We took a ferry out to Robben Island on Wednesday morning to visit the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 17 years. The seas were a bit rough on our ride over because the winds were up that day. A thirty minute ferry ride took us across the bay. From the landing area, we boarded a tour bus that drove us to the Prison.
Our tour guide at the prison was a former prisoner during the apartheid era. He walked us through the grounds of the prison and led us into a large room that housed fifty prisoners (it was large, but certainly not spacious when you imagine 50 men were held there). He told us about the living conditions in this room and the procedures that the guards used to classify the inmates. We learned so much that day about the leaders who fought against apartheid from his stories. He gave us time to ask questions at the end of his talk. I was surprised that my students didn't speak up at this point; my group is not shy. But, like me, they seemed to be feeling overwhelmed by the stories we had just heard. From this large cell, we walked out into the area that is referred to as Mandela's Garden, which is where inmates were forced to break rocks or sew bags for hours each day. This area was the only place that included a picture of the conditions at the prison. In the picture you can see a row of men tied to the ground, spread about four feet apart, hammering rocks, and a second row of men with a pile of bags, working in the hot sun. From the garden, we walked down the hall of solitary confinement cells, with a stop at Nelson Mandela's jail cell.
Our last stop on the tour was another large cell with rows of benches. We all sat down to hear the story about the release of the prisoners and the negotiations for freedom. He told us that hate was not the answer to the struggle; the only way to move forward was through education and forgiveness. Our tour guide sent us away with the charge to pass along what we have learned here at Robben Island. I was moved to tears by his request. It hit me at that moment that the struggle for freedom from oppression was a responsibility for all of us, and not reserved for former prisoners or political leaders in South Africa.
We said our goodbyes to the tour guide and loaded back onto the tour bus. Next we were given a driving tour around the rest of the island. We drove past the solitary confinement area of Robert Sobukwe, who led the country in protests against the "dumb pass", a pass that all black people were required to go anywhere. Before it was a prison, Robben Island was also used as a leper colony. A small stone church is the only building left standing from that part of the Island's history; all the other buildings were burned. There is a small community of about 100 people who live on Robben Island today. We drove through this small neighborhood, with a stop at the point with an amazing view of Cape Town for some photos. On the back side of the island, we saw cannons from World War II that were used to shoot down German ships. The driving tour concluded back at the ferry landing. We boarded the ferry for an even bumpier ride back over to Cape Town.
The second school was only a short walk, so we strolled over there. The teenagers mixed together and asked questions back and forth. Some kids pointed out their houses to us. We all learned a lot that day as we walked through the Township. These homes are referred to as shacks by the locals because they are very simple structures made of wood or corrugated metal. They all have electricity, but no running water. There are taps located in central locations at the end of the blocks. Fires are very common in these neighborhoods because they cook with fires or propane stoves, and the electrical wiring often causes sparks. The shacks are built right next to each other which leads to devastating loses when a fire breaks out. On our walk we saw the damage of a large fire that happened last month. Approximately 300 families lost their homes to the fire. They received three sheets of corrugated zinc from the government to construct a new shack on their lot. Seeing the kids homes gave us a whole new understanding of the value of their education at LEAP. These kids are under extreme pressure from their families because they have been chosen to attend this school. The Pomfret students and I were all moved by our time with them in their own communities.
Our next stop was the science museum and planetarium show. We enjoyed the children's show at the planetarium with Davy the Dragon who was learning about the night sky. We had only thirty minutes to tour the exhibits in the museum with our buddies. My buddy and I were the last ones back to the meeting place because she couldn't drag me away from the marine life exhibit.
If that wasn't enough action, then we went to the beach for the rest of the afternoon to swim in the tidal pools. This is the cold water side of the city, and yes, it was very cold for swimming. (I got in the water anyway.) There is a pool build into the rocks to give bathers a safe place for swimming out of the rough surf. We spent two hours swimming and sunning ourselves with the children. Once again, the boys proved to be the weakest link. They didn't even go down to the beach because it was too cold for them. Instead they stayed up in the grassy area playing football and soccer with some of the Linawo boys. Elise had a very energetic four-year-old buddy. She chased her around the tidal pool all afternoon. She deserves the prize for the most attentive buddy of the day.
