By Mandla Langa
The conference and festival named Culture in Another South Africa (CASA) took place in Amsterdam from December 12th-19th 1987. The ANC Department of Arts and Culture in all its ramifications, the Dutch Anti-Apartheid Movement and, mainly, the CASA Foundation, made this event a staggering success.
Hundreds of cultural workers from inside and outside South Africa, notably from the UDF and COSATU, took part in strength; the outside world was represented by an impressive array of cultural workers writers, graphic artists, film-makers, musicians, poets, dancers and clothes designers. The old and the vulnerably young shared platforms to give. expression to one of the quintessential elements that bond a people into a nation: culture.
For many delegates, Amsterdam was intertwined with the notion of Afrikaners; Amsterdam is as different from Pretoria as day from night. Amsterdam houses people who still remember the ravages of nazism; Pretoria still houses nazis.
The opening night saw emotional performances from children whose everyday existence means facing Casspirs, bullets and punctured bodies that lie sprawled in the everyday streets. They sang, these children, and it was perhaps in their eyes that it became clear why apartheid, like nazism, needs to be destroyed. The jazz Pioneers, Abdullah Ibrahim, the Amandla! Cultural Ensemble, Mmabatho Nhlanhla. and the hundreds of Dutch voices, gave all of themselves. There was electricity in the air, energy generated by South Africans meeting freely for the first time in years.
The conference grappled with all aspects of the arts, but in this instance within the framework of the struggle. There was no mincing of words: the arts are a weapon in the struggle for national liberation and democracy in our country. There is no way to separate culture from politics. These discussions were conducted in the most serious atmosphere; people could sing and, dance, but it was borne in mind that all this expression of a - people's value system could not thrive in a situation of racist domination and exploitation.
One question discussed at length was the position of women in the conditions of our country. The triple oppression of women was condemned. It was a moment for soul searching for some of the participants, in that this question has always been glossed -over; it was stressed that democratic culture should strive to "consciously promote the norms of equality between men and women."
A highlight in the evenings was poetry reading, chaired by Cosmo Pieterse. Poets such as Mavis Smallberg, Vernie February, Breyten Breytenhach, Baleka Kgositsile, Koerapetse Kgositsile, John Matshikiza and this writer read from their works. Njabulo Ndebele started the trend by reading from one of his stories earlier in the day. The absence of Mongane Serote, one of the main organisers of CASA, was strongly felt.
The exhibitions made it painfully clear that South Africa is a potentially beautiful country with a people who, though surrounded by steel bars and barbed wire, can still let their imaginative creativity leap out and weave these tender irnages. We remembered gifted artists, like Thami Mnyele, one of the 13 people butchered by the SADF in Gaborone on June 14th 1985.
In the smoky, crowded night club called "The Milky Way," Basil 'Mannenburg' Coetzee and his group, Sebenza, were to perform; standing in the wings were Jonas and Dudu Pukwana. When muc started and the people were dancing ,and chanting freedom slogans, Thabo Mbeki, the ANC Director of Information and Publicity was given a chance to say a few words. And few they were. He spoke of the obscene anniversaries the regime is going to celebrate in 1988. He asked the gathering to remember what King Dingane said when faced with the enemy: "Bulala abathakathi!" - "Kill the sorcerers!" This became a battle-cry at the conference.
The main impulse in the discussion was the social responsibility of the cultural worker. This was outlined in the opening address by Barbara Masekela, the ANC Secretary for Culture. It became clear that cultural workers cannot divorce themselves from the preoccupations of a struggling community. This was reflected in all papers that were delivered. Delegates all agreed that the apartheid system must go. The media were enjoined to become a vehicle of this consciousness.
Journalists from home talked about their newspapers. The war against the New Nation, whose editor, Zwelakhe Sisulu, has been in detention for more than a year, was a case in point. The paper was represented by its deputy editor, Gabu Tugwana. It was made clear to all of us that South Africa had grabbed the tiger by the tail; the people of South Africa are in need of responsible reporting. They have the right to know.
The question of language was discussed. Writers such as Nadine Gordimer, Lewis Nkosi, Njabulo Ndebele, Jennifer Dunjwa Blaiberg - who came all the way from Brazil - sought ways to deal with this sensitive issue. The Freedom Charter states that all shall have equal right to use their own languages, and to develop their own folk culture. It was borne in mind that certain languages such as Afrikaans were regarded with contempt because of their association with the repressive regime. The duty of writers and academics was to appropriate this language and Infuse it with democratic values. All of us had to be aware, though, of the way the regime has 'promoted' languages, with the aim of legitimising and enforcing the bantustan system. The idiom of democratic culture must strive for authenticity, and be accessible to the mass of our people. The writer has a responsibility too to counter illiteracy.
The conference addressed the issue of the cultural boycott and decided that:
"The struggle for the total isolation of the apartheid regime must continue. Among the tactics to be employed during this campaign, the academic and cultural boycott am crucial and must be maintained. However, in view of the growing significance of democratic culture as an alternative to the racist, colonialist culture of apartheid, the conference recommends that South African artists, individually or collectively, who seek to travel and work abroad, should consult beforehand with the mass democratic movement and the national liberation movement."
The African National Congress was present, from the highest council to the membership. The Secretary-General and the Treasurer-General, Comrades Alfred Nzo and T T Nkobi, were there, and other NEC members present were Comrades Thabo Mbeld, Aziz Paliad and Pallo Jordan. Comrade Pallo delivered a paper on cultural policy, an invaluable contribution that helped steer the conference.
The CASA Foundation, Conny Braam and the Mayor of Amsterdam, Ed van Thijn, did much to make the occasion a success. Dutch people opened their hearts to South African people.
The last day was perhaps the most touching. Outside a church, metres and metres of the black, green and gold of the ANC billowed in the air. Inside, was the photographic exhibition, "The Hidden Camera." The images the photographers brought were a damning condemnation of. the South African regime.
The hardest moment was the moment of parting. Here were South Africans from all over the world, including South Africa itself, who, for seven days had discussed, argued, resolved issues, moved using the, same step, laughing, singing and sometimes crying. The moment of parting was laden with a mixture of sadness and hope; sadness that we should be separated by all these boundaries, hope because we all felt that the event had become another rock against the edifice of apartheid.