the member of African National
Congress. He becomes the first South Africa’s Black President after more than
three centuries of white rule. Mr. Mandela’s African National Congress won 250
of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South Africa’s history
It was
the bright, beautiful and pleasant day of May 10th 1994 dawned a new chapter in the history of South Africa, because on this day
the first democratic non-racial Government in South Africa was installed. Inauguration
ceremony took place in the Union Buildings amphitheater in Pretoria. There were
large gathering on international leaders, dignitaries and politicians from more
than 140 countries. Mr. de Klerk was first sworn in as second Deputy President.
Then Thabo Mbeki as first Deputy President Mandela pledged to obey the
constitution. He pledged to devote the well being of his people. South military
jets passed over the building emitting out smoke of five colours to express
their loyalty. Military and police also force pledged their loyalty.
At this
time he remembered the brutal Anglo Boer war. It took place in the first
decades of the 20th century. In which white skinned person created a
system of racial discrimination against the dark skinned person of their own
country. It has marred the lives of black people. This was the most inhuman and
harsh structure. Even the policy of apartheid had created a lasting wound in
the county. He worked hard fought and fought.
Q. What did
freedom means to Mandela at different times in life?
Ans. Like every child Nelson Mandela was born free, when
he was a child. He was able to do everything. He was allowed to do swing; he was
able to roam in the fields. He used to roast mealiest at night. He obeyed laws of
his tribe and his father.
In the boyhood he came to know that this freedom was
not real he came to know that he was not free. As a student, Mandela wanted
freedom for himself which were transitory freedom this included freedom to move
at night read anything to go anywhere when he went to Johannesburg. He demanded
basic and honorable freedoms. These liberties were to earn living according to
his abilities. Marrying and having gamily.
Slowly
Mandela came to know that he and his all countrymen were not free. They were
deprived of everything because of colours discrimination. Then he joined
African National Congress. Now his hunger was freedom for country.
Ans. The ceremonies took place in the sandstone ampitheatre formed by the Union Build- ing in Pretoria. The red fort and the India Gate are the buildings made of sandstone
2. Can you say how May 10 is 'an autumn day' in South Africa? क्या आप कह सकते हैं कि 10 मई दक्षिण अफ्रीका में 'an autumn" कैसे है ?
Ans. 10th May is an autumn day in South Africa due to its location an earth. It is the beginning of the winter. On this day Nelson Mandela took Oath as the first black president of South Africa.
3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mention 'an extraordinary human disaster'. What does he mean by this? Waht is the 'glorious... human achievement' he speaks of at the end?
अपने भाषण के शुरू में मंडेला एक 'विशेष मानव आपदा' का जिक्र करते हैं। इससे उनका क्या मतलब है ? वह कौन 'शानदार मानवीय उपलब्धि है, जिसके बारे में वह अन्त में बोलता हैं।
Ans. He means that the black people of South Africa have been the victim of system of Apartheid. It was a man made disaster. He speaks the freedom of his people from oppression 'glorious human achievment.'
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for? मंडेला अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय नेताओं का धन्यवाद किसलिए करते हैं ?
Ans. Mandela thanks the international leaders for having come at the occassion of South
Africa's liberty and acepting it as an independent republic.
5. Waht ideas does he set out for the future of South Africa? दक्षिण अफ्रीका के भविष्य के लिए वह क्या आदर्श स्थापित करता है ?
Ans. He sets the ideal that his country will never experience the oppression of one by another.
1. What do the military general do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
सेना के जनरल क्या करते हैं? उनका दृष्टिकोण कैसे बदल गया और क्यों ?
Ans. The military general saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty. Previous they have arrested him. But their attitude has changed as Mr. Mandela has become the
president of South Africa.
दो राष्ट्रगान क्यों गाए गए थे ? Ans. The public of South Africa consist of white and black people. Each group sang its own
2. Why were two national anthem sung?
anthem. 3. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in the his country final decade, of the twentieth century.
(i) in the first decade, and (ii) in the मंडेला उसके देश की सरकार की व्यवस्था का वर्णन कैसे करता है। (i) पहले दशक में और (ii) बीसवीं सदी के अन्तिम दशक में। (i) In the first decade of the 20th century their was a system of racial domination against the black peeople. It was the most inhumane system. (ii) In the last decade of the same century that system had been replaced by a system that recognised the rights and freedom of all peoples.
