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IOL News
13-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
The Original Wound: When the Land Screamed and the Lie Was Born
Gillian Schutte explores the enduring impact of colonialism in South Africa, where the myth of an empty land has perpetuated systemic injustices. Image: IOL The wound has never healed. Because the wound is still being inflicted. Daily. Systemically. Spiritually. It is layered in bureaucratic denial, wrapped in legal delay, and dressed with the poison of myth. A wound so vast and ancient, it swallows generations whole. And it began with a lie — that this land was empty. That lie remains the cornerstone of South Africa's settler-colonial cosmology. The claim that Europeans found uninhabited land or a sparsely populated wilderness is the perversion that justifies every act of theft, every severing of spirit, every white hand gripping a title deed soaked in ancestral blood. Never a misunderstanding, it was a psychological operation. A strategy. A theological inversion. A deliberate severing of people from place so that settlers could root themselves where they never belonged. They arrived — Dutch, German, French Huguenot — not as a people called Afrikaner, but as fragmented emissaries of empire. Over time, forged in the violence of dispossession, they became something else: a racial caste defined by land hunger, myth-making, Calvinist entitlement and a haunting spiritual arrogance. The lands they claimed were not empty. They were alive with cosmologies. The Khoekhoen, the !Xam, and the ǁKhu||ʼein had lived here since before the idea of Europe was ever whispered into being. They walked in sacred relationship with the soil, naming the stars, telling time with fire and birdcall, living in cyclical intimacy with drought and rain. Their rock art was was archive. Their breath gave shape to the world. The other Indigenous nations — amaXhosa, amaMpondo, amaZulu, BaPedi, BaTswana, Vhavenda, BaTsonga — rooted their sovereignty in land, kinship, and memory. The land was home. The land was structure. The land was law. What the colonisers called wilderness was in fact woven knowledge. What they named absence was sacred order. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The Curse of the Empty Land To dispossess is one form of violence. To then say you never belonged is a deeper crime. And this has always been the foundational cruelty: to take the land and declare that those who resisted were squatters in their own cosmos. This is the original wound — not just loss of territory, but loss of a way of being. The shattering of the self. The coloniser did not simply occupy. He re-authored. He renamed. He rerouted ancestral lineages, erased memory, desecrated graves, mocked rituals, silenced languages, and replaced all of it with a violent monologue: God gave this to us. We are the chosen ones. To this day, the wound speaks through the silence around the Khoekhoen and the !Xam. It weeps through unmarked graves, through unpaid labour, through townships built over the bones of the displaced. Spaces the beget mote bones crushed under the weight of dispossession. The myth that this was unoccupied land allowed white South Africans to pretend they were pioneers, not predators. It turned genocide into heritage. It turned theft into entitlement. It turned sacred ground into farmland, fenced off estates and golf courses. It turned presence into ghosthood. The Weaponised Lie of Mfecane There are those who will invoke Mfecane — the great scattering — as proof that African societies were in violent flux when settlers arrived. But the truth is far more complex. Much of what was recorded as tribal skirmish and internecine slaughter was seeded by colonial manipulation, gun-running, slave raiding, and territorial provocation. The settler narrative of African barbarism is projection — a mirror turned outward. Where colonisers found complex political life, they planted chaos. Where there were alliances, they drew borders. Where there was peace, they sowed fear. The myth of the savage justified the civiliser. The scorched earth tactics that razed Indigenous economies, slaughtered livestock, destroyed food systems, and led to the starvation of entire peoples were not the consequence of African violence, but the strategy of white conquest. The British, the Boers — both engaged in calculated devastation. The heads of kings were taken as trophies. Cattle seized. Children abducted. Dignity obliterated. And to this day, the land carries that burn mark. A Trauma Soaked Into the Soul The wound is not historical. It is haemorrhaging now. It pulses in the psyche of Black South Africans, in the grief of generations uprooted, in the rage of communities forced to beg for scraps of what was once sacred inheritance. The wound is spiritual. It is the feeling of ancestral silence. It is the scream beneath the skin of a dispossessed people. It is the splitting of self from land, self from ceremony, self from self. Children born into this wound carry its pain unconsciously. It whispers to them that they are unworthy, stateless, transient, voiceless. It creates an internal war — and this war manifests as interpersonal violence, intergenerational trauma, cultural amnesia, fractured identity, and sometimes, self-hatred. When land is stolen, so is coherence. To be cut off from ancestral ground is to be severed from the spiritual umbilicus of time. Reparations Will Never Be Enough Reparations are necessary. Restitution is long overdue. Land must be returned. But what reparation