Promoting one's culture, language, and tradition does not make you less of a South African

By Marimuthu Subramoney Promoting and observing one's cultural, linguistic, traditional and religious identity does not mean that one is less of a South African. This is the decisive point that has emerged during the 10th annual convention of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin(GOPIO) held over four days in Durban in 2010. More than 250 delegates from Mauritius, Reunion, Sri Lanka, India, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Fiji and South Africa attended the conference. The convention was organised under the theme: "Turning historical adversity into advantage" and to commemmorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indian indentured sugar cane labourers to South Africa. "There is no contradiction whatsoever of being a South African while at the same time being proud of one's Indianness," said Professor Dasarath Chetty, chairperson of GOPIO SA at the end of the conference. Professor Chetty said the theme of the conference "mirrors in many respects the experiences of indentured Indian communities who made their homes and became citizens in countries that were previously colonies". "People of Indian origin who left India in the 1940s, 1950s and more recently as business people and professionals can also easily identify with this theme given their experiences of marginalisation and exclusion even in the so-called western democracies." The major impact of the conference was the calibre of the South African guests invited, and the quality of the topics and the different papers presented. Some of the guests who presented papers and discussed issues relevant to South Africa included former Robben Island prisoners Ahmed Kathrada, Sunny Singh and Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim; former Umkhonto we Sizwe activist Jude Francis; former Natal Indian Congress activists, Professor Jerry Coovadia and Roy Padaychee; Rajen Naidoo, son of the late anti-apartheid sports administrator Morgan Naidoo; and cricket administrator Cassim Docrat. Professor Coovadia, who is a senior lecturer at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, and Mr Kathrada, who spent 25 years on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders, were clear in their presentations that while they were of Indian origin, their first loyalty was to South Africa. "I have to do more things here," said Professor Coovadia. "It is a new nation. We are faced with poverty, violence, social and economic inequality, and political discourse that has become worrying. It is my duty to contribute to building a new nation that will promote the well-being of all people without any difference," he said. Mr Kathrada, in his presentation, gave an account of how the former apartheid regime meted different and discriminatory treatment on Robben Island between Africans one one side and Indians and Coloured prisoners on the other. "While we were given long pants, Africans were given short pants and while we were given half-a-loaf of bread, Africans were given no bread at all," he said. But despite the "system's" attempts to divide Africans and Indian and Coloured prisoners, they had forged life-long friendships in the struggles against white minority rule and domination. He was guided by this bond in the new South Africa. "We are first and foremost South Africans and owe our loyalty to our national flag and national anthem. We may be of Indian-origin and have cultural and other ties with India, but we are all South Africans," said Mr Kathrada. Mr Sunny Singh, who spent more than 13 years on Robben Island, spoke about the armed struggle and how they were forced to change tactics in 1960 when the ANC and PAC were banned by the former National Party government. He had also built strong bonds with African comrades during the days of the "struggle". The opening ceremony last Sunday night was attended by, among others, Inkatha leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and Durban Deputy Mayor, Logie Naidoo. The closing ceremony at the ICC on Wednesday night was graced by, among others, Premier Zweli Mkhize and King Goodwill Zwelithini. According to Professor Chetty the convention had achieved its objectives by having relevant papers presented and delegates from the different countries developing contacts and networks. He said the conference had also succeeded in highlighting the dance and cultures of the different countries. "We will produce a book of all the papers presented so that we will have a record for posterity," said Professor Chetty.