Ans.
4. What does courage mean to Mandela? मंडेला के लिए साहस का क्या मतलब है ?
Ans. For Mandela courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. 5. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
कौन-सा स्वाभाविक सोचता है, प्यार या नफरत ?
Ans. To love is natural in human being.
1. What 'twin obligations' does Mandela Mention? मंडेला किन 'दो भाषाओं का वर्णन करता है ?
Ans. One obligation is to one's family, parents, wife and children. The second obligation is to his people, community and country. 2. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does
he contrast these 'transitory freedom' with the basic and honourable freedom? एक लड़के के रूप में और एक विद्यार्थी के रूप में मंडेला के लिए आजादी का क्या अर्थ था ? वह इन 'क्षणिक स्वतन्त्राओं' की तुलना 'आधारभूत और सम्मानजनक स्वतन्त्रताओं से कैसे करता है ?
Ans. Aa a boy freedom for Mandela was to run in the fields, to swim in the stream running
through his village, to ride the bull. As a student freedom for Mandela was to stay
out at night, to read what he pleased and to go where he chose. These were only transitory freedom. Later he realised that he wanted the basic freedom and honourable freedom of achieving his potential, earning his keep, marrying and having a family.
3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/ Why not? क्या मंडेला के विचार से शोषण करने वाला स्वतन्त्र होता है? क्यों ? क्यों नहीं ?
Ans. Mandela thinks that the oppressor is not free because he is the prisoner of hatred. He is locked up by prejudice and narrow mindendress.
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of ? Ans. A large number of International leaders attended the inauguration because it is 'an
autumn day' for the people of South Africa. They have got freedom from restriction
and deprivation. They are now free from being treated differently or unfavourably. They are no longer 'out laws' now. The diplomatic relations with South Africa will be rewarded. The policy of apartheid will come to an end. It has been a great privilege for South Africa to be host to the nations of the world on their own soil. They have come to take possession with the people of that country. It signified the triumph of justice, peace and human dignity. It showed that the people of South Africa had achieved their political emancipation.
2. What does Mandela mean when he says he is 'sin African patriots' who had gone before him? 'simply the sum of all those Ans. When Mandela says he is 'simply the sum of all those African patriots' who had gone before him, he means the unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of his people. Their
suffering and courage can never be counted or repaid. He feels that the noble line drawn by them has ended. It has now again begun with him. He feels painted that he
English-X (29)
was not able to thank them and that they were not able to see what their sacrifice had achieved.
3. Would you agree that the 'depths of oppression' create height of character How does Mandela illustrate this. Can you add your own example to this argument.
Ans. Yes, I would agree that the 'depths of oppression' create 'heights' of character. Mandela illustrates this by saying that the decades of oppression and brutality had another, unintended effect. The depths of oppression produced the Oliver. Tambo the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes-some of the prominent names in the struggle against apartheid These men were of extraordinary courage, Wisdom and generosity. Their like may never be known again.
We have the examples of Indian freedom fighters who suffererd a lot at the hands of British. They passed years in prisions in inhuman conditions. But finally they emerged strong and victoriosus.
4. How did Mandela's undrestanding of freedom change with age and Experience?
Ans. Mandela's understanding of freedom changed with age and experience. First his nautre of freedom was transitory freedom'. This was when he was a boy and a student. At that time he thought the he was born free-free in every way that he could know. As long as he obeyed his father and abided by customs of his tribe, he was not troubled by the laws of man or God. Then he began to learn that his boyhood freedom was something that appeared to be real but was not. This sort of freedom was not permanent. Later, as a youg man in Johannesburg, he yearned for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving his potential, of earning his keep, of marrying and having a family. He thought that this sort of freedom was not to be obstructed in a lawful life.
5. How did Mandela's 'hunger of freedom' change his life?
Ans. Mandela's 'hunger for freedom' changed his life as it transformed a frightend young man into a bold one. It drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal. It turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home. It forced a life-loving man to live like a monk.
THINKIG ABOUT LANGUAGE
. There are nouns in the text (formation, governmnt) wheih are formed from the corresponding verb(from, govern) by suffixing (at) ion or ment. There may be a change in the spelling of some verb-noun pairs: such as rebel, relellin constitute, constitution.
1. Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verb in the text.
Noun
Verb
Ans.
Noun
Verb
rebellion
rebel
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