can name up to the magnitude of this genocide? What payment unburdens the soul of the!Xam? What currency returns a people to their graves, their language, their seasons? What treaty can unmake the silence? This is not a call for reform. This is a call for reversal. The entire power structure imposed by settler rule must fall. Because white rule continues, in courts, in banks, in the economy, in the legal fictions that govern land access, in gated communities that exist atop massacre sites. The original dispossessors hold the keys still. They live in the houses built from bones. They sip wine in valleys whose names they cannot pronounce. They hoard the memory. They police the language. They decide the pace of reconciliation while sitting atop its spoils. This is not democracy. This is the management of a wound by those who inflicted it. The Land Is the Memory Reclaiming land is not only about territory. It is about memory. It is about voice. It is about the restoration of a people's way of being in the world — the right to exist fully in relation to place, spirit, and ancestry. This is why the land issue cannot be reduced to reformist policy. It is cosmic. It is ancestral. It is revolutionary. The memory of the land must be ceased back. Not leased, not negotiated — ceased back into the hands of those it birthed, fed, and buried. There can be no freedom while white hands hold the soil. There can be no peace while the original nations — Khoekhoen, !Xam, ǁKhu||ʼein, amaXhosa, amaZulu, and others — remain spectral in their own territories. The land must breathe again in its rightful names. The ceremonies must return. The ancestors must be welcomed home. The resources must be owned and development must be rooted in African Knowledge and on African terms. Afrofuturism is not going back to animism. It is the merging of African cosmologies into a type of Wakandian advancement. Outside of the clutches of European restrictive enlightenment diktats. The wound must be addressed from within the psyche, not just the courts. It must be acknowledged in the language of spirit. It must be cleansed in the fire of truth. The Land Remembers The land is not mute. It remembers. The trees remember. They whisper these truths. The rivers remember. They sing They sing past joys. The earth, still stained with the blood of ancestors, remembers. It remembers the footprints of the ǁKhu||ʼein. The kraals of the Khoekhoen. The songs of the amaXhosa. The chants of resistance. The rainmaking. The funerals. The betrayal. The theft. The land remembers what the settlers erased. And it waits. Until that lie — the empty land lie — is publicly buried, until the sacred is returned to those from whom it was stolen, until the ruling order crumbles and a new breath rises from ancestral memory, the wound will not heal. The land cries out for truth. Let the primordial scream be heard. About the Author Long before she married her Xhosa life partner, Sipho Singiswa, Gillian Schutte was a fierce critic of whiteness — not as colour, but as structure. When she entered Sipho's family, she was cut from the Schutte genealogy and told she was never born. She accepted that erasure as a political and spiritual severance. She writes from this rupture — exposing settler lies, reclaiming memory, and refusing complicity. This essay is part of that refusal. Her film, Chasing the Ancestors, made in 2005, is a literal road trip taken by Gillian, Sipho and 5 year old Kai in search of the intersections between her Dutch and Sipho's Xhosa history in the Eastern Cape and Karoo in the 1700s.
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Forbes
Raise A Glass To Slow Travel: 4 Destinations To Savor Local Culture One Drink At A Time
Woman pouring red wine from a bottle into a drinking glass at vineyard. The Napa Valley Railroad dates back over 160 years. However, Napa Valley Wine Train is also celebrating its 36th anniversary, debuting a new clean-energy locomotive, designed to cut emissions by 95% without sacrificing its vintage charm. Guests can choose from curated experiences, lasting between 2.5 to 6 hours and ranging from gourmet meals and afternoon tea to grape stomping. But to mark this anniversary, it also hosted a special 'Earth Day' tasting event on April 22 in partnership with Grgich Hills Estate, a winery focusing on organic and regenerative winemaking. This milestone offers more than just a toast to history, it is a reminder that slow travel has been and will be compelling. For those who enjoy sipping their way through a destination at a relaxed pace, here are four additional slow travel experiences where the journey is just as flavorful as the destination. Cape Winelands District Municipality is one of South Africa's most celebrated wine regions, known for its world-class vineyards, fine dining and French Huguenot heritage. It is over 3,167 square miles, stretching from the outskirts of Cape Town all the way to Tankwa Karoo National Park. Franschhoek lies within the Cape Winelands region, calling itself the 'Valley of Dreams.' It is home to over 40 wineries and vineyards, as well as several immersive experiences to discover fine dining, award-winning wines, art galleries andsculpture gardens. Aerial view of Babylonstoren in Franschhoek. If you do not want to drive around, hop on the Franschhoek wine tram that takes you through scenic vineyards with stops at world-class wineries. But choose your line carefully. There are five color-coded routes, each offering a unique mix of wine estates and tasting experiences. If you want to stay in one place to