Rehoboth/Namibia

               REHOBOTH/NAMIBIA                                                                              A SMALL TOWN WHERE EVERYONE IS SUSPICIOUS OF NEWCOMERS.                                       SIMON`S LAW

In a basin surrounded by a range of rocky hillocks lay a small town called Rehoboth. This town is part of the country Namibia. It is a serene and harmonic setting with nothing un towards disturbing the peace. Idyllic open spaces with plenty of water although not surfaced were to be found. Warm water springs abound and the place was named “!!Thànes” by the previous indigenous tribe living there. The vernacular meaning relates to place with flaming waters. Their regarded it as sacred healing waters and the tribe was the NAMA. They were under leadership of Swartbooi thus referring to themselves as the Swartbooi`s. With the emigration of the tribe living there now, the NAMA sold the place to them. These whole tribes come from the country South Africa and has just move over in varying stages making the first comers claimers to a certain territory. The tribe who bought the land called themselves “Basters” as they were from mixed ancestry. They were children of a union between the !Khoisan and the first European settlers at the Cape of Good Hope. Thus, making them a new African breed revolving strongly towards they European ancestry and making them feel superior over the other indigenous tribes. Once their have the papers and contracts signed owning the land, they start bossing the other tribes around. Restricting them to stay in certain areas and far from them. They start erecting buildings and overall made it they home. Few years into the future the place did expand and was claim as a local village. Most of the men living in this town earn their keep in the building and construction industry. Skills pass from generation to generation while most women were homemakers and educators. These tribe were averse to other tribes especially if they were dark colored. They stay like that throughout the South African rule which ideology was also one of divide and rule. This ideology was so deeply ingrained in each and every one of this tribe that they did not even let other tribes into schools or to get educated. As good servants to this ideology the leaders cut deals with the regime as to be seen as good honest citizens. All the time forgetting where they come from and who they grandmothers were. While a small community the deals cut with the regime ensure them a better livelihood. They get schools and hospitals whereas the black community remaining their slaves were left in destitute and squalor. This tribe live out the ideology of they master`s to the fullest and with the expansion of their tribe it become worse. So, the time come were modernization made inroads into this community. Sports in those days were a big pass time and they indulge in playing soccer and netball. Huge tournaments were organized in those day`s stretching over a weekend or two. Teams from neighboring towns and villages were invited to took part. A team allowed was screened and denied if there were sixty percent or more black players in it. Black players were denied passage into shops if they wanted to buy some food. They always made sure that the team manager was a Baster or Colored. Once you`re black you were looked upon as it you`re someone with rinderpest. Even if you done nothing say you are from Windhoek the capital of the country. Having grown up in a nice household being educated and have good manners you were still regarded as full of rinderpest in this town. The way they serve their master`s was even stricter than how their master`s would have handled some situations. Most of the law enforcers in this town were from this tribe and the Afrikaners. Keeping and restricting the movement of the rightful in their own country. In these set up steps a young black male baptized as Timothy Fendi. An intelligent vibrant youngster with a don`t care about attitude. His parent`s enrolled him in the local high school jostling and fighting to get him enrolled. How they achieved it is still something to wonder about, maybe it was the awakening of the countries people to the liberation struggle. During those years the student riots and upheaval against the system was prevalent. It swept across the whole of Southern Africa inflaming and inducing in all a sense of wanting liberty. Timothy Fendi was accepted into the school and start with the opening of the school year. He was not closed mouth or introverted and quickly made friends. While most pupils become open to accepting other colors into, they realm the problem lay with the elders. Being versed in the old stern belief of being black is a sin and to be accepted you must be white. Pupils told they parents about the new black boy in school. Within the first week of school the parents have a massive gathering at the school premises claiming to know what the “Kaffir” are doing there. Should their dear children be infected with whatever disease black people carry. Some threaten to took their children from the school to another. Others do not want they kids in the same classroom with Timothy. The school principal stays adamant that Timothy will not get excluded and would be treated equally. If their want to take the kids to another school it would be fine with him. Their just had to remember his school have the highest accolades of learner passing rates than any for miles around. For a week the jostling and quarrel over Timothy`s presence kept on. The principal did work out a plan involving the students and by the third day of quarrel with parents. He decides to asked students how they felt about this issue. Some kids waver to give they true opinion on the matter but being assured their opinion would remain with him they open up. The brave one`s voices were recorded with their consent to declare how they feel. This was big news and it became the talk of the town. Splitting the town in two parts of those for and those against. Friday arrived and parents were still in upheaval against the principals decision. With him having heard the children`s opinion which by all means will be most affected. He decide and announced they must vote on the issue with the kids also being allowed. In all this Timothy was quiet, he never let his parents knew about the ordeal his presence stirred up. The principal announces the voting will be carried out on Saturday morning and votes will be counted at noon. Encouraging pupils and parents to come cast their votes. If found the against team lose out their must asked Timothy forgiveness and accept him. If they win their must get counselled into changing their attitudes towards people. He and his team are willing to assist in this regard. It was clear the principal gives them no winning chance even though the ballot would be in their favor. No chance to boast about how their put a principal who is a “Kaffir brother” on his place. Saturday morning throngs of people gather before the school hall eager to cast their vote banning a “Kaffir” out of their midst. The principal brought Timothy along, this fight turning out its he and Timothy against the world. Timothy asked the principal to be allowed to address the crowd. It strengthens the principals cause as he saw the opportunity to play some of the recordings done with the pupils. He chooses recordings done in favor of Timothy`s presence at large. With Afrikaans as the language mostly used across the country. Timothy being raised in Windhoek could speak the language fluently although with little accent. The principal opens the proceedings with prayer and announce that Timothy want to address them before voting starts. Timothy, sweet Timothy greet them in Afrikaans catching some sneers from around but he pushes on. Firstly, he asked them for forgiveness being the subject of their aggravation.

“The day my mother gives birth to me was a day of celebration in my village and having no sense of difference of color I spent the day mostly content suckling at her breast. Never would I have thought of being the subject of such discord in your loving community. One side of me become sad and the other show me the power I possess as a black man to disrupt your tranquil life.”

Snorts could be heard all round with heads been shaken in hard denial and some being downed in shame. Hard murmurs of shut the “Kaffir” up could be heard, with restrained shuffling from bullies. Timothy stand firm as a black within the circle of this half blacks thinking themselves superior. His speech after the last word delivered let a silence descend among the crowd. The principal grabs the chance to play three of the recordings in favor of Timothy. Contemplations after the whole debacle show the elections was win with Timothy`s speech and the recordings played afterwards. He was accepted in the community and was a very loved young man. Finding love in the community once denying him some education with one of his staunchest critics daughter. They have two children making him a proud granddad and you can saw him driving around with them mostly. Yeah, it goes to show the unexpected turns life can fling in one`s direction.

                                          THE END