experience award-winning wines, South Africa's rich history and slow travel, head to Babylonstoren. Wine here is only the beginning. It is a modern working farm, luxury hotel, spa, farm-to-fork restaurants and state-of-the-art winery. Whether for a day visit or an overnight stay, Babylonstoren makes slow travel luxurious while connecting you with South African traditions in a meaningful, immersive way. The garden of Babylonstoren from above. It has over 230 acres of vineyard to grow 13 different grape varieties and over 12 acres of garden filled with seasonal vegetables, edible flowers, fruit trees, beehives, climbing roses, a prickly pear maze and rare indigenous plants of botanical importance. In its Story of Wine Museum, visitors can try hands-on wine blending and taste the full range of its award-winning wines: four whites, a rosé, four elegant reds and the beloved Sprankel Cap Classique. A meal with a display of Babylonstoren wines. Visitors can cycle through the vineyards, enjoy bass fishing or canoeing, learn to bake mosbolletjie, a South African sweet bread, unwind with stretching classes, visit the herd of water buffalo, or join a guided drive up the slopes of Simonsberg to In the Clouds. Soetmelksvlei is Bablyonstoren's unique art and living history project to bring 19th-century farm life to life. Bablyonstoren restored and immaculately recreated the interiors of a farmhouse, a cottage, a cellar, a distillery, a mill and a workshop, where visitors can also try traditional craftsmanship. Fowl House at Soetmelksvlei Northumberland is the northernmost county of England, spreading from Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, all the way to the Scottish border. The region has a distinct identity shaped by centuries of history, from the Iron Age and Roman rule to Anglo-Saxon and Viking influences. Thanks to its strategic location, Northumberland has over 70 ruined or inhabited castles, the most compared to any other county in England. It offers endless opportunities for slow travel from England's largest dark sky park, Northumberland National Park, to walking on trails, passing Roman forts, rolling hills and remote moorlands. Sunset at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, England Active England Tours, a British adventure and luxury tour operator, launched a new tour for 2025 to explore Northumberland at a leisurely pace. Its 'Bike Hadrian's Wall & Northumberland' tour is a 4-day coast-to-coast cycling adventure through Northern England's rugged landscapes, including the famous Hadrian's Wall, local pubs and historic ruins. Stop at Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery if you love a good whisky. In the distillery, the first (legal) Northumbrian English Single Malt Whisky in over 200 years is currently maturing, with the first limited release set to be available in 2026. Ad Gefrin visitors centre and whisky distillery Until then, try Ad Gefrin's signature spirits: Tácnbora Whisky Blend, a blend of grain and malt whiskies from Ireland and Scotland, Flyté, a whisky cream liqueur and Thirlings Dry Gin, flavored with Sea Buckthorn and Irish moss from the coast, dill and elderberry from the hedgerow, and heather and pine from the hills. One of Ad Gefrin's signature spirit the Tácnbora Whisky Blend. Visitors can take a 90-minute guided distillery tour, explore The Great Hall and Museum—including artifacts on loan from the British Museum—and sample spirits in a multi-sensory tasting room set to Northumbrian pipe music. It is at least a half-day experience, blending storytelling, craftsmanship and regional pride. Skip Paris and slow down in France's Champagne region. It is in northeastern France, bordering Belgium. The region is the birthplace of 'champagne,' the only sparkling wine legally allowed to bear the name. This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Champagne Hillsides, Houses, and Cellars becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site. The region spans 320 villages and includes nearly 280,000 vineyard plots cultivated by over 16,000 growers, upholding a winemaking tradition that dates back centuries. Wineyards in Marne, Champagne-Ardennes, France. Visitors can leisurely explore wine trails around Reims or Épernay, drive through vineyard-draped hills, stop in villages to visit cellars, explore open-air vine museums or picnic with scenic views. For travelers who prefer slow travel over road-tripping, Belmond's Conquelicot offers an elegant alternative, a floating celebration of France's art de vivre. Conquelicot is a luxury canal barge navigating Canal de la Marne au Rhin, an almost 200-mile-long canal connecting the Marne River at Vitry-le-François to the Rhine River at Strasbourg. Deck of Coquelicot luxury barge of Belmond Bateaux. Six guests in three en-suite cabins can enjoy all the luxurious facilities: elegant lounge, expansive outdoor deck and scenic view of the Marne Valley. From fresh French breakfast pastries to alfresco dining, curated by three-Michelin-star Chef Dominique Crenn, all meals will be prepared using seasonal and local ingredients. Private tastings and vineyard tours at esteemed champagne houses, including Ruinart, the world's oldest champagne house, Leclerc Briant, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon await its guests. Wine tasting at Coquelicot luxury barge of Belmond Bateaux. While it may not be on most tourist's radar, Gifu quietly champions the values of authenticity, heritage and slow travel. It is where centuries-old craftsmanship meets striking natural beauty and well-preserved historical towns. The region is mostly renowned for the UNESCO-listed thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go. However, the meticulous art of Washi paper-making, the time-honored production of Gifu lanterns and umbrellas and the 1,300-year-old traditional cormorant fishing on the Nagara River are all part of this region's living history. Shirakawa is a village located in Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Watanabe Sake Brewery is a family-owned business in operation for 150 years in Hida Furukawa, Gifu Prefecture. Their brewers use traditional sake-making techniques that were added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024. Wabunka, a Japanese travel company specializing in exclusive experiences that showcase traditional craft and art industries, offers private sake tastings and guided tours at the historic Watanabe Sake Brewery. The tour begins with an introduction to the traditional sake-brewing process and concludes with a tasting in a beautifully renovated, 100-year-old building that's typically closed to the public. If you time your visit between September and June, you will be able to see the brewing happening live. Cold sake with rice and ear of rice on the table What else to do in Gifu Prefecture? A representative of Wabunka recommended in an email interview to visit and unwind in the waters of Gero Onsen or Yunoshimakan, stroll through Takayama's Edo-era Old Town, try kaiseki cuisine rooted in regional tradition and walk through Hida no Sato, an open-air museum preserving Japan's rural heritage.
The Guardian
15-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Marco Rubio says South Africa's ambassador to US is ‘no longer welcome'
The United States is in effect expelling South Africa's ambassador to Washington, with secretary of state Marco Rubio accusing the envoy of hating the country and President Donald Trump. 'South Africa's ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,' Rubio posted on X on Friday. Rubio accused ambassador Ebrahim Rasool of being 'a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS', referring to Trump by his White House X account handle. 'We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered persona non grata.' Neither Rubio nor the state department gave any immediate explanation for the decision. However, Rubio linked to a Breitbart story about a talk Rasool gave earlier on Friday as part of a South African thinktank's webinar in which he spoke about actions taken by the Trump administration in the context of a US where white people would soon no longer be a majority. Rasool pointed to Elon Musk's outreach to far-right figures in Europe, calling it a 'dog whistle' in a global movement trying to rally people who see themselves as part of an 'embattled white community'. Rasool is a former anti-apartheid campaigner who served time in prison for his activism and went on to become a politician in the African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela, the country's first post-apartheid president. The expulsion of an ambassador is a very rare move by the US, although lower-ranking diplomats are more frequently targeted with persona non grata status. Phone calls by the Associated Press to the South African embassy seeking comment, made at the end of the work day, were not answered. It is the latest development in rising tensions between Washington and Pretoria. In February, Trump froze US aid to South Africa, citing a law in the country that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers. Last week, Trump further fuelled tensions, saying South Africa's farmers were welcome to settle in the US after repeating his accusations that the government was 'confiscating' land from white people. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that 'any farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to citizenship'. One of Trump's closest allies is South African-born billionaire Musk, who has accused South African president Cyril Ramaphosa's government of having 'openly racist ownership laws'. South Africa was ruled by white Afrikaner leaders during apartheid, which violently repressed the country's black majority, including forcing them to live in segregated townships and rural 'homelands'. Afrikaners are descended mainly from the Dutch, who began colonising South Africa in 1652, as well as French Huguenot refugees sponsored by the Dutch. More than three decades after white minority rule ended, South Africa remains hugely unequal, with land and wealth still largely concentrated among white people, who make up 7% of the population, about half native Afrikaans speakers, while black people are 81%. However, some white South Africans claim they are discriminated against, often citing the country's affirmative action laws. During a G20 event in South Africa last month, Ramaphosa said he had a 'wonderful' call with Trump soon after the US leader took office in January. But relations later 'seemed to go a little bit off the rails', he said. In Friday's webinar, Rasool – speaking by videoconference – talked in academic language of the Trump administration's crackdowns on diversity and equity programs and immigration. 'The supremacist assault on incumbency, we see it in the domestic politics of the USA, the Maga movement, the Make America Great Again movement, as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the USA in which the voting electorate in the USA is projected to become 48% white,' the South African ambassador said. With Agence France-Presse and Associated